Israel to integrate external fuel tanks on F-35I Adir for extended range

Israel is funding development and integration of external fuel tanks for the F-35I Adir via Elbit/Cyclone to extend operational range and reduce reliance on aerial refueling for long-range strike missions. While external tanks for fighters are not new, integrating them onto a stealth-optimized F-35 variant (potentially with low-observable shaping or jettison concepts) is a notable capability modification with operational implications for deep-strike planning.