Israeli Production of F-35 Wings?

Advanced negotiations are underway between IAI and Lockheed Martin, as the IDF is considering procurement of a second F-35 squadron.

Against the backdrop of the Israeli intent to procure a second squadron of F-35 fighters from Lockheed Martin, negotiations are advancing over the production of several hundred pairs of the aircraft's wings by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The agreement is intended to be part of the US reciprocal procurement from Israel.

According to the IDF's decisions, it will receive an initial squadron of F-35 fighters during the coming five-year plan, in 2016 or 2017, after which another squadron (whose procurement has yet to be concluded) will be received. 

The reciprocal procurement deals of the US aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Martin with the Israeli defense industries are primarily beneficial for IAI, at least on the declarative level. The deal is for the local production of 811 pairs of wings for the stealth fighter, to be carried out over a ten-year period.

The wings will be produced by IAI's Lahav factory, which has been manufacturing aircraft wings for Boeing's F-15 and Lockheed Martin's F-16 for many years.

IAI will be required to invest production infrastructure in order to manufacture the wings of the stealth fighter, which is the most advanced of its kind in the world.

The negotiations between representatives of the Lahav factory and Lockheed Martin are considerably complicated, as sizable investments are necessary for special production instruments, as well as the transfer of classified technologies that provide "stealth" qualities to the aircraft.