{"id":1048233,"date":"2026-05-21T11:34:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T09:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/"},"modified":"2026-05-22T15:47:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T13:47:38","slug":"israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Range"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style><p>On May 15, Israel&#8217;s Ministry of Defense signed a $34 million contract with Cyclone, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, to develop and produce external fuel tanks and conformal fuel tanks for the F-35I Adir. It is a deal born not of peacetime planning but of hard operational lessons \u2014 lessons written in jet fuel and flight hours over 1,500 combat sorties during Operation Rising Lion.<\/p>\n\n<p>The contract covers two distinct systems: 425-gallon external drop tanks, designed for rapid deployment when stealth is not the primary consideration, and 800-gallon conformal fuel tanks that hug the airframe closely enough to preserve the Adir&#8217;s all-important low-observable signature. Together, they will give the F-35I the range to reach Tehran and return without tanker support \u2014 a capability that transforms the strategic calculus of the entire Middle East.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f5f5f5;border-radius:8px;padding:20px 24px;margin:20px 0 28px;font-size:15px;line-height:1.8\"><strong style=\"font-size:17px\">Quick Facts<\/strong><br>&#128230; <strong>Contract value:<\/strong> $34 million<br>&#127463;&#127462; <strong>Contractor:<\/strong> Cyclone (Elbit Systems subsidiary)<br>&#128197; <strong>Signed:<\/strong> May 15, 2026<br>&#9981;&#65039; <strong>Drop tanks:<\/strong> 425-gallon external fuel tanks<br>&#128640; <strong>Conformal tanks:<\/strong> 800-gallon, stealth-preserving<br>&#127919; <strong>Objective:<\/strong> Tehran-range missions without aerial refueling<br>&#128202; <strong>Based on:<\/strong> Lessons from 1,500+ Operation Rising Lion sorties<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">From Operational Necessity to Industrial Reality<\/h2><p>The 425-gallon external drop tanks are the more conventional solution. Mounted on underwing pylons, they can be jettisoned before entering contested airspace, allowing the Adir to shed weight and drag before engaging enemy air defenses. The F-35I already employed external tanks during the 2025 Iran campaign, demonstrating the concept under fire. The Cyclone contract formalizes the production of a purpose-built, optimized design.<\/p>\n\n<p>The 800-gallon conformal fuel tanks are the more ambitious \u2014 and more consequential \u2014 element of the program. Conformal tanks are not hung from pylons; they are shaped to conform to the aircraft&#8217;s fuselage, blending into its contours so seamlessly that they add range without significantly degrading the stealth signature. For a fifth-generation fighter whose survivability depends on remaining invisible to enemy radar, this distinction is not merely academic. It is existential.<\/p>\n\n<p>The marriage of conformal tanks with the F-35&#8217;s low-observable design gives Israel something no external drop tank can: the ability to fly deep into denied airspace with extended range <em>and<\/em> full stealth protection. It is the difference between a fighter that can reach the target and a fighter that can reach the target unseen.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Strategic Implications: Tehran and Beyond<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px\"><img data-opt-id=1435012407  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/c\/c2\/USAF_F-15E_Strike_Eagle%2C_Iraq_2004.jpg\/960px-USAF_F-15E_Strike_Eagle%2C_Iraq_2004.jpg\" alt=\"F-15E Strike Eagle with conformal fuel tanks\" style=\"max-width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:6px\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An F-15E Strike Eagle over Iraq showing conformal fuel tanks along the fuselage \u2014 the same concept now being adapted for the F-35I. (USAF \/ Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The strategic mathematics are straightforward. The distance from central Israel to Tehran is approximately 1,600 kilometers. A standard F-35A has a combat radius of roughly 1,100 kilometers \u2014 sufficient for regional operations but inadequate for a round trip to the Iranian capital without refueling. The conformal and external tank combination is designed to close that gap definitively.<\/p>\n\n<p>For Iran, the implications are sobering. The 2025 campaign demonstrated that Israel possesses both the will and the capability to strike deep inside Iranian territory. The fuel tank program ensures that future operations of similar scope can be conducted with greater flexibility, less logistical complexity, and reduced dependence on allied support. It is, in the language of deterrence, a capability that speaks for itself.<\/p>\n\n<p>For Elbit Systems and its Cyclone subsidiary, the $34 million contract represents more than revenue. It is a validation of Israel&#8217;s defense-industrial strategy \u2014 the belief that a small nation&#8217;s security ultimately depends on its ability to manufacture its own critical military technologies rather than relying solely on foreign suppliers.<\/p>\n\n<p style=\"font-style:italic;color:#777;font-size:14px;margin-top:32px\">Sources: Israeli Ministry of Defense, Elbit Systems press release, Jane&#8217;s Defence Weekly, The War Zone, Flight Global.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/f-35-lightning-ii\/\">F-35 Lightning II Overview<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-strikes-iran-f-35i\/\">Israel Strikes Iran With F-35I Adir<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On May 15, Israel&#8217;s Ministry of Defense signed a $34 million contract with Cyclone, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, to develop and produce external fuel tanks and conformal fuel tanks for the F-35I Adir. It is a deal born not of peacetime planning but of hard operational lessons \u2014 lessons written in jet fuel and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":1048235,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"f-35i israel signs $34m","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Adir Range With Conformal Fuel Tanks | MiGFlug","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Israel MOD signs $34M contract with Cyclone\/Elbit for F-35I drop tanks and conformal fuel tanks. Tehran-range missions without tankers, based on Operation Rising Lion lessons.","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664,670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1048233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Adir Range With Conformal Fuel Tanks | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Israel MOD signs $34M contract with Cyclone\/Elbit for F-35I drop tanks and conformal fuel tanks. Tehran-range missions without tankers, based on Operation Rising Lion lessons.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Adir Range With Conformal Fuel Tanks | MiGFlug\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Israel MOD signs $34M contract with Cyclone\/Elbit for F-35I drop tanks and conformal fuel tanks. Tehran-range missions without tankers, based on Operation Rising Lion lessons.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MiGFlug.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-21T09:34:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-22T13:47:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/f35-lightning-featured.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"960\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"689\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5c2a0903e94d20f73e438b41e79c51be\"},\"headline\":\"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Range\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-21T09:34:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-22T13:47:38+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":602,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/05\\/f35-lightning-featured.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Military Aviation\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/\",\"name\":\"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Adir Range With Conformal Fuel Tanks | MiGFlug\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/05\\/f35-lightning-featured.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-21T09:34:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-22T13:47:38+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5c2a0903e94d20f73e438b41e79c51be\"},\"description\":\"Israel MOD signs $34M contract with Cyclone\\\/Elbit for F-35I drop tanks and conformal fuel tanks. Tehran-range missions without tankers, based on Operation Rising Lion lessons.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/05\\/f35-lightning-featured.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/05\\/f35-lightning-featured.jpg\",\"width\":960,\"height\":689,\"caption\":\"U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters from the 58th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla. perform an aerial refueling mission with a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 336th Air Refueling Squadron from March ARB, Calif., May 14, 2013 off the coast of Northwest Florida. The 33rd Fighter Wing is a joint graduate flying and maintenance training wing that trains Air Force, Marine, Navy and international partner operators and maintainers of the F-35 Lightning II. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen\\\/Released)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Range\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug.com Blog\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5c2a0903e94d20f73e438b41e79c51be\",\"name\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\"},\"description\":\"Fortun\u00e9 covers European aviation with the flair you would expect from a Parisian defence correspondent. Raised on stories of the Arm\u00e9e de l'Air and educated at Sciences Po, he brings a continental perspective to everything from Rafale deployments to Airbus strategy. His articles connect the dots between industrial policy, alliance politics, and the aircraft that result from both.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/author\\\/fortuneleroy\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Adir Range With Conformal Fuel Tanks | MiGFlug","description":"Israel MOD signs $34M contract with Cyclone\/Elbit for F-35I drop tanks and conformal fuel tanks. Tehran-range missions without tankers, based on Operation Rising Lion lessons.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Adir Range With Conformal Fuel Tanks | MiGFlug","og_description":"Israel MOD signs $34M contract with Cyclone\/Elbit for F-35I drop tanks and conformal fuel tanks. Tehran-range missions without tankers, based on Operation Rising Lion lessons.","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/","og_site_name":"MiGFlug.com Blog","article_published_time":"2026-05-21T09:34:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-05-22T13:47:38+00:00","og_image":[{"width":960,"height":689,"url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/f35-lightning-featured.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/"},"author":{"name":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/5c2a0903e94d20f73e438b41e79c51be"},"headline":"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Range","datePublished":"2026-05-21T09:34:50+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-22T13:47:38+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/"},"wordCount":602,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/f35-lightning-featured.jpg","articleSection":["Military Aviation","News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/","name":"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Adir Range With Conformal Fuel Tanks | MiGFlug","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/f35-lightning-featured.jpg","datePublished":"2026-05-21T09:34:50+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-22T13:47:38+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/5c2a0903e94d20f73e438b41e79c51be"},"description":"Israel MOD signs $34M contract with Cyclone\/Elbit for F-35I drop tanks and conformal fuel tanks. Tehran-range missions without tankers, based on Operation Rising Lion lessons.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/f35-lightning-featured.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/f35-lightning-featured.jpg","width":960,"height":689,"caption":"U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters from the 58th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla. perform an aerial refueling mission with a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 336th Air Refueling Squadron from March ARB, Calif., May 14, 2013 off the coast of Northwest Florida. The 33rd Fighter Wing is a joint graduate flying and maintenance training wing that trains Air Force, Marine, Navy and international partner operators and maintainers of the F-35 Lightning II. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen\/Released)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/israel-signs-34m-deal-to-extend-f-35i-range\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Israel Signs $34M Deal to Extend F-35I Range"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/","name":"MiGFlug.com Blog","description":"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/5c2a0903e94d20f73e438b41e79c51be","name":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy"},"description":"Fortun\u00e9 covers European aviation with the flair you would expect from a Parisian defence correspondent. Raised on stories of the Arm\u00e9e de l'Air and educated at Sciences Po, he brings a continental perspective to everything from Rafale deployments to Airbus strategy. His articles connect the dots between industrial policy, alliance politics, and the aircraft that result from both.","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/author\/fortuneleroy\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1048233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1048233"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1048233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1054609,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1048233\/revisions\/1054609"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1048235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1048233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1048233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1048233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}