Israel Finalizes Apache Helicopter Deal After Budget Approval
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
Israel's Ministry of Defense signed a $988 million deal for 12 advanced Apache helicopters from Boeing. The agreement was approved after a two-week budget dispute, with the Israeli government allocating an additional NIS 1.03 billion for the purchase. Payments for the helicopters, to be delivered starting in the early 2030s, are required between 2027 and 2029. This necessitates an increase in Israel's defense budget for 2026.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel signed a $988 million deal for 12 advanced Boeing Apache helicopters.
- The agreement was finalized after a two-week budget dispute between Israeli ministries.
- The government approved an additional NIS 1.03 billion for the defense budget.
- The new Apache helicopters are the advanced "Echo" model.
- Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the early 2030s.
Israel's Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Pentagon have signed a deal for 12 new Boeing Apache "Echo" model helicopters, the most advanced version of the aircraft. The agreement, worth $988 million, comes after a two-week budget dispute between Israel's Treasury and Defense ministries. The helicopters are slated for delivery starting in the early 2030s and include special modifications to meet Israeli requirements. The deal's finalization was contingent on the Israeli government approving an additional NIS 1.03 billion ($288 million) for the defense establishment, designated for "classified procurement advancement." Initially, the Defense Ministry anticipated deferring payments for the helicopters, which are not due to be delivered for three years, until closer to the delivery date. However, the Pentagon's pricing structure required immediate payments between 2027 and 2029, necessitating the budget increase and raising Israel's defense spending for 2026.
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