and than israel will enhance them to suit the environment it fights in better. I love being Israeli.

They ain't cheap, but then quality never is.

Israeli pilots and planes are far more advance same technology can be fiitted in F-16 warplanes. However the technology of being invisible from radar is only +point that even israelis can do it. It is very high price plane. It is not the plane that matter, who drives the plane.

I'm not holding my breath until Obama is removed from office.

I hope they will be shut down over Lebanon.

There's no flying object that's stealth by itself.It's a myth.They only thing that makes this fighter "stealth" is in the electronics but it's only a matter of time before counter measures are developed against it.Same was said about F-15 /F-16 and other fighter before them.But new systems where developed to counter them.Israel's money will be well spent on upgrading it's F -15/16s,drones and making peace.Jet fighter won't serve Israel any better either as her enemies will just flood her with missiles.Same result you get from jet fighters only much cheaper...

Here's to the first of what will eventually become five squadrons of F-35's. I wonder if they would also consider the F-22 or Russian version

With what RPG'S, hehehe. Lebanon will first be dust and then we will talk about how to shoot F35's, if you can see them...sucker

to get your asses whipped by bunch of sheep herders in 2006 ,...

Really? How many missiles has Hizbollah fired into northern Israel since 2006? One? Perhaps two? And then they soil themselves begging Israel not to retaliate, claiming it was a renegade group. Of course, Israel has hammered quite a few of their missile caches, just to keep them in line. It's working quite well -- I guess Hizbollah finally understands that Israel can turn Lebanon into a cinder with a mere flick of the wrist. But, speaking about an ass-whupping -- what happened to the full faith and credit of the United States armed forces at the hands of a bunch of barefoot warlords carrying vintage World War II Garand rifles and a bunch of rusty RPG launchers? Huh? Did you forget to bring your toys and gizmos?

Oh, Lebanon will be long gone before the first F-35 is delivered. No worries.

My understanding is that a considerable amount of the "stealth" quality is attributable to the physical attribute of the plane and the outer-body coating. It doesn't matter, though -- Israel will reverse engineer, improve upon the existing design and immediately make available to the United States the advancements and improvements. Just like Israel has always done.

stealth technology is not a myth: materials that coat the aircraft like paint, absorb radar waves . The reflected energy to a radar receiver is greatly reduced. The inherent 'noise' of the radar receive masks detection. Further the configuration of the a/c also disperses the radar waves if the a/c purposely flies with the proper orientation towards the radar receiver. Missiles are easily detected, and can be countered by anti-missile tecniques. dumb katushka type missiles against Israeli civilians are cheap ( $250?? ), scary, but they are NOT effective or accurate. YES ... the best policy is making peace...a peace that will profit an enemy that KNOWS he will not survive an Israeli air attack. moshe

a lot more Lebanese dead, than Israelis in 2006, so what ass whipping could you be referring to?

You write; "I hope they will be shut down over Lebanon." You can dream your brains out if you have any. Remember, Israel is not NAVO (NATO) and make no mistake. you are invited to Israel when the Sharia will be established in Belgium, that is, your country. We'll give you the best hospitality. I'd love to see your face then.

Turkish Aerospace Industries will produce 100 F-35 (with an option for20 more) under license from Lockheed Martin Corporation. Please do some research!

Obviously, woman and children you forgat to mention - You got whipped on the ground and got a "lesson" on the sea.

Barak has done a deal which will involve a percentage of the wings for global F35 sales be built in Israel which is a great business deal but as a combat aircraft Israel can't afford it. The F35 was originally supposed to cost $60 million each and Israel was going to buy it as its next generation multi role fighter to replace the F16 and the work horse of the IAF. Then the prices started spiraling out of control and right now its around $100 million each. Originally Israel planned to buy an initial batch of 100 as the price went up that was cut to 75 then 25 now 20 and even thats because the US is paying for the initial batch through military aid and we got this little business deal. In future the US will not be funding F35 purchases Israeli taxpayers will. At $100 million each how can Israel ever afford more than a handful ? We certainly can't buy enough to replace the hundreds of F16s. Its also everything Israel doesn't need in a fighter. Its fuel tanks are small as is its internal bomb bay. If its going to carry external drop tanks for longer range missions or extra weapons on the underwing pylons it comes at the expense of stealth. It doesn't have the agility of the Kfir, Phantom or F16 and the IAF like dog fighting. Other than the stealth which we get in a short range mission where we don't need anymore weapons than are carried in the bomb bays all it has going for it is stealth. On other missions such as striking a country like Iran or Iraq we wouldn't even get the stealth because of all the extras we would have to carry. When the IAF needs more planes and the government says they don't have the money to pay for them we are going to be questioning the wisdom of buying F35. to sale of its hardware. Olmerts white elephant was Iron Dome now Baraks will be the F35.

Yes, you are correct. A considerable number of Lebanese were killed, unfortunately, some of them civilians. Hizbollah is well known to us for hiding behind women's skirts and children. They store weapons in schools, hospitals and mosques, thereby turning them into legitimate military targets. Brings a whole new meaning to the words "terrorist scum." That said -- I note for the record that Israel took great pains to avoid civilian casualties, both in 2006 and more recently in Operation Cast Lead. Certainly far more care than NATO took in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Waziristan. Civilian deaths in the foregoing are, it is thought, to number in excess of 100,000. Perhaps next time, Israel will be just as concerned about collateral damage as is NATO. Or perhaps Israel will do what the Allies did to Germany during the Second World War -- carpet bomb it so that two bricks are not left standing. Of course, Israel also could do what the United States did in the fire-bombing of Tokyo, or even drop something along the lines of what the United States dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Or drop some napalm, like the United States did in Vietnam and Cambodia. Would you like that better?

To whom do you think you're talking to? 1200 civilians out of over total casualties, among them 400 kids ? Please save your breath with your hasbara BS. In case you didn't notice we live in real time satellite communication system that let you spread your crap around the globe, to us to read and scrutinize watching your conduct live on the ground. One more think that pisses us off it's your signature, to be precise it's the "U.S.A / Israel" part of it - M ake up your mind who the hell are you and get a life,...

1200 civilians out of over 1400 (total) casualties,...

Besides, you do not call the shots in the US. Wait till Obama goes home crying in the next election. Israel will get more money due to congress and buy more planes and other thigs for its defense. You wail now, you will keep crying tomorrow. And one more thing, Sarah B. made several good points on her posts and instead of responding, you trashed her down! Shame on you! Stop righting here .

By the time Obama goes home your influence 'll be gone, AIPAC exposed for what it is, a foreign entity , tool of corruptiom and spy nest that got us involved in two wars and trying to push us into thirt one,...