Posted on 11/16/2010 11:32:40 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Second squadron of F-35s is ‘an offer hard to refuse’
By YAAKOV KATZ
11/15/2010 02:06
Defense officials say arrival of joint strike fighters was of critical importance for the security of the State of Israel.
Top IDF officers and Defense Ministry officials claimed Sunday that the arrival of a second squadron of F-35 joint strike fighters was of critical importance for the security of the State of Israel.
In an effort to convince the Netanyahu government to impose a three-month moratorium on settlement construction in the West Bank, the Obama administration offered Israel last week a long list of security and diplomatic benefits, including 20 F-35s for free.
Israel signed a contract for 20 F-35s – a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet made by Lockheed Martin – in early October in a deal valued at $2.75 billion. Under the offer made to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during his meeting last week with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Israel would receive a second, free squadron of the advanced fighter jet if it agrees to impose a three-month freeze on settlement construction.
The F-35 will be one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world and will enable Israel to phase out some of its older F-15 and F-16 models.
According to the IAF, the plane will significantly boost Israel’s deterrence in the Middle East and provide it with an edge over adversaries that operate advanced anti-aircraft systems, since it cannot be detected by existing radars.
The offer of a second squadron of F-35s was first made to Israel in early September, in talks which Defense Minister Ehud Barak led in Washington ahead of the expiration of the previous 10- month freeze on settlement construction, in a bid to get Israel to extend the freeze. At the time, Israel rejected the offer.
After the offer in September, the IDF established a team consisting of officers from the air force and the military’s Strategic Planning Division, which analyzed the effect the arrival of an additional squadron of F- 35s would have on Israel and its strategic standing in the Middle East.
“This is a very difficult offer to say no to,” a senior defense official said on Sunday, amid news that Netanyahu was working to obtain a majority in his cabinet to approve a new moratorium.
It is unclear when the additional squadron would arrive, if Israel accepts the US offer.
Delivery of the squadron Israel ordered last month is scheduled to begin sometime between 2016 and 2017.
Obama is trying to get more tax money out of us...and in the meantime is giving billions away because??
Ping.
It will be precisely the 37th of Never.
Hey. They pushed that back. Last I heard it was the 12th.
In an article posted a few days back it was said the offer of the additonal planes was contingent upon not just extending the freeze but signing a peace agreement which is clearly beyond Israel’s control. If that is the case then there’s no way Israel agrees to the addtl 3 months if that alone doesn’t yield the fighters.
Get it in writing and make sure it’s irrevocable.
Wow!
Buy one, get one free!
Is the FedGov now playing at Overstock.com???
I sure would like some toys myself, esp for free...
I mean, nobody every really has enough ammo - do they?
Problem is that the F-35 is on the axe block.
Wow Hitlery you sure did drive a hard bargain!
Three months for $2.75 billion - that hardly a blip in this year’s deficit!
I just can’t wait for the adults to get back in charge!
So $2.75 billion for a 90 day freeze works out to $11 billion for a year long freeze. Ain’t worth it. Let ‘em build.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
Because it’s not his money! But in reality he wants to give away OUR Air Force.
Then halt building AFTER the F-35's are delivered. Israel should well know America has reneged before many times on stuff like this. almost crushing them during the Yom Kippur war. What did the Saudia's relinquish with their 60 BILLION plus deal just a month or so ago? Didn't the price of oil per barrel double?
Then halt building AFTER the F-35's are delivered. Israel should well know America has reneged before many times on stuff like this. almost crushing them during the Yom Kippur war. What did the Saudia's relinquish with their 60 BILLION plus deal just a month or so ago? Didn't the price of oil per barrel double?
How could Israel do that? Who would enforce it?
I was reading an article recently about the many times Slick Willie lied to Netanyahu and broke his promises in trying to secure peace deals for the Arabs. Bibi should keep that in mind when dealing with anything the Democrats control. Ask the South Vietnamese.
Just say no, Bibi.
I flew for the IAF.
We viewed ourselves (and effectively operated) as a proxy for the USAF.
Excellent performance with plausible deniability.
its no use to anyone if you cant get any spare parts - which I sense is Obummer’s plan.
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