JERUSALEM, June 4 (Reuters) - Israel has signed an

agreement with the United States to acquire a third squadron of

Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jets, the Israeli

defence ministry said on Tuesday, in a $3 billion deal that will

bring the number of F-35s in Israel's air force to 75.

The ministry said its mission to the United States had

officially signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the

25 fighters, which will start to be delivered from 2028 at a

rate of three to five aircraft per year.