Due to budget dispute: Israel missed opportunity to purchase Apache helicopters from the US

Israel missed the last opportunity to order 12 Apache attack helicopters from the US for the Air Force, due to a budget dispute between the Defense and Finance Ministries. The deal is worth about $1 billion, but a third of that ($288 million) lacked a budgetary source. A senior defense official said the Americans granted three extensions, but even by the final deadline the conditions were not met. The Finance Ministry claims the defense establishment changed the approved framework.

Israel missed the final opportunity to order 12 Boeing-made Apache attack helicopters from the US for the Air Force, amid budget battles between the Defense and Finance Ministries. The procurement was planned following lessons from the Hamas surprise attack on October 7, 2023, to improve the Air Force's response speed. The deal is worth about $1 billion, but a third of that ($288 million) lacked a budgetary source. A senior defense official told Calcalist that the Americans granted three extensions, but even by the final deadline the conditions were not met. According to him, additional urgent IDF procurement plans in the US are at risk, including ordering two KC-46 refueling aircraft and expanding the purchase of CH-53k transport helicopters. The Finance Ministry countered that the ministerial committee approved the deal based on a framework that the defense establishment later changed, contrary to its commitment. The budget conflict between the ministries continues, and the Defense Ministry cannot find funding for orders totaling over 17 billion shekels.