Israel to buy 50 F-16s from US

WASHINGTON, Jan 15: The US defence group Lockheed Martin on Friday said Israel had officially confirmed its intention to buy 50 of its F-16 fighter planes in a deal worth 1.8 billion dollars to the company, reports AFP.

"We are grateful to the government of Israel for this continued expression of confidence in the F-16, and our company, and we look forward to extending our mutually beneficial relationship with Israel for many years to come," said Dain Hancock, president of Texas-based Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems.

The US Defence Department also announced the award but estimated its value at 1.341 billion dollars. There was no immediate explanation for the difference in figures.

During a visit to Washington in July, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak told President Bill Clinton that Israel had decided to buy the F-16 fighter rather than the F-15, manufactured by Lockheed rival Boeing.

Lockheed on Friday put the value of the total program for suppliers of the aircraft, mission equipment and support at 2.5 billion dollars.

It said deliveries of the aircraft would begin about three and a half years after the contract is signed, expected later this year.