Posted on 06/21/2006 9:47:43 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
IAF chief procurement officer: F35 will replace F16
The Israel Air Force plans is to buy over 100 Lockheed Martin F35s, costing at least $5 billion.
Amnon Barzilai 21 Jun 06 10:15
The Israel Air Force (IAF) is completing its plan to replace its fleet of combat jets, transport planes, and helicopters, ahead of the IDF headquarters workshop for the formulation of its Keshet five-year plan. In an exclusive interview, IAF chief procurement officer Brig.-Gen. Zeev Snir told “Globes” that the key part of the plan was to procure the next-generation US combat jet, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Snir said the plan was to buy over 100 F-35s, which would gradually replace the IAF’s F-16s.
The F-35 will be built in three configurations: a navy version for use on carriers, a vertical take-off and landing version for the US Marines Corps, and a regular take-off version for the air force. Snir said the IAF would buy the air force version, but was also considering the other two versions. Under the IAF plan, the first F-35s will come into service in the mid-2010s. They will initially replace older F-16 models, and gradually replace the entire fleet. Each F-35 costs $50 million, and the 100-plane deal will cost at least $5 billion.
Snir will reportedly soon go to the US to test the latest model of the C-130 Hercules transport plane (the C-130J). The IAF is considering buying six C-130Js at a cost of $500 million.
Snir said the F-35 was the only combat jet relevant to Israel’s needs, partly because the IAF believes that it is only jet that will be available in the next decade. The US Air Force will also procure F-22 air supremacy fighters over the coming years, but Congress limited the procurement to 180 jets, and the US has no intention of selling the plane to other countries. Snir said, “The IAF would be happy to equip itself with 24 F-22s but the problem at this time is the US refusal to sell the plane, and its $200 million price tag.”
The IAF will complete procurement of 102 F-16Is (known as the “Sufa”, or “Storm” in Israel), built by Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT) in two years. For the past three years, the Ministry of Defense has been negotiating with the Pentagon over procurement of the F-35. However, during the negotiations it became apparent that the Pentagon would not allow the IAF access to the computers that will be installed in the F-35. Access is necessary to upgrade the computers and integrate them with new ordinance, communications, and electronic warfare systems. The Pentagon previously allowed the IAF’s access to computers of the F-15 and F-16.
Snir said, “The interpretation given to the US refusal, making out that this is a great crisis, is utter rubbish.” He said the US rejected similar requests from other air forces interested in procuring the F-35. Even the UK, which is investing $2 billion in the program, was denied access, and only after last week’s meeting between US President George W. Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair did the Pentagon allow the RAF access to the F-35 computer.
Snir adds, “It should be remembered that Israel has invested only $35 million in the F-35, whereas Italy and the Netherlands have invested almost $1 billion each.” He says the US is refusing to grant access to the F-35 computer because its architecture is different. He stressed that Israel obtained access to the F-15 and F-16 computers only after their development was completed. He said there was no dispute with the US that IAF F-35s would include Israeli communications and electronic warfare technologies and missiles developed by Rafael Armament Development Authority Ltd.
Another large IAF program is a $100 million upgrade of Sikorsky CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters (known in the IAF as the Yasur) to extend their operational lifespan by 20 years. The IAF aviation maintenance unit is carrying out this program, which is scheduled to be completed in two years.
How long will it be until they sell this tech to the Chinese?
How long will it be until you sell the hardware to Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia?
There is a real big difference between selling the technology to our staunchest ally in the world (more than Britian!) vs selling it to China.
By "they" I meant Israel. They’ve sold US military tech to the Chinese before. Oh yeah and they've attack our ships and spied on us too.
They're a hell of an ally.
doesnt matter. Israeli pilots are the best.
Staunchest ally in the world? More than the UK? We guarantee Israel's survival and they are by far, the biggest recipient of US assistance, over $100 billion since they became a nation. What has Israel done for the US? Pollard, the USS Liberty, selling our technology, etc.
China Scolds U.S. for Blocking Israeli Arms Sale
When the Navy EP-3E surveillance plane was forced to land in China after a Chinese F-8 fighter flew into its propeller, photos show Israeli built Python 3 missiles under the fighter's wings.
from your pictures, it looks like this thing is aerodynamically unstable that only a computer making constant changes would be able to fly.
that makes the computer the heart of this thing.
I suspect you can copy the airframe exactly but without the computer, you have a flying coffin.
How many ships have they attacked?
Israeli P-3 missiles sold at a time when the PLA was legally buying Rolls Royce & General Electric aircraft & ship engines,avionics & MK-46 torpedoes.
You gurantee Israel's survival by selling state-of-the-art weaponry to its worst enemies, the nations that attacked Israel more than once in the last century. All the money you give to Israel are in the form of repayable loans and government guarantees, for which money Israel is supposed to buy weapons systems from the US manufactirers. And thanks to your bear hugs, Israel's territory is shrinking visibly every time you guarantee her survival, compiments of Carter, Clinton and Bush (who happen to be US presidents).
What will they do, use some of the aid we provide them to purchase the planes? No, probably not, that would imply actual payment. They will get top dollar for them from one of our foes. We shouldn't sell/give them squat until they get with the program.
Ships is plural, USS Liberty is singular.
The Liberty was flying an America flag in INTERNATIONAL waters. She wasn't mistaken for anything.
Israel, the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency all held the same position on the incident; that it was a case of mistaken identity and was entirely due to error. Israel contends that it was assured by the United States that no U.S. ships were in the area, and that its air and naval forces wrongly identified Liberty at various stages as either a Russian intelligence ship that was providing information to the Arabs, or as the Egyptian vessel El Quseir.
Critics assert that the attack was a premeditated and deliberate Israeli attack on the American intelligence ship. They say that it is not credible that the Liberty could be mistaken for the El Quseir which was a quarter its size. Critics include some of the surviving crew members, such as James Ennes, and some former U.S. government officials, including then-CIA director Richard Helms and then-Secretary of State Dean Rusk as well as Admiral Thomas Hinman Moorer, former Chief of Naval Operations and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The United States and Israel exchanged diplomatic notes after several inquiries. Though the United States never officially accepted the Israeli explanation, it agreed to accept indemnities of $13 million, for damage and casualties.
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