On Thursday, May 14, 2026, the Directorate of Defense Procurement (DPD) at Israel’s Ministry of Defense signed an agreement worth more than 100 million NIS/34 million USD with Cyclone, an Elbit Systems subsidiary, to develop the design of an external fuel tank for Lockheed Martin F-35I Adir fifth-generation multirole aircraft operated by the Israeli Air Force (Heyl Ha’Avir).
Photo: Heyl Ha’Avir
The solution, based on Cyclone’s design for Israeli F-16s, is expected to significantly increase the operational range and endurance of the F-35I aircraft. The agreement provides for the development of an external fuel tank adapted to a fifth-generation combat aircraft, along with integration work.
Given that Israel’s F-35I fleet is currently planned to number 100 aircraft, external fuel tanks will also help reduce dependence on its small aerial refueling fleet: currently seven Boeing 707-3J6B(KC) Re’em tankers, and in the future up to eight KC-46A Gideon aircraft. This will increase operational flexibility in long-range missions, such as this year’s and last year’s airstrikes on Iran.
This agreement is part of a broader strategy to expand the capabilities of the Israel Defense Forces, led by Defense Minister Israel Katz and the director general of the Ministry of Defense, retired Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, aimed at strengthening Israel’s readiness for an intensive decade of national security and maintaining the country’s air and strategic superiority in the region.
It is worth adding that external fuel tanks, either underwing or conformal, were not originally developed for the F-35 Lightning II family, since, as with the configuration involving weapons carried on underwing pylons, known as Beast Mode, they would increase the aircraft’s radar cross-section. The aircraft were designed to be low-observable, or stealthy. Recently, however, the Americans, as part of the ongoing modernization of Lockheed F-22A Raptor air superiority fighters, developed new low-observable fuel tanks to replace the classic 600-gallon jettisonable fuel tanks carried in pairs under the wings for ferry flights.
𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.@Israel_MOD has signed a contract with Cyclone, a wholly owned subsidiary of Elbit Systems, to develop and integrate an extended-range capability for the F-35 “Adir” fighter aircraft, manufactured by… pic.twitter.com/cTRsjawIR9
— Elbit Systems (@ElbitSystemsLtd) May 14, 2026
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