Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The United States, amid unprecedented criticism of Israel’s defense minister, has awarded a contract for the Middle East ally’s planned Joint Strike Fighter fleet.

The Defense Department has awarded a $65.2 million contract to Lockheed Martin to develop the F-35A for the Israel Air Force.

Under the contract, L-M would also provide a logistics system for F-35 exports to both Israel and Japan.

“Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $32,495,254 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year,” the Pentagon said.

In a statement on March 18, the Pentagon said L-M would develop a common F-35A conventional take-off and landing aircraft as well as autonomous logistics global sustainment system. The statement said the contract, a modification of a previous award, was assigned equally to Jerusalem and Tokyo.

Israel has ordered 19 F-35s in a deal estimated at $2.7 billion. The
Pentagon said the latest contract was expected to be completed by December
2017, when JSF was expected to be delivered to Israel.

The award was announced amid unprecedented U.S. attacks on Israeli
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon. On March 18, the administration of President
Barack Obama protested Ya’alon’s criticism of the U.S. rapproachment on
Iran.

“Clearly his [Ya’alon’s] comments were not constructive,” State
Department spokeswoman Jan Psaki said on March 19. “Secretary [of State
John] Kerry spoke with Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu this morning, and
he protested to him his concerns about these comments.”

  Jen Psaki, John Kerry, Lockheed Martin, Moshe Ya’alon, Pentagon awards contract for Israel’s F-35A as State Dept. criticizes Ya’alon statement