Israel will purchase these lemons. We will turn it into something that actually works. But we will not share the improvements with the Americans. Forcing these excuses for military aircraft down Israel's throat? Okay. We'll take it. We'll make it far better (as we have with both the F-15 and the F-16). Except we won't share the improvements with the United States. And there WILL be improvements, just as there always have been with American military jets purchased by Israel. Those, we shared. This time -- this president -- No. Work it out for yourselves. We're tired of improving American aircraft so that the benefits accrue to the United States and Israel doesn't get the credit it is due.

israel will not be able to improve the f-35, because, unlike the f-16 and the f-15, israel will be given access to the system. the americans will not allow israeli avionics to be incorporated, presumably because that would have meant sharing engineering specs, nor will they allow israel access to the plane's software, where the idf could have made a contribution. i can't prove it, but it almost seems like the yankees are going out of their way to make absolutely certain that israel DOESN'T repeat the experience of the f-15 and f-16.

They were getting f-15 and f-16 with choice, without the latest electronics or gutted so they install their own and keep their folks working. This is not an improvement it's handout not only that unlike other countries they getting their jets paying with our money they also utilize technology they stole from us not to mention that some of it is sold to our enemies.

To my knowledge the only country that has been given access to the full code is the United Kingdom. Everyone else who purchases the F35 will be required to return faulty computers to the United States for repair/replacement. It is also possible that these units will be pre-programmed so that an aircraft will not be able to enter certain airspace.

From the looks of it the US has gone back on an agreement made with Barak when plans to buy the F35 were made. Originally the first batch would be off the shelf but the second would allow Israel to include add on systems which did not involve sharing source code and the bomb bays would be modified to carry Israeli missiles. Look up the F35I on Wikipedia

The US has refused to share source code with anybody which nearly led the UK to cancel plans to buy the F35. I don't know f the deal has been gone back on but originally the US was willing to let Israel include an add on system so it could have had its own systems on board. Less efficient but would allow Israel to install its systems without having to know the source code.