Israel to purchase over 8,000 missiles and bombs from U.S.

The United States has approved two major Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Israel, valued at £6 billion ($7.41 billion), aimed at bolstering the Israeli Air Force’s operational readiness with advanced missiles and precision-guided munitions.

The first sale involves 3,000 AGM-114 Hellfire Air-to-Ground Missiles, comprising a mix of variants such as R3, F, and K. The package, valued at £520 million ($660 million), includes spare parts, test equipment, software support, and technical assistance.

Lockheed Martin will serve as the primary contractor, with deliveries beginning in 2028.

According to the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the deal will “improve Israel’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving the ability of the Israeli Air Force to defend Israel’s borders, vital infrastructure, and population centres.”

The second and larger deal, worth £5.3 billion ($6.75 billion), provides Israel with a massive supply of munitions and support systems, including:

• 2,166 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB-I)
• 2,800 MK 82 500-pound bomb bodies
• 13,000 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) guidance kits for MK-84 bombs
• 3,475 JDAM guidance kits for BLU-109 bomb bodies
• 17,475 FMU-152A/B fuzes

Additional non-MDE items include FMU-139 fuzes and other bomb components, with deliveries commencing in 2025. Boeing and L3Harris are among the contractors supplying key components.

The DSCA said the sale will “strengthen Israel’s homeland defence and serve as a deterrent to regional threats,” noting that Israel already operates similar weapons, ensuring their smooth integration into its arsenal.

The DSCA highlighted that the proposed sales are vital to U.S. national interests, reaffirming its commitment to maintaining Israel’s self-defence capabilities. The agency assured that the sale “will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”

No additional U.S. personnel will be deployed to Israel, aside from support visits during initial phases of training. Although the costs reflect maximum initial estimates, final amounts will be determined by further negotiations and actual requirements.