Lockheed Martin Corp, the US maker of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter are lobbying Israel, which has largely weathered the global financial crisis and has ample US defense aid, to close a deal for the jet. Israel is not a full partner-nation in the production of the F-35, but is among US allies slated to have first pick of the radar-evading, multi-purpose planes early next decade. The F-35 could be a key Israeli bulwark against Iran and other enemies. US officials have predicted a sale to Israel may be clinched early next year. Funding for the jets, which will cost $40 million a piece, would come mainly from US defense grants to Israel, which will total $30 billion between 2007 and 2017. Israeli officials have quietly voiced reluctance to be rushed into a deal given ongoing discussions on how many Israeli technologies could be incorporated on the Lockheed planes, their delivery schedule, and pricing. Lockheed Chief Executive Robert Stevens, in a visit to Israel on Sunday, said such concerns could be better addressed by finalizing a sale. “The earlier one can participate in a program, the greater the amount of participation,” he told reporters. Robert Trice, a Lockheed senior vice president who accompanied Stevens on the trip, said they had urged their Israeli hosts to speed up proceedings on the F
