Israel Studies Purchase of Aircraft for Submarine Detection

Tel Aviv - Afaq News - The Hebrew site "Walla" revealed that Israel is seeking to finalize a deal with the United States that would make it the first country in the Middle East to acquire "P-8" aircraft, which are known as strategic maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft specialized in countering submarines, and are referred to as "submarine hunters."

According to the Israeli site, Navy Commander Eyal Haril met weeks ago with a senior official at Boeing and discussed the possibility of purchasing "P-8 Poseidon" aircraft.

The site quoted an unnamed source in the Israeli Ministry of Defense stating that the proposal is undergoing "serious study," and that the Navy leadership may include it in its strategic plan for the upcoming decade, which is expected to be presented to the General Staff by the end of the year.

However, the project is still in the study phase; Israel has not announced an official purchase request, nor has there been any American approval or announcement from Boeing regarding negotiations to finalize the deal.

The report did not specify the number of aircraft that Israel might request, or the project's cost and timeline, at a time when Israeli armament plans face multiple priorities and high expenses related to procurement, operation, maintenance, and training.