The State Department said on Tuesday that the United States has authorized $20 billion in military sales to Israel, which include several fighter jets and cutting-edge air-to-air missiles.
The sale, which comes at a time of great concern that Israel may become involved in a wider Middle East war, was not disclosed to Congress. It includes more than fifty F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles, or AMRAAMs, 120 mm tank ammunition, high explosive mortars, and tactical vehicles.
Though it will take years for the contracts to be fulfilled, it is not anticipated that the weapons will arrive in Israel anytime soon. The majority of the equipment being sold is intended to assist Israel in enhancing its military power over the long run; the contract’s first systems aren’t anticipated to be delivered until about 2026.
“The United States is committed to Israel’s security, and helping Israel establish and preserve a potent and ready self-defense capability is essential to U.S. national interests. In a statement about the sale, the State Department stated that “this proposed sale is consistent with those objectives.”
Because of the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza, the Biden administration has had to strike a balance between maintaining its support for Israel and the increasing number of calls from Congress and the American people to reduce military support there. One supply of 2,000-pound weapons has been stopped in the midst of Israel’s ongoing bombings on Gaza’s highly populated civilian neighborhoods.
The contracts will extend beyond the sale of the 50 new aircraft that Boeing plans to build. Along with other modifications, it will contain upgrade kits that Israel can use to equip its current fleet of twenty F-15 fighter jets with modern radars and engines. The majority of the $20 billion in sales are expected to come from the aircraft, with initial deliveries scheduled for 2029.