Posted on 12/05/2016 8:10:05 AM PST by Freeport
Israel is contemplating the acquisition of additional Boeing F-15Is to support its future combat requirements.
Although the country's air force investment is currently focused on the acquisition of 50 Lockheed Martin F-35s, Tel Aviv believes it needs more than one strike aircraft in its inventory.
During briefings ahead of the 12 December arrival of Israel’s first F-35s, air force officials indicated that they were considering buying more of the legacy Boeing fighters.
According to sources familiar with the matter, although the F-35’s stealth capabilities will be vital in the initial phase of a conflict, the air force will subsequently need an aircraft with a larger weapons load to operate alongside the Joint Strike Fighter.
F-15 production is likely to continue into the 2020s if a provisional 72-aircraft deal with Qatar can be concluded.
If Tel Aviv decides to purchase additional Strike Eagles, funding would be drawn from a recently approved military aid package from the USA, which is worth $38 billion over 10 years from 2019.
(Excerpt) Read more at flightglobal.com ...
If by sense you mean they’re buying the F-15Is with our money, essentially in-store credit that can only be spent on U.S. arms, then yes they do.
No. Buy having a mix of week one and two aircraft. Where the financing is coming from was not the intention of my comment.
Hedging their bet on the F-35 with the new buy F-15’s. The F-35 could turn out to be all that it was promised to be, I would not hold my breath.
The additional F-15’s add a lot of value.
IDF should purchase four (4) B-1s.
The Strike Eagle is the 2nd best deep interdiction craft in the world, next to the F-35.
The F-35 is also the 2nd best fighter in the world next to the F-22. I say this not due to its speed and agility, but because of its advanced sensors and stealth. It’s nearly immune to terminal targeting. And it’s designed to shoot from 50-100 miles out before anyone even knows it’s there. If you cannot see the F-35 (via VFR), you cannot shoot it down.
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