Four IAF pilots arrived in a Lockheed Martin in the United States a number of weeks ago to begin familiarizing themselves with the F-35 Lighting II fighter plane.

25 of the stealth-capable state-of-art planes were approved for sale to Israel and officials in Jerusalem are hopeful the final signatures will be affixed to close the deal by year�s end.� The approval received from the US Congress for the 25 fighter jets also includes a future option for 50 additional futuristic planes at a later date.

Each aircraft carries a hefty $100 million price tag. Israel is hopeful the first plane will arrive in 2014.

(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)