JERUSALEM: The US Department of Defense and intelligence officials are reportedly barring Israeli pilots from flying F-35 fighter jets for fear of information technology leaks. This was reported by Israeli media.
Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post reported that the move is a result of the US paying more attention to information security and protecting interests. The Israel Air Force has acknowledged the US decision. It then stopped assigning pilots to the F-35 Adir aircraft.
The Adir fighter is a single-seat, multi-mission stealth aircraft that can be used for intelligence gathering and attack missions. It is also the only fighter aircraft to have an undetectable weapons storage compartment. The F-35 Adir fighter jet also costs between $85 million and $100 million.