Israel (Washington Insider Magazine) –The United States and Israel have now finished an arrangement worth up to $2 billion for the Israelis to purchase 12 Sikorsky-made CH-53K heavy lift helicopters.
The US Navy, in a statement released on Jan. 4 affirmed the final agreement while welcoming Israel to the “CH-53K family”. It was also stated that the choppers will “support Israeli special operations first”.
“These procurement agreements are significant milestones in the [Israel Defense Force’s] force buildup processes. We continue to strengthen our capabilities and to change and adapt our Air Force to face future challenges both near and far,” Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said in a Sikorsky translation of his Dec. 31 announcement.
The agreement incorporates choices for the Israeli Air Force to buy six extra airplanes in the future, as per the statement from the Israeli military. The arrangement follows the US approval of the transactions in July 2021 and Israel sticking to this same pattern toward the beginning of December. At the time of the US approval, the full price for the potential 18 airplanes was $3.4 billion.
In 2025 the very first deliveries are expected, as per the Navy. The help added that the CH-53K is presently going through initial functional test and assessment and is scheduled to accomplish introductory operational capability right on time one year from now.
Notwithstanding the CH-53K, the Israelis also announced the future purchase of two Boeing KC-46, worth up to $1.1 billion, a report published by Defense News said.
A statement released by the Israeli government said that the Ministry of Defense along with the IDF is undertaking the procurement of these platforms as a part of a large-scale program. Their aim is to strengthen the IDF’s capabilities, building up forces and being prepared against existing and future threats.
The statement continued by declaring plans of procuring a new fleet refueling aircrafts, F35 aircrafts, air defense systems, CH-53K helicopters, advanced air munition, marine and land platforms along with modern cyber systems.
