UAE to receive F-16 jets more advanced than Israel's

Haaretz ^ | 12/11/2003 | Amnon Barzilai

[yonif]

The United Arab Emirates' air force will receive a more updated version of the F-16 plane than that being supplied to the Israeli air force.

Israel has purchased the F-16I, while the UAE will receive the F-16 Block 60, which completed its first successful flight on Saturday.

In an official statement, Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the planes, described the F-16 Block 60 as the newest and most advanced of the series, which began production in the 1980s.

Lockheed Martin will provide the UAE with 80 such planes, which, together with their sophisticated equipment, will cost $8 billion. The first aircraft - designated the F-16E/F - will be delivered to the UAE in April 2004.

Dain Hancock, president of Lockheed Martin, said: "With the Block 60, we have introduced a whole new generation of capability that sets the current world standard for multirole fighters."

The plane's major innovations include structural, avionics and propulsion enhancements that make it practically an all-new version of the Fighting Falcon, according to the company's press statement. The last designation change, the F-16C/D, was introduced with the Block 25 version in 1984.

"First flight affirms our commitment to produce the world's most cutting-edge fighter, which cannot be rivaled in its combination of speed, technology and capability," said John Bean, Lockheed Martin's vice president for F-16 programs.

The F-16E/F resembles earlier F-16 aircraft in appearance only. Internally, the Block 60 has an all-new cockpit that features all-digital instruments and three 5x7-inch color displays. Its highlights are a revolutionary Electronic Warfare (EW) system, the new APG-80 Agile Beam Radar (ABR), and a new Integrated FLIR Targeting System (IFTS), provided by Northrop Grumman. This enables the aircraft to increase the scope of its search with greater precision.

According to an informed source, the radar system in the F-16E/F has a cutting edge over that in the planes due to be supplied to the Israeli air force. However, the United Arab Emirates are not defined as being hostile to Israel.

[yonif]

Ping.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Does a better tool make for a better craftsman or does basic skill still matter?

[Alouette]

The United Arab Emirates' air force will receive a more updated version of the F-16 plane than that being supplied to the Israeli air force.

That's OK, because they will never use them. And if they do try to use even one, the Israelis will soon have them all.

[tubavil]

Doesn't Israel routinely enhance stock military hardware purchases with Israeli improvements?

[Wiggins]

I just hope they come with a "Kill Switch" in case we have to pull the plug on them.

[zencat]

Yes. And their pilot training program is second to none.

[GeronL]

???... we'll just have to shoot them down someday

[tubavil]

Not to mention the few extra lines of microcode in various systems...

[sport]

From what I have heard from the people who train them, as long as there an Arab in the cockpit, they are a danger only to themselves.

[yonif]

I'd be more worried about the military aid we give the Saudis.

[GeronL]

why are we giving the Saudi's ANY military aid at all??

[thoughtomator]

Sadly that only applies to warplanes

[aynrandfreak]

Too bad the UAE's pilots will still suck way too bad to have a chance in an air war with Israel.

[Prodigal Son]

What makes you think they'd go to war with Israel? Just curious.

[IncredibleHulk]

Does a better tool make for a better craftsman or does basic skill still matter?

I went through training with Iranians and Kuwaiti's back in the 70's. They had to bribe their way into the training program and the result was a bunch of useless, rich, ragheads that couldn't pass the training program. We couldn't fail them by contract so they just kept going up, failing the syllabus and trying again. They got good at take-offs and landings, though.

[yonif]

why are we giving the Saudi's ANY military aid at all??

I don't know. But it is going to backfire. You watch.

[Bobby777]

you might find this interesting ...

[American in Israel]

They are Islamic, they have to go to war with Israel and us, its in their Bible.