Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The United States has advanced a project to supply
Israel with the Joint Strike Fighter.

The Defense Department has awarded Lockheed Martin a $206.8 million
contract for the F-35 to Israel. Under the contract, L-M would administer
system development and demonstration for the F-35A conventional takeoff and
landing aircraft.

“This modification provides for the System Development and Demonstration Phase I Increment 1, in support of F-35A Conventional Take Off and Landing Air System for the government of Israel under the Foreign Military Sales Program,” the Pentagon said.

In a statement on Aug. 28, the Pentagon did not specify the development for Israel’s JSF. But the statement provided the first indication that the aircraft ordered by Israel could contain features not found in the off-the-shelf model of the fifth generation aircraft.

“This modification includes the development of the hardware and software for the Israel F-35A CTOL Air System from the initial requirements development to the Preliminary Design Review,” the Pentagon said. “In addition, the post-PDR of hardware only, will continue through finalized requirements, layouts, and build to prints, including production planning data.”

In July, Israel and the United States were said to have agreed on
the integration of Israeli-origin subsystems in JSF. The agreement
envisioned the installation of Israeli electronic warfare and communications
systems in a configuration that would eventually be made available to other
JSF clients.

“Work will be performed at Fort Worth, Texas [60 percent]; Los Angeles,
Calif. [20 percent]; Nashua, N.H. [15 percent]; and San Diego, Calif. [5
percent], and is expected to be completed in May 2016,” the Pentagon said.

  Foreign Military Sales Program, Joint Strike Fighter, Lockheed Martin, Pentagon, U.S. preparing F-35s modified to Israel’s specifications