A pair of Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth jets were due to reach Israel the last week in August, adding to the other five fighter jets in a new squadron being created at an Israel Defense Forces air base in the south. At the last minute, before the planes were to take off from Fort Worth, Texas, the IDF announced on Aug. 30 that the Americans were delaying the planes’ delivery due to “more tests.” This news set off a wave of rumors fueled by a number of reports in international media that the new F-35 is a fighter plane rife with glitches and problems. In addition, rumor has it that its real-life operation capabilities are disappointing compared to the manufacturer's promises.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has hurried to smooth any ruffled feathers. “Everything is fine, and there is no malfunctioning that is relevant to us,” a high-level IAF source told Al-Monitor, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “The manufacturer found a trivial mishap in the fuel pipe of model B planes, while our planes are model A. But the manufacturer wanted to be sure that the model A's don’t have the same problem, so he asked our approval to delay the arrival to next week. Of course, we agreed.”

On Aug. 14, Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel had resigned as IAF commander, after five years in that position. Eshel was one of the most esteemed IAF commanders in recent decades. He also led the process for acquiring the F-35s. Eshel flew the jet many times and fell in love with it. The IAF is the first force outside the United States to put F-35 jets into service. Everyone is keeping an eye on the operational experience that the stealth jets are starting to accumulate in the Middle East.

In a farewell interview with Haaretz, Eshel addressed the issue of problems with the stealth. “Not everything is perfect,” he said. “There are some things you only learn on your feet. This happens with every plane that we add. But when you take off in this jet from Nevatim [IAF base], you can’t believe it. When you ascend to around 5,000 feet, the entire Middle East is yours at the cockpit. It is unbelievable what you can see. The American pilots that come to us didn’t experience that because they fly there, in Arizona, in Florida. Here they suddenly see the Middle East as a fighting zone. The threats, the various players, are in short range as well as in long range. Only then do you grasp the tremendous potential this machine has. We already see it with our own eyes.”