The Pentagon announced two contracts between the U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin with Israel, according to official contract records released last week.
The two cost-plus-incentive-fee contracts, valued at a total amount of $26,774,374, are aimed at helping the development of software and integration into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. The development came one day after the Israeli Air Force received three F-35I “Adir” fighter aircraft.
Israel is part of the program as a security cooperation participant, which gives the Jewish state specific rights regarding input on the design and configuration of the jets.
In March, the Israeli and U.S. Air Forces conducted a significant joint military exercise over the Mediterranean Sea; their first collaboration on this scale in two years.