TEL AVIV: Israel would probably manufacture wings for F-35 fighter jets the US is considering selling to the UAE following the normalisation deal signed earlier this week, Israeli business daily Calcalist has reported.
The report by Calcalist cited sources as saying that Washington and US arms company Lockheed Martin are expected to discuss the sale of F-35 aircraft to the UAE, and that “there is a high chance” the F-35 wings would be manufactured by the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
The IAI production line in Lod is one of three manufacturers of F-35 wings in the world, supplying them for aircraft intended for non-American or NATO customers.
There have been mixed reports in Israel of possible US arms sales to the UAE as part of the deal, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denying any such provisions exist. The UAE has also denied the reports.
Netanyahu had initially given the green light to the F-35 sales but reversed his position after facing a backlash from political opponents at home, according to US and Israeli media.
Trump not opposed
However, ahead of the signing of the deal on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump told Fox News he would not oppose the sale of the advanced fighter jets to the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries.
“I would have no problem in selling them the F-35, I would have absolutely no problem,” he said, explaining it would be good for the American economy.
“They are very wealthy countries for the most part, like the UAE, and they would like to buy the fighter jets, and I personally would have no problem with it,” Trump added. “Some people do, they say maybe they go to war.”