The meeting on Thursday with President Donald Trump is expected to clear the way for Turkey to acquire everything from Lockheed Martin and Boeing aircraft to liquefied natural gas worth more than $50 billion, according to Turkish officials, who requested anonymity because the agreements have not yet been finalized.

The largest portion of the potential agreements on Thursday is expected to be in aviation. Boeing and Lockheed Martin may receive orders for up to 250 commercial airplanes along with additional F-16 fighter jets, Turkish officials said. The purpose of the new aircraft purchase is to modernize the Turkish air force's aging fighter fleet and adapt it to the challenges of the coming decade.

More importantly, Trump said last week that there is a chance to resolve the long-standing impasse regarding the F-35 stealth jets. Turkey was an original partner in the Lockheed's most advanced fighter jet program, but was removed after it acquired Russia's S-400 air defense system. This acquisition resulted in congressional sanctions, known as CAATSA, which are directed at Turkey's defense industries and still remain in effect.

Dr. Assa Ophir, a Turkey expert from the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at Ariel University, explained, "The issue that should concern Israel most is Turkey's desire to rejoin the stealth jet project and receive the F-35 aircraft. The US expelled Turkey from the program in 2019 because of its purchase of the Russian S-400 defense systems. Stealth jets in Erdoğan's hands could lead to the loss of Israel's air superiority in the region, and this is a very undesirable outcome for it."

However, Dr. Ophir said, "But the path for Turkey's return to the stealth project and the receipt of the aircraft is still long. Erdoğan will need to overcome two serious obstacles that do not depend solely on Donald Trump – CAATSA, which imposes sanctions on all countries that buy military equipment from Russia, and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), both of which are laws that must be passed through the US Congress where there is a hostile atmosphere toward Turkey."

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The US is preparing to invest over $3.5 billion to restore its arsenal following operations connected to Israel, Bloomberg reported. Budget files completed by mid-May and reviewed by Bloomberg show allocations both for replacing interceptors – including at least $1 billion for RTX-produced missiles used against Iranian strikes – and for tasks such as radar upkeep, naval repair work, and munitions transport. Nearly all US-specific expenditures are labeled as "emergency budget requests."

The plan is tied to the 2024 Israeli Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which set aside $14 billion to rebuild US stockpiles and expand Israel's interceptor supply. According to Bloomberg, the Pentagon said these expenses cover missions by US Central Command either responding to "the situation in Israel" or to hostile activity from it, including combat "executed at the request of or in coordination with Israel for the defense of Israeli territory, personnel or assets during attacks by Iran" or allied groups.

The documentation cites US actions during Iran's April 2024 attack, which included more than 110 ballistic missiles, 30-plus cruise missiles, and over 150 drones. Bloomberg noted that the replenishment requests, which date back to late 2023, are distinct from the $4.2 billion in weapons already supplied to Israel from October 2023 through May 2025, as tracked by the Center for International Policy in an Aug. 7 report.

The largest single line item is about $1 billion to replace RTX's Standard Missile interceptors, especially the advanced "SM-3 IB Threat Upgrade" model costing $9 million to $12 million each. These were first launched from US Navy ships during the April 2024 missile barrages. Bloomberg also reported that $1.4 million was requested for a special flight mission that delivered fresh SM-3 IB interceptors to replace expended rounds.

In June, the USS Arleigh Burke and USS The Sullivans fired SM-3s to protect Israel, a US official said. A separate official told Bloomberg that a US Army unit in the area simultaneously deployed THAAD interceptors against Iranian missiles.

The second-largest request is $204 million for Lockheed Martin's THAAD interceptors, which cost about $12.7 million each to produce. Another $9.2 million is sought for delayed maintenance of the THAAD TPY-2 radar, requiring replacement of eight power engines and alternators. Budget files further describe the radar costs as stemming from an "unplanned THAAD deployment" at a new site, in addition to the unit the Pentagon previously confirmed deploying to Israel last October.

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The Defense Department's decision to halve the order has not been accompanied by an official explanation, and neither Lockheed Martin nor the Pentagon responded to inquiries from Reuters outside regular business hours.

The report could not be independently verified by Reuters, leaving questions about the rationale behind the reduction unanswered. This development comes as Congress reviews the Pentagon's latest budget priorities, with potential implications for military readiness and defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

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Israel Aerospace Industries and US defense giant Lockheed Martin announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday for collaboration in the field of integrated air- and missile-defense systems.

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"Under this collaboration, the companies will explore potential joint opportunities in areas such as research and development, production, marketing, and other activities," the American and Israeli defense giants said in a statement.

They added that "both companies will establish an executive steering committee and working groups for the implementation of this MOU and cooperation."

Boaz Levy, IAI president and CEO, called the development a "strategic agreement for us."

"Combining the development capabilities and the vast know-how of Lockheed Martin and IAI experience accumulated over the years in IAMD systems will create win-win opportunities for both sides," he said.

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Tim Cahill, senior vice president and head of global business development for Lockheed Martin, said his company aims "to expand our businesses around the world while delivering unmatched IAMD capabilities to our customers."

Lockheed Martin employs around 114,000 around the world. IAI is one of Israel's largest defense technology employers.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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The partnerships give the Israeli companies access to US military tenders.

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Israel's state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced in recent weeks that it had signed a teaming agreement with Lockheed Martin to jointly "develop, market, manufacture and support" the company's SPICE guidance kits for air-to-ground bombs.

A company source told Jewish News Syndicate on Sunday that it sees its new agreement with Lockheed Martin as "an excellent avenue to offer the American user" a weapon system that does not rely on GPS guidance. Satellite communications can be blocked by enemy jamming systems, and SPICE guidance kits use state-of-the-art cameras and scene-matching technology to guide the weapon to its target independently of satellite links.

"This is crucial in today's GPS-denied environment," the source said. He noted that Rafael is also engaged with Lockheed Martin for the joint marketing of the company's SPIKE fire-and-forget precision missiles, which are already in use in the militaries of 31 countries.

Rafael has struck previous agreements with US defense company Raytheon for the joint marketing of its famous Iron Dome air-defense system, which has intercepted over 2,000 incoming rockets fired at Israeli population centers from the Gaza Strip since its rollout in 2011. The US Army is purchasing Iron Dome batteries.

"Finalizing this [latest] exclusive agreement [with Lockheed Martin] sets the scene for our two companies to provide unmatched mid-range guided air-to-surface weapon systems," said Yuval Miller, executive vice president and general manager of Rafael's Air and C4ISR Division in a company statement.

John Varley, vice president of Close Combat Systems at Lockheed Martin's Missiles and Fire Control, said his company is applying its experience to adapt Rafael's "SPICE to meet US standards so bomber and fighter aircraft can benefit from the added mission flexibility that SPICE offers."

'Leverage technology that is proven in the field'

Meanwhile, on Monday, Elta Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, announced it had successfully completed a demonstration together with Lockheed Martin of a radar solution for the US Army's Patriot missile-defense system.

The demonstration was held as part of the US Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor program and has seen companies compete for a contract to provide radars.

The demonstration, held at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, used a well-known Elta radar, which is also used by Rafael's Iron Dome.

Company sources said the US Army is expected to announce its selection by September, representing a short timeframe.

The sources said the demonstrations in New Mexico, dubbed by some local media as the "radar Olympics," took place over a two-week period. Elta and Lockheed are competing jointly against Raytheon and Northrop Grumman for the contract.

Without local US partnerships or a presence via an American subsidiary, it's difficult for Israeli companies to gain the proper tender information in the required manner. Elta also received assistance from the Israeli Defense Ministry's Homa Administration, which oversees the development of air-defense systems.

"During the two-week demonstration period, the Lockheed Martin and ELTA teams completed a series of air and missile-defense exercises showcasing our radar solution and how it will meet the [US] Army's requirements," Elta said in a statement.

The company noted that both it and Lockheed Martin have produced several new-generation radars in recent years and that both bring "mature technology" to the US Army's requirements.

Rob Smith, vice president and general manager of Radar and Sensor Systems at Lockheed Martin, stated: "We will leverage technology that is production-ready and proven in the field, allowing us to meet the [US] Army's requirements quickly and provide qualified systems within 24 months after the initial contract award."

Yoav Turgeman, IAI vice president and CEO of Elta, added, "We are confident that this cooperation with Lockheed Martin can provide the [US] Army with a reliable solution."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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