Will Israel build a stealth fighter jet?
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- Netanyahu briefed Israeli press traveling with him to Washington on a 10-year plan for a domestic stealth fighter and accompanying UCAV, driven by recent UK export suspensions, French supply-chain interference, and past US delivery delays
- The Lavi program was killed in 1987 by a dramatic 12-11 cabinet vote (with one abstention) after costs consumed over half of US foreign assistance funds and Israeli army leaders said it was starving the Merkava tank and air defense projects
- The UK recently suspended roughly 30 vital military exports to Israel including F-16 parts, while France has blocked Israeli access to the Eurosatory exhibition and the Paris Air Show
- A new Israeli stealth platform would require a US or European propulsion system and would compete directly with Lockheed, Boeing, and General Dynamics, potentially forcing a joint venture or export-limiting arrangement to defuse US opposition
- A UCAV alternative could leverage Israel's existing work networking advanced drones with the F-35 Adir and gain stealth advantages by eliminating the cockpit canopy, though it would still need a US powerplant
- The US Loyal Wingman (F-47) Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, slated for initial operation around 2030, is designed to fly alongside F-35s and later support the NGAD sixth-generation fighter meant to replace the F-22
Why it matters: The UK has cut roughly 30 military exports to Israel including F-16 parts, and France has blocked access to Eurosatory and the Paris Air Show — giving Netanyahu's self-sufficiency push concrete recent triggers. Yet the Lavi consumed over half of US foreign aid before its 1987 cancellation, and IAI, Elbit, and Rafael are already overstretched.
