F Them.
Posted on 11/30/2009 10:17:13 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Israel is sticking to its guns on a demand the United States allow it to integrate its own electronic warfare suite in Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, even though the Americans have given the green light to install other Israeli systems in the jet. Israel wants to buy an initial batch of 25 F-35s, enough for one squadron, in fiscal 2012 and would like to acquire another 50.
The U.S. Department of Defense and Maryland-based Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor in the program, want to finalize a contract with Israel as soon as possible.
The main holdup has been the Israelis' insistence on installing their own systems -- including communications and radar -- as well as weapons aboard the F-35, as they were allowed to do with the Boeing F-15 and Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft they have bought from the United States over the last two decades.
The Americans have been reluctant to allow that because it would compromise ultra-sensitive software codes. But a senior Pentagon official disclosed last Wednesday that the Israelis could install most of the systems they want provided they finalize a deal in the next few months.
But the official, Jon Schreiber, who heads the F-35 international program, insisted that the Israelis' electronic warfare suite, the core of their demand, could not be included -- not now, at any rate.
"Some time in the future, if policy changes, or things change, that could change as well," he said.
Other partner countries in the JSF program, such as Britain, have requested the software codes for operational sovereignty and have also been turned down.
(Excerpt) Read more at spacewar.com ...
This is hair splitting. Let them have the codes, the Western World needs these allies to be strong.
Let them have the codes but keep a close eye.
Let them have the codes but keep a close eye.
F Them.
They might be NATO members one day and be our partners in a possible attack on Iran
Agreed, or work up a secure US replacement set of codes just for ourseles.
That sounds like a good idea.
Who dat?
Johnathan Pollard
Right mouse click yields the answer:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Jonathan_Pollard.png
Normally I would agree, but Israel has been entirely too willing to sell tech to the Chinese in the past.
Does this mean they consider our E-warfare tech inferior?
So did Bill Clinton,and he removed security review of such things from Commerce to Sec State.(I believe that is part of what got Sec Commerce Ron Brown killed, a .45 cal bullet hole in the top of his head in that plane crash).
Well, we will have to see what happens.There are many ways to skin this cat as you know.And many ways to work it to our advantage too.
If that’s the case, then the Israelis may feel free to buy warplanes from France.
No argument re: Clinton. Practically the only thing Bubba didn’t give the ChiComs was the keys to Fort Knox and Chelsea’s bedroom. Although they may not have been interested in the latter.
Actually, I think the move you are talking about was taking export licensing away from State (and DOD) and giving it to commerce where Ron Brown could more easily loot it on Bubba’s behalf.
However, despite Bubba’s best efforts, there are bound to be a few secrets that he didn’t have time to sell so we should do what we can to guard those technologies.
As I said, Israel is normally a very dependable ally, but in this case, I want some stronger guarantees to make sure the secrets we give them stay secret.
Well the guarantees may be needed but in the end? I believe Obama will hand them to the Chinese anyway.But thats betting on a dark horse.I guess I shouldn’t do that.
F Them.
Great. Then they can sell French state secrets to the highest bidder.
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