Israel contracts Elbit to add external fuel tanks to F‑35I, extending range

Israel has signed a roughly $34 million contract with domestic defense firm Elbit Systems to develop external fuel tanks for its F‑35I “Adir” fighter jets. The tanks are expected to increase the aircraft’s combat radius from about 1,900 km to around 2,100 km, reducing reliance on aerial refueling and giving the Israeli Air Force greater flexibility for long‑range missions.

The modification builds on earlier work that equipped Israel’s F‑16I “Sufa” with similar external tanks. While the added stores may compromise stealth during transit, the plan is to discard them before entering heavily contested airspace, balancing range gains with stealth requirements. The upgrade aims to sustain Israel’s air superiority over the next decade amid a deteriorating regional security environment involving threats from Iran and its proxies.