Everyone has to take the table-scraps from the prime contractor's decision.
In Foreign Military Sales (FMS) there are off-sets and haggling. Israel, Japan and S. Korea will drive a hard bargain. They will also get what they want for production and sustainment of the F-35.
In Israel's case, their "domestic" weapons and software will be different. I suspect, it won't over-reach either. For example, SPICE and Rafael air-to-air missiles would be good enough for most of their work. I suspect also that the IDF won't over-reach on what the aircraft can and cannot do. I bet their helmet cueing system will work.
With no dumb excuses.
And, for Israel, it helps to get $3B each year from the U.S. taxpayer in "credits".
Total, legal, money-laundering of U.S.tax dollars.
Here, Israel will make some wing components (and other things). If they can make this pig work, it will be to some very limited needs.
IAI closer to producing F-35 wings
Israel Aerospace Industries has established a new production line to manufacture wings for Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.
LOD, Israel, April 14 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin and Israel Aerospace Industries say preparations to produce F-35 fighter wings in Israel are well underway.
IAI, which signed a contract with Lockheed in April of last year to manufacture the wings, has invested in advanced systems and technology for the work and established an automated production line.
“This is another significant milestone in the industrial cooperation that Lockheed Martin has with the Israeli defense industry,” said Marillyn (CQ) Hewson, chairman and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin. “IAI has been manufacturing several components for our products for many years and the production of F-35 wings will be a continuation of this process.”
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