Israel’s Defense Ministry and the Pentagon have signed a deal for 12 advanced Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for the IDF. The ministry announced the signing Wednesday.

Defense Ministry Director-General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram instructed the ministry’s delegation in the US to sign after the government approved the deal earlier in the day. The signing comes after Israel asked Washington several times to postpone the deal because of the country’s budget situation, and Washington agreed each time.

The helicopters are the “Echo” variant, the newest and most advanced version of the Apache. They are scheduled for delivery at the start of the next decade.

According to the ministry, Israeli and American officials worked together to shape the deal around Israel’s operational needs and its current budget constraints. The ministry’s US delegation and its Budget Division led the negotiations and the financing plan. The ministry thanked the US administration for its “uncompromising support” and for its flexibility in agreeing to postpone the deal several times. It said those delays made it possible to close the budget gaps.