Israel Air Force receives 2 new F-35 Adir fighter jets.

The Israel Defense Forces announced that on 14 July the Israeli Air Force has received two new F-35 “Adir” fighter jets, bringing the number of fifth-generation stealth aircraft that the military says it has in its arsenal up to 16.

F-35 "Adir" (Picture source: Israeli Air Force)

The two jets landed in the Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel, joining the country's growing F-35 aircraft array. The new F-35 jets, or "Adir" ("mighty" in Hebrew) , arrived after departing from an airport of their manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, in Texas.

The jets are part of an acquisition of 50 F-35s. The first jets arrived in Israel in December 2016 and by the end of 2019 Israel would have 20 F-35s.

“The capabilities of the Adir Squadron adds another tier to the operational and strategic abilities of the air force, which ensures the air force’s superiority in all its missions, namely the protection and safety of the State of Israel’s skies,” the IDF said in a statement.

In June, the F-35 aircraft participated in the “Tri-Lightning” military exercise, led by the United States, with the participation of the British Air Force.