Israeli Firm Resumes Production of F-16 Wings for Lockheed Martin

An Israeli F-16 fighter jet takes off from Ramon air base in southern Israel during routine training, October 21, 2013. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
An Israeli F-16 fighter jet takes off from Ramon air base in southern Israel during routine training, October 21, 2013. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
TT

Israeli Firm Resumes Production of F-16 Wings for Lockheed Martin

An Israeli F-16 fighter jet takes off from Ramon air base in southern Israel during routine training, October 21, 2013. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
An Israeli F-16 fighter jet takes off from Ramon air base in southern Israel during routine training, October 21, 2013. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has resumed the production of F-16 wings for Lockheed Martin. IAI will produce F-16 wings that will be shipped to the F-16 final assembly line in Greenville, South Carolina, USA.

Boaz Levy, IAI’s President & CEO, said, “Resuming the production of F-16 wings is a continuation of decades-long cooperation of manufacturing aerostructures for Lockheed Martin customers.

“The F-16 assembly line once again joins IAI’s assembly center of excellence for the production of fighter aircraft wings. The center also produces F-35 wings along with T-38 wings for the American defense establishment.”

Lockheed Martin Israel chief executive Joshua Shani said, "So far, Lockheed Martin has initiated and maintained significant long-term economic relationships with the State of Israel and its local industries. The company has invested billions of dollars with Israeli defense and aerospace industries because of the high quality, cutting-edge technology that Israeli industry offers.”

Both companies had started negotiating the deal months ago.



Biden Approves $567 Mln in Defense Support for Taiwan, White House Says

Taiwanese flags are seen at the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan in Taipei, Taiwan, December 26, 2022. (Reuters)
Taiwanese flags are seen at the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan in Taipei, Taiwan, December 26, 2022. (Reuters)
TT

Biden Approves $567 Mln in Defense Support for Taiwan, White House Says

Taiwanese flags are seen at the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan in Taipei, Taiwan, December 26, 2022. (Reuters)
Taiwanese flags are seen at the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan in Taipei, Taiwan, December 26, 2022. (Reuters)

US President Joe Biden on Sunday approved $567 million in defense support for Taiwan, the White House said, the latest move by the United States to boost the island's military in the face of rising tensions with China.

The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier even in the absence of formal diplomatic ties. China has repeatedly demanded Washington stop selling weapons to Taipei, which it claims as its territory.

In a statement, the White House said Biden had delegated the Secretary of State the authority "to direct the drawdown of up to $567 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan".

It provided no further details.

In April, Biden signed a hard-fought bill into law that provides billions of dollars of new US aid to Ukraine for its war with Russia, as well as for Israel and Taiwan.

Taipei has complained of delayed US arms deliveries, including for upgraded F-14 fighter jets.

China, which views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, has ramped up military and political pressure over the past five years to assert its claims, which Taipei strongly rejects.