Israel has contracted Cyclone, a wholly owned Elbit Systems subsidiary, to develop external fuel tanks for the F-35I “Adir,” extending the fifth-generation stealth fighter’s operational range for long-distance strike missions.
Israel MOD Signs Contract with Elbit Systems for Extended Range Capability for the F-35 “Adir” Fighter Jet
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— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) May 14, 2026
Israel’s Defense Procurement Directorate announced the contract on May 14. Valued at more than $34 million, the deal funds development and integration of tanks based on an existing Cyclone design originally built for the F-16. Officials did not specify whether the final configuration will be underwing drop tanks, conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), or another arrangement.
The ministry said the program aims to “extend the aircraft’s operational range, reduce reliance on aerial refueling, and enhance operational flexibility across long-range missions,” as part of a force buildup led by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram.
The Jerusalem Post reported the contract marks a global first across the more than a dozen nations that operate the F-35, and said the modified aircraft will undergo testing to assess the stealth impact.
The F-35I carries approximately 18,000 pounds of internal fuel, giving it an unrefueled combat radius of roughly 700 miles on a standard strike profile, less than half the distance between Israeli air bases and Tehran.
The Israeli Air Force conducted over 2,000 aerial refuelings during Operation Roar of the Lion, IDF figures showed, straining Israel’s limited tanker fleet.
External stores raise the aircraft’s radar cross-section (RCS) by disrupting the F-35’s low-observable (LO) airframe geometry. The Aviationist reported in March 2026 that the U.S. Air Force had flight-tested low-observable external fuel tanks on the F-22 Raptor, the closest public precedent for a stealthy drop-tank design on a fifth-generation platform.
Whether Cyclone pursues a similar low-observable geometry for the F-35I tanks, or accepts a stealth tradeoff for greater fuel capacity, has not been disclosed.
Israel’s Ministerial Committee on Procurement approved a fourth F-35I squadron and a second F-15IA squadron on May 3, effectively doubling the country’s next-generation strike fleet targets. The external fuel tank program represents one of several capability expansions accompanying this strategic force modernization.
