There is likely a safety issue with one of the components in the Israeli Air Force's recently acquired F-35 fighter jets, referred to as the Adir model, Walla learned Friday.
Following information provided by the US manufacturer, flights of all newly received aircraft were delayed. After the component was inspected and a series of tests were performed, flights on those aircrafts were approved.
“No grounding of the Adir fleet was carried out in the past week,” the IDF Spokesperson's Unit stated. A source familiar with the details said that scans were conducted on the aircraft, and a single component was replaced.
According to the source, the operational capability of the air force was not affected.
Israel's fleet in the future
Last year, the Defense Ministry signed a procurement deal with the US government for the third squadron of F-35 fighter jets. The Defense Ministry’s procurement mission in the US to acquire the third squadron was for the IAF.
The deal includes 25 aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Once completed, it will expand the IAF's fleet of the world’s most advanced stealth fighter jets to 75.
The IDF will receive three to five aircraft per year beginning in 2028.
During the current war, the F-35 has flown over 15,000 flight hours on all war fronts.
Its stealth technology allows it to strike targets throughout the Middle East with impunity. Its surveillance and intelligence capabilities far exceed those of Israel’s older aircraft models.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.