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US to Ship Unprecedented Number of Hellfire Missiles to Iraq
JPUpdate ^ | 8-14-14

Posted on 08/14/2014 11:28:14 AM PDT by SJackson

Boruch Shubert Leave a comment (0) Go to comments

According to a report in the Washington Post, the Pentagon signaled on Tuesday that it is considering to send its largest ever shipment of Hellfire missiles to Iraq as the government there hunkers down for a prolonged battle against radical Islamic terrorists who have asserted control over hundreds of square miles of territory across western and northern parts of the country. Pentagon officials disclosed that the State Department has approved the possible sale of 5,000 AGM-114K/N/R missiles and related parts and training. The estimated cost of the transaction would be approximately $700 million, and it would be much larger than previous shipments of Hellfire missiles to Iraq.

The move is not considered surprising, as it was reported at the beginning of July that State Department officials had informed lawmakers that the Obama administration wanted to send at least 4,000 more Hellfire missiles to Iraq.

The Iraqi military used up its inventory of about 300 Hellfire missiles in June as ISIS forces seized territory in numerous parts of the country. Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, stated last month that the United States would ship approximately 800 more of the missiles by the end of July. The missiles are deployed from several different aircraft, including the Iraqi air force’s AC-208 Cessna Caravan.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; War on Terror
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To: Gen.Blather

Thats my understanding as well, just about the first thing Israel does when it gets a new weapon is reverse engineer it so it can build it’s own if needed.

The best exsmple of this is the Kfir fighter-bomber. Much improved reverse engineered Mirage III that the Israelis put into production after the French threw on an arms embargo.

The Israelis have a lot of nifty in house developed weapons. Popeye and Delilah standoff precision missiles. I’m positive that they have either a reverse engineered Hellfire, or some other missile in the same class, all set and ready to go.


21 posted on 08/14/2014 11:40:30 AM PDT by tanknetter
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To: SJackson

For ISIS, with love.

Sincerely,

BHO


22 posted on 08/14/2014 11:43:11 AM PDT by Toespi
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To: SJackson

In the case of the A-10 it’s that the fighter jocks in the Air Force want it gone ASAP so it can’t be used to impinge upon the latest/greatest wondertoy (F-35).


23 posted on 08/14/2014 11:43:17 AM PDT by tanknetter
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To: SJackson

Not only is this NOT to Israel, I’d be cautious about the supply chain for delivery. Wouldn’t put it past our Islamist to make sure it crosses a link with questionable access to IS, if you catch my drift.


24 posted on 08/14/2014 11:43:22 AM PDT by C210N (When people fear government there is tyranny; when government fears people there is liberty)
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To: tacticalogic

No, they’re still a missile used almost everyday.


25 posted on 08/14/2014 11:45:49 AM PDT by elhombrelibre (Against Obama. Against Putin. Pro-freedom. Pro-US Constitution.)
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To: Gen.Blather

Huh? Free. How so? If it’s an FMS sale to Iraq, it’s not free.


26 posted on 08/14/2014 11:46:47 AM PDT by elhombrelibre (Against Obama. Against Putin. Pro-freedom. Pro-US Constitution.)
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To: tanknetter

“The best exsmple of this is the Kfir fighter-bomber. “

Actually, that was stolen. The Israelis sold an advanced electronic design system to the French and then set up a French company to covert the Mirage’s drawings to electronic copies. In the process they copied the drawings. Then, they set about fixing the Mirage’s inherent flaws. They then attempted to sell the fixes to the French who said no, and continued to produce a flawed design. It was made into an awesome movie, the title of which escapes me at the moment. Perhaps someone with a better memory can recall?


27 posted on 08/14/2014 11:49:47 AM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: skeeter
what better way to get them in the hands of Islamists?

It would see that a better strategy would be to disintegrate IS (Islamic Savages) ourselves.

28 posted on 08/14/2014 11:53:25 AM PDT by grania
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To: SJackson

That is a crazy number of guided missiles. Enough to wipe out the mechanized divisions of a couple of decent sized countries.

I think we need to put a reality check on whether they have the means to deliver that many Hellfires, or if it is just cover for the procurement for us or other major powers to use them in the region on their behalf.


29 posted on 08/14/2014 11:53:53 AM PDT by Advil000
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To: elhombrelibre

“Huh? Free. How so? If it’s an FMS sale to Iraq, it’s not free.”

You, the, taxpayer pay the US company to build the product. The way it works is Uncle Sugar gives a country a credit, about two billion a year for Israel, when I dealt in this. They get to spend the money (your taxes) over here. Tadiran was gaming the system and they set up a US division called Talla-Com Industries to build the hardware they bought. They got to set the price and keep the profits. (Nifty, eh?) They also got a significant US Army contract and made a nifty profit on that too.


30 posted on 08/14/2014 11:53:59 AM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: elhombrelibre; tanknetter

According to this, the Navy is supposed to cancel acquisition of new Hellfire’s next year. If we deplete our stockpile now, will we be able to replace them?

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2014/03/administration_to_cancel_hellfire_and_tomahawk_missile_programs.html


31 posted on 08/14/2014 11:58:46 AM PDT by tacticalogic
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To: tacticalogic

We are replacing them with a new type of missile...

But the point is valid. Should we have a lot of the old ones around until we prove the new ones in combat for a while?

Frankly though, this is a military matter. It’s hard to armchair quarterback this. May be no issue at all. Who knows. We never will.


32 posted on 08/14/2014 12:03:25 PM PDT by Advil000
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To: tanknetter

They probably changed the name of the Tomahawks as keeping the name would be racist. Of course Hellfire may be offensive to Satanists so....


33 posted on 08/14/2014 12:05:14 PM PDT by rfreedom4u (Your feelings don't trump my free speech!)
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To: tacticalogic

The Navy can choose not to buy them. The Army is the single manager for conventional ammunition. The Army and the Air Force and others want them badly and there are plenty of foreign military sales for these.


34 posted on 08/14/2014 12:06:59 PM PDT by elhombrelibre (Against Obama. Against Putin. Pro-freedom. Pro-US Constitution.)
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To: Advil000
Frankly though, this is a military matter. It’s hard to armchair quarterback this. May be no issue at all. Who knows. We never will.

It's a military matter, with Obama calling the shots. That's like being a Nascar driver and finding out Perez Hilton is your new crew chief.

35 posted on 08/14/2014 12:18:37 PM PDT by tacticalogic
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To: GeronL

They are going to be fired AT Israel. The Iraq government will collapse, putting these missiles into the hands of ISIS. They will eventually turn them on Israel once ISIS has taken over Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. This is Obama’s plan - to arm ISIS by putting weapons into the hands of their enemies who will eventually be defeated.


36 posted on 08/14/2014 12:32:45 PM PDT by Dr. Thorne ("Don't be afraid. Just believe." - Mark 5:36)
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To: tacticalogic

That’s a great analogy.


37 posted on 08/14/2014 12:37:29 PM PDT by lonevoice (Life is short. Make fun of it.)
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To: Pride in the USA; Stillwaters

No hellfire missiles for Israel. Let’s send ‘em to Iraq instead, a country being overrun by jihadists. What could possibly go wrong? Our tax dollars hard at work to usher in the long-awaited global caliphate.


38 posted on 08/14/2014 12:41:41 PM PDT by lonevoice (Life is short. Make fun of it.)
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To: SJackson

So who are the missiles for?


39 posted on 08/14/2014 12:47:56 PM PDT by jim999
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To: SJackson
US to Ship Unprecedented Number of Hellfire Missiles to Iraq

How many of these will end up being used against us?

40 posted on 08/14/2014 12:50:30 PM PDT by The Sons of Liberty (I want a Speaker who'll stick that pen and phone where no one but Reggie Love can find it!)
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