Israel Approves Billions of Shekels for Apache Helicopter Purchase
Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba
The Israeli government approved billions of shekels for military purchases, including approximately $1 billion for Apache combat helicopters, on October 14. The funds will come from budget cuts and future allocations, with some money diverted from a development program for the Arab sector. This decision follows Israel missing a U.S. deadline to order 12 Apache helicopters, which are needed to address future security threats.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel's government approved billions of shekels for military purchases, including Apache helicopters.
- The deal for Apache helicopters is valued at approximately $1 billion.
- Funding will be sourced from budget cuts and future allocations, impacting the Arab sector development program.
- Israel missed a U.S. deadline to order 12 Apache helicopters on October 7.
- The procurement aims to address the IDF's future security needs and threats.
The Israeli government approved the allocation of several billion shekels for military procurement, including the purchase of American Apache combat helicopters, on the morning of October 14. The decision was made during an urgent phone vote among ministers, citing an "urgent security need." The primary focus is a deal to acquire Apache helicopters valued at approximately $1 billion, alongside funding for other Ministry of Defense purchases. Funds will be drawn from the 2026 budget, including a 2-3 billion shekel reduction in government ministry spending, as well as allocations from the 2027-2029 budgets. Specifically, part of the funds designated for a five-year development program for the Arab sector is expected to be utilized. Security officials maintain that these funds had already been approved by the prime minister but had not yet been disbursed. "If the Ministry of Finance decided to obtain these funds by cutting other ministries' budgets, that is their business. In any case, these are funds whose need was known in advance, not an emergency requiring the Finance Ministry's urgent action," a senior security official told "A-Yom." Israel recently missed a deadline set by the U.S. Department of Defense to place an order for 12 Apache helicopters. Washington had agreed to postpone the deadline twice before it expired on October 7. The acquisition of additional helicopters is part of a reassessment of the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) needs in light of anticipated future threats.
