The F-16I has been in service for 20 years with the IDF, and several squadrons fly the warplane. (IDF)
JERUSALEM — The Israel Ministry of Defense is acquiring $80 million in “advanced self-protection suites” for Israel’s F-16I aircraft, the latest in a procurement blitz in the wake of the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
The Ministry of Defense made the aquisition announcement on Monday, saying the F-16s will “be equipped with cutting-edge technologies to ensure maximum protection in complex combat scenarios.”
The ministry did not specify how many F-16Is will be equipped, nor did it say which squadrons flying the F-16I will get the upgrade. However, photographs distributed by the ministry showed planes from the 107th squadron, with an orange crescent emblazoned on its tail and the 201st squadron, known at The One, which has a “1” on the tail. The IAF has two other F-16I squadrons: the 253rd, which first integrated the warplane, and the 119th “Bat” squadron.
The Israeli Air Force has flown F-16s since the 1980s, including the F-16I since it entered service in 2004.
The new protection suite includes an “Electonic Warfare (EW) system providing advanced threat disruption capabilities, Infra-Red (IR) Missile Warning and Launch Detection System for early identification of airborne and ground threats and Advanced chaff and flare dispensing system for protection against guided missile,” the ministry said.
The procurement of the new systems for the F-16s is part of a much larger process the Ministry of Defense has embarked upon since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. Israel was already acquiring new heavy lifter helicopters and refuelers. It had also just taken delivery of four new corvette warships and was upgrading its air defenses. However, the war has highlighted the need for Israel to acquire a large number of new systems for a much larger number of forces and platforms. One part of this process was underlined by the Nagel Commission, empaneled in the summer of 2024 to look at force building needs.
“This process joins a series of strategic deals promoted by the Israel Ministry of Defense under Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir to strengthen production independence in Israeli defense industries and reduce dependency on external factors. This is to ensure the IDF’s qualitative military edge and support its current and future operational needs under all conditions,” the ministry said in its statement. Zamir is reported to be on the short list for the new Chief of Staff as Israel’s Minister of Defense Israel Katz looks for a replacement for Herzi Halevi, who recently said he is resigning.
Elbit Systems has secured several EW and self-protection suite deals in recent years. In 2024 it was awarded $175 million to supply them for Embraer C-390s and Airbus H225M helicopters for an unnamed NATO country. It has also been contracted to provide EW to the German air force for CH-53 helicopters, and also for the Netherlands Gulfstream G650 aircraft, in deals in 2023 and 2022 respectively.
