Why buy when you can produce? I think I’m thinking to much into this whole thing. Sorry.
It could be a number of things like arms treaties, or they lack certain resources
Israel is not in the fighter-producing business because they had a program, it was in cooperation with the US, and the US shut it down.
You can still find the rabid foaming over the Lavi on every nazist site on earth. As well as a good chunk of heil-screaming verbiage right here on FR.
Possible answers:
1. The planes are a “promise,” whereas the buildings are a present reality. And, Fauxbama lies.
2. A little matter of three billion dollars.
DG