Moshe Yaalon
Moshe YaalonFlash 90

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon will fly to the U.S. on Sunday night for a series of meetings. Yaalon will be in the U.S. for three days, his office said.

Yaalon will be in Washington as the guest of Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter. The two will discuss a series of issues, including strategic discussions regarding recent developments in the Middle East. The meetings, the Defense Ministry said, will have an important and positive impact on Israeli-U.S. Relations.

Yaalon is expected to visit installations where he will be able to view F-35 fighter jets, among other things. Israel is set to receive 19 F-35 planes, with an option for an additional 19, after the two countries signed a procurement deal earlier this year. The F-35 is to be retrofitted with Israeli technology under the deal, making it more useful for Israel's needs.

In addition to the planes, Israel is set to receive from the U.S. 3,000 Hellfire missiles, 250 medium-range air-to-air missiles, 4,100 glide bombs and 50 BLU-113 "super penetrator" bombs designed to reach underground sites.

In addition to meeting with defense officials, Yaalon will visit several Jewish communities, and participate in memorial services in memory of slain Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin.