Israel says it has reached an agreement with the US on a multibillion-dollar arms deal.
It signed an agreement with the US government to buy 12 Lockheed Martin CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing KC-46 refuelling aircraft, the Defence Ministry said on Friday. The total value is estimated at around 3 billion dollars, it said.
The first helicopters are expected to be delivered in 2026.
Israel had recently asked the US to speed up the delivery of refuelling aircraft, according to a report in the New York Times. These could be crucial for an attack on the nuclear facilities of Israel's arch-enemy Iran, it said. However, the US had said it was unlikely the first of the planes would be ready before the end of 2024.
The Jewish state sees its existence as being threatened by Iran.
Currently, nuclear talks are under way in Vienna about restricting Iran's nuclear programme again and lifting US sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The aim is to save a 2015 nuclear agreement, which is supposed to prevent the development of nuclear weapons in Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had called on the international negotiators to maintain a firm stance against Tehran.
Source: DPA
