Kosher Meals Unavailable On Board F-35

“It’s all part of a general cost-cutting trend in aviation that’s been going on for years already.”

Tel Nof Air Base, November 29 – The most expensive and advanced fighter aircraft in the world is still unable to provide accommodation for kosher-keeping Israel Air Force pilots, an investigation has found.

According to information gleaned by journalists, the F-35 Lightning II series, of which Israel will begin to take delivery this month, lacks some of the basic amenities that Israeli air travelers have come to take for granted when they leave the ground. Most egregiously, they note, no provision for kosher in-flight cuisine exists in the model that the IAF will receive, potentially saddling the Israeli military with the need to develop a package of its own to adapt to the fighter.

The US Air Force, as well as the military aviation arms of other countries expected to receive the F-35, have no need for such a package, but for the IAF, the availability of kosher food for all personnel is one of the hallmarks of the IDF as an institution of the the Jewish state, explained incoming IDF Chief Rabbi Eyal Karim. “Beyond defending the country and its people, the IDF carries an extra layer of symbolism as an institution of the Jewish people and the Jewish State,” he remarked. “In keeping with that aspect of its character, the Israeli military has accepted upon itself the responsibility to provide for all the religious trappings a soldier might need. For better or for worse, that means developing a way to include kosher meals in whatever in-flight cabin service the F-35 has.”

Other recipient nations have noted the limited entertainment options available on current F-35 models, such as music, movies, and magazines, as well as the lack of carry-on storage space. “It’s all part of a general cost-cutting trend in aviation that’s been going on for years already,” observed Trey Tables, an analyst at Jane’s. “Just because an F-35 costs a hundred million dollars a pop, don’t go thinking it comes with all the old-fashioned bells and whistles. The expensive on-board systems actually make it even more important to save on other features.”

“You’ll also notice, for example, that none of the models that have been delivered even have seats that recline,” he continued. “That feature might be music to the ears of tall F-35 users tired of getting their knees bashed in when the person in front leans the seat back, but the F-35 is a single-seat fighter, so that feature is lost on them.

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