Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger | “Second Thought: a US-Israel Initiative” | May 26, 2026
Israeli Air Force members wait for F-35I Adirs to launch for a Red Flag-Nellis 23-2 mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, March 16, 2023. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Trevor Bell)
*The export reach of the US-manufactured C-130 transport plane has multiplied 4-5 times since Israel received its first 2 units in 1971. Since 2010, more than 2,700 C-130s have been ordered and/or delivered to 70 countries. The total production volume of the initial C-130 program (A-H) reached 2,271 airframes, while the highly modernized C-130J Super Hercules variant has already surpassed 2,800 aircraft (48% operated by the US Air Force and 52% exported). The cost of 1 C-130J Hercules is $85mn-$100mn.



Screengrab via X
Screengrab via X


