Funding is to come from part of the MoU signed in September between Jerusalem and Washington that would provide Israel with $38 billion in military assistance over the next decade, to include American- designed weapons systems such as the F-35, the world's most advanced stealth fighter, two of which Israel took delivery in December. With at least $7 billion of the MoU earmarked for purchasing the F-35s, Israel is set to receive 50 of the planes to form two full squadrons by 2022.

Following the signing of the agreement, then-US national security adviser Susan Rice said that "This additional funding will allow Israel to update the lion's share of its fighter aircraft fleet, including the acquisition of additional F-35s and [advanced] F-15s."

The F-15 Advanced has

- Raytheon AN/APG-63(V)3 active synthetically scanned array (AESA) radar
- a long-range infrared search and track (IRST) sensor system, allowing for a "first sigh-first shot-first kill" capability, when squaring off against enemy fighters