Israel aims to make pilotless warplane with F-35 capabilities

JERUSALEM - Israel plans to make a pilotless warplane with capabilities akin to the US-supplied F-35 stealth fighter, a senior official said, as the country turns towards independent military production amid growing isolation over its wars.

The initiative comes as Israel outlines plans to reduce US defence aid to Israel over the coming decade and replace it with joint military development and production, said the official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the discussions.

Part of that plan involves developing a home-grown and pilotless warplane whose capabilities could resemble the F-35, the most advanced of Israel’s fleet of military jets, according to the official, who said a variety of foreign countries could take part. Israel already fields a range of propeller-driven military drones, mostly for tactical missions.

The costly and inconclusive US-Israeli war against Iran and the destruction wrought by Israel’s campaign in Gaza have eroded what was once bedrock bipartisan support in Washington, raising the possibility of political restrictions on US weapons sales. That has spurred a search for domestic alternatives.

The country has been shut out by its weapons suppliers in the past. In the late 1960s, hit with a French arms embargo, Israel manufactured the Nesher and Kfir warplanes before ending those production lines within a few years. A decade later, it abandoned the development of an advanced fighter-bomber, Lavi, amid US pressure.

Then, Washington sought to fend off potential competition for US defence exports to Israel and other clients. Now, with the Israelis waging wars on several fronts, whether they should be getting US military hardware at all is a subject of fierce debate on Capitol Hill.

“If trends in American politics continue along their current trajectory, Israel might not even be permitted to purchase American fighter-bombers in the future,” wrote David Rodman of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, an Israeli think-tank, in a policy paper published on Wednesday. BLOOMBERG