Israeli media reported on Friday that the US Department of Defense and intelligence authorities are preventing Israeli pilots from flying F-35 fighter jets, fearing information technology leaks.
Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post said that this came as a result of the US increasing focus on information security and safeguarding its interests.
The Israeli Air Force, the newspaper reported, accepted this US decision and stopped assigning pilots to F-35 Adir aircraft.
The Adir fighter jet is a single-seater, multi-mission stealth plane that can be used for intelligence gathering and attack missions.
It is also the only fighter jet with a compartment for storing untraceable weaponry.
Each F-35 Adir fighter jet costs between $85 million and $100 million.
