Israel buys 12 Apache helicopters from US

The Defense Ministry said the agreement was adapted through a joint Israeli-American effort to meet Israel’s needs and the complex budget constraints it currently faces.

By Gila Isaacson, JFeed

Israel has signed an agreement with the United States to buy 12 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for the Israeli Air Force, the Defense Ministry announced Wednesday.

The deal was finalized hours after the government approved emergency funding to rescue a purchase that had appeared lost.

Defense Ministry Director-General Amir Baram instructed the ministry’s delegation in the United States to sign with the Pentagon following the government’s approval.

Under the deal, Boeing will supply the helicopters, with deliveries beginning in the early 2030s. They will be the Echo model, the newest and most advanced version of the Apache.

The government approved the transfer of about NIS 1.03 billion to the Defense Ministry for the procurement.

According to the Finance Ministry, nearly all of it will be diverted from a five-year plan to develop Israel’s Arab sector, with the remaining NIS 68 million coming from the 2026 state budget.

The approval came after weeks of uncertainty.

The Pentagon had granted Israel three extensions to place its order, but a prolonged budget dispute between the Defense and Finance ministries left about $288 million of the roughly $1 billion deal without a funding source, and reports last week said Israel had missed its final deadline.

According to Channel 12, U.S. officials then gave Israel until Wednesday to finalize the purchase, prompting the urgent search for funding.

The Defense Ministry said the agreement was adapted through a joint Israeli-American effort to meet Israel’s needs and the complex budget constraints it currently faces.

Defense Minister Israel Katz thanked the U.S. administration and the Pentagon for their cooperation, along with the ministry team led by Baram.

Air Force officials have said the purchase reflects lessons learned from Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack and the fighting in Gaza.

In January, the U.S. State Department approved a potential sale of Apache helicopters and related equipment to Israel valued at $3.8 billion, expected to cover 30 helicopters, with an initial order of 12.