Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has met with Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman to discuss security matters in the Middle East and other areas of defense cooperation, DoD Buzz reported Monday.
Richard Sisk writes Carter and Lieberman held a closed-door meeting at the Pentagon prior to the latter’s visit to a Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
Lieberman participated in a rollout ceremony of the first Israeli F-35 joint strike fighter on Wednesday, Inside Defense reported.
The Defense Department said in a statement Israel is the first foreign partner recipient of the F-35, which will support the Middle Eastern country’s military.
Sisk reports Carter and Lieberman also discussed Israel’s procurement of the F-35I, with the country’s total order currently at 33.
