Honduras will buy weapons from Israel and the United States to replace obsolete equipment that has been in use for more than 30 years, military chief General Rene Osorio said Saturday.

"We are acquiring equipment from cooperating countries, and have been granted permission to buy special weapons from Israel," the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces told El Heraldo newspaper.

"We are also coordinating with other countries like the United States to see how we can get support for collective equipment and weapons, like mortars, that we have already been using for 30 years."

The Honduran Army, Navy and Air Force that make up the Armed Forces have 11,000 troops, and many use US standard M-16 rifles.

Osorio said the arms deals could include new M-16s from the United States and the Israeli Army's Tavor and Galil rifles.

The purchase agreements will be finalized in the coming months, Osorio said, declining to provide an estimate for how many weapons would be bought.