HOOOOOOooooooooo Conformal Tanks = "Iranian A$$Kicker"
Posted on 12/13/2005 6:04:07 AM PST by RightCanuck
The long-awaited Israeli F-16I Sufa (‘Storm') rolled off Lockheed Martin's production line in Texas last week into the waiting hands of Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, who was on scene to receive the new aircraft, the first of 102 ordered by Jerusalem in 1997. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) chose to acquire the latest version of the world renowned Lockheed Martin F-16 over additional purchases of the more expensive twin engine Boeing F-15I - for which the IAF placed an order for 25 in 1997. The estimated $4.5 billion dollar F-16I deal ($45 million per aircraft) will be financed by the annual U.S. military aid package and concludes the largest Israeli military purchase in history. Each F-15 cost approximately $84 million.
The F-16I is a heavily modified two seat version of the U.S. Air Force's F-16D Block 50/52-series fighter. In addition to the new and more powerful Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine, the F-16I boasts numerous internal and external advancements and modifications. For example, the Sufa has been customized with new avionic technologies, internally mounted FLIR (forward looking infrared) viewers, and cutting edge weapon system hardware provided by the Israeli defense company Lahav - a division of Israel Aircraft Industries.
(Excerpt) Read more at israeli-weapons.com ...
Sweet!
It Iranian nuclear facilities are the first thing I thought of. This thing is a fighter/bomber?
I only wish the USN & (Then SecDef Cheney) would have made the right call and kept moving with an updated version of the Tomcat - The updated 18's just aren't a true replacement.
HOOOOOOooooooooo Conformal Tanks = "Iranian A$$Kicker"
Happy Hunting!
Get a good look at the plane that will destroy Iran's nuke facilities. The sufa is quite a machine.
I know a few pilots who've flown both and in a combat situation they all agree that the Hornet would be their ride of choice. The Tomcat was a beautiful plane but it's showing it's age these days.
She is beautiful, but the F-15I will be what they call on when the time comes for Iran to pay the price for her stupidity, longer range and heavier payload for that long flight.
That's gonna leave a mark!
Should not be too long a flight...after all, they can stop off at the Baghdad Military Airport to re-fuel, arm up, and be merrily on their way!
Yep, it can do Air-Ground mission profiles. You may remember that the older F-16 was used to nail Iraq's nuc facility some years ago. One of the pilots on that mission was the Israeli astronaut who died on the Columbia(?) re-entry tragedy.
The F-16 has turned out to be one of history's great warplanes.
The Sufa has over 500 miles of combat Radius.
You've got that right. One of my favorite memories is standing at the end (behind the planes) of the runway at Burlington VT as ANG F-16's were taking off at about 30 second intervals. Awesome noise.
And your point is what, exactly?
Well, well. Just in time.
It is capable of reaching Iran with or without fuelling stops in Iraq or elsewhere I believe. I could be wrong but it's got great legs for a fighter.
However, a short refueling stop in Baghdad would significantly shorten the roundtrip thereby increasing loiter time over target(s).
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