Posted on 08/29/2023 5:55:07 AM PDT by SJackson
Vivek Ramaswamy, who has suggested that American military aid to Israel be ended by 2028, apparently does not realize just how important Israel’s successful use of American weapons on the battlefield has been as a selling point for those weapons in other countries. Nor is he aware of the extent of Israeli improvements to those American weapons that Israel is able to buy with that $3 billion in annual military aid, improvements that Israel of course shares with its American ally. Finally, Ramswamy does not know just how important is the flow of Israeli-made weapons to the U.S. military.
After Ramaswamy made his remark about phasing out military aid to Israel by 2028, Matthew Brooks, the CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, wrote a reply that is discussed here: “Republican Jewish Group Pushes Back on Ramaswamy’s Stance Against Israel Aid,” by Alana Goodman, Washington Free Beacon, August 22, 2023:
Brooks noted that Israel spends 85 percent of its aid on American-manufactured arms, is a partner with U.S. Central Command, cooperates closely with the U.S. defense industry, and has “battle-tested a number of important systems, testing that has benefited U.S. forces.”
In other words, 85% of the aid Israel receives to spend on its military must be spent on American weapons — Ramaswamy should know that this is money coming back to the U.S. Furthermore, Israel’s successful use of American weapons has greatly increased their attractiveness to other potential customers around the world. Having “battle-tested” American weapons, with spectacular results, Israel has become the best advertisement for the American defense industry. How many tens of billions of dollars worth of American weapons have been sold because Israel used them first on the battlefield? Saudi Arabia, the UAE, India, Taiwan, and South Korea, among others, want what the Israelis have and so do many other countries. Furthermore, the Israelis are constantly improving the American weapons they use, and those improvements made or suggested by Israeli weapons engineers, are often incorporated into the weapons used by the American military and sold by America’s defense industry.
Israel has in the past been especially helpful with its improvements to the American TOW anti-tank missile. its modifications of M16 and CAR-15 arms, its improvements to what has been renamed the Machbet Self-Propelled Antiaircraft Gun, and with the extensive changes Israeli aeronautical engineers have made to the American F-15 fighter jets that have been the mainstay of the Israeli Air Force for three decades.
Israel’s enormous population of engineers, which was greatly increased by the arrival of first-rate engineers and scientists from the Soviet Union, has also made the country the most important foreign supplier of advanced weaponry to the American military — that is, its own weapons and not merely improved versions of American weapons. Some of them are discussed here. A few of those Israeli weapons that are now in the American arsenal are discussed here.
The U.S. Army has purchased an emerging Israeli technology for Abrams tanks, Bradleys and Strykers, designed to give combat vehicles an opportunity identify, track and destroy approaching enemy rocket-propelled grenades in a matter of milliseconds. Trophy is an Active Protection System (APS) that uses a 360-degree radar, processor and on-board computer to locate, track and destroy approaching fire coming from a range of weapons such as Anti-Tank-Guided-Missiles and Rocket Propelled Grenades.
The U.S. Army has also bought the IDF’s Iron Fist Light Configuration active protection system for its armored personnel carriers in June 2015, developed by Israel Military Industries. The system uses a complex network of radar and electro-optics to detect and neutralize a broad range of missiles and other objects. The Iron Fist Light Configuration can jam the GPS systems of incoming projectiles causing them to malfunction and fall to the ground, and can also deploy interceptors that destroy incoming objects with a shock wave.
Israel’s Elbit Systems was awarded a $73.4 million, 15-year contract from the US Marine Corps in March 2015 to supply them with new laser systems. The new systems will assist Marines in concealed positions with imaging, range-finding, and and navigation through combat areas. This will allow the soldiers to acquire and dispatch targets from their concealed positions, significantly lessening the potential impact of a mistake and keeping the soldiers safe….
Of course, I could provide many, many more examples of Israeli weapons that have been taken up by the U.S. military. But these are sufficient to make the point for Vivek Ramaswamy. American military aid to Israel is not a gift but an investment that pays enormous dividends, for it provides Israel with American weapons it uses successfully, and thus wins more customers for the American defense industry. That American military aid gives Israeli engineers weapons which they have in many cases improved upon, and Israel share those improvements with the Americans. That military aid frees up other funds in Israel that can be spent on Israel’s own defense industry, that has managed to come up with many advances in weaponry that, again, are promptly shared with the Americans. Finally, any sign of a lessened commitment to Israel — which is how ending American aid by 2028 would be interpreted, will only weaken Israel’s ability to deter its enemies, and encourage them to once again try to destroy the Jewish state, “from the river to the sea.”
Israel has developed some of the world’s most sophisticated weapons and technology, some jointly with the United States. The following are examples used by the U.S. military.
The Army has purchased an emerging technology for Abrams tanks, Bradleys and Strykers designed to give combat vehicles an opportunity identify, track and destroy approaching enemy rocket-propelled grenades in a matter of milliseconds. Trophy is an Active Protection System (APS) that uses a 360-degree radar, processor and on-board computer to locate, track and destroy approaching fire coming from a range of weapons such as Anti-Tank-Guided-Missiles and Rocket Propelled Grenades. DRS Technologies and Israeli-based Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are working with the army to integrate the system that Israel developed after realizing that tanks could not be given more armor without greatly minimizing their maneuverability and deployability.
Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and U.S.-based defense contractor Leonardo DRS announced On January 6, 2021, they completed delivery of Trophy Active Protection Systems ordered by the U.S. Army for installation on Abrams battle tanks. This delivery culminates a multi-year effort by the Army to study and rapidly field active protection due to the urgency of the threat and the growing need for improved ground vehicle survivability.
The U.S. Army chose to purchase the Iron Fist Light Configuration active protection system for it's armored personnel carriers in June 2015, developed by Israel Military Industries. The system uses a complex network of radar and electro-optics to detect and neutralize a broad range of missiles and other objects. The Iron Fist Light Configuration can jam the GPS systems of incoming projectiles causing them to malfunction and fall to the ground, and can also deploy interceptors that destroy incoming objects with a shock wave.
Israel's Elbit Systems was awarded a $73.4 million, 15 year contract from the US Marine Corps in March 2015 to supply them with new laser systems. The new systems will assist Marines in concealed positions with imaging, range-finding, and and navigation through combat areas. This will allow the soldiers to acquire and dispatch targets from their concealed positions, significantly lessening the potential impact of a mistake and keeping the soldiers safe.
Surveillance balloon manufactured for tactical surveillance, public safety, police, and military activities. Skystar 180's can provide surveillance for up to 1,000 square feet on one tank of helium, which lasts for approximately 72 hours. The Skystar 180 system is simple and intuitive, and can be fully operated by only two people. Israeli police have used these balloons and previous models to control riots and provide intel during times of conflict. The U.S. Army approved the Skystar 180 for purchase in March 2015, after a unit successfully completed the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment
Jet powered, unpiloted decoys look and maneuver like an airplance. TALD's are used to confuse enemy radar and draw the fire away from piloted aircraft so they can perform their missions under "safer" conditions. Earlier unpowered glider versions of the ITALD were used extensively during the initial stages of the Gulf War and in Bosnia.
This helmet-mounted display (HMD) system allows fighter pilots to target enemy aircraft by using a display within their helmet to guide the missiles at the target they are looking at rather than having to maneuver their aircraft into an attack position.
Developed by the IDF after the Yom Kippur War, these tiles protect tanks and the soldiers within them. The tiles overlay the tank's armor and have embedded explosives that detonate outward when hit by missiles. The explosion destroys and repels the incoming missile before it penetrates the tank's main armor. During the 1982 Lebanon war, not a single Israeli tank equipped with these tiles was lost to enemy fire.
Litening is a navigation and targeting device that enables aircraft to fly and target in bad weather and at night. The Litening transforms older planes into round-the-clock fighters. The Litening is equipped with two cameras - one uses heat sensors to identify targets at night and during bad weather, while the second provides powerful images from long-range distances during the day. The U.S. Air National Guard, a quarter of whose fleet cannot fly at night, has purchased the Litening to enhance the capabilities of its F-16s. The Litening is also being purchased by the U.S. Marine Corps.
Known as "the Popeye," this missile is used to destroy targets, such as concrete military bunkers, with exceptional precision from great distances. It is the only air-to-ground missile that can be retargeted after launch. The United States uses the Popeye on B-52 bombers. A small number of aircraft armed with the Popeye were deployed to Europe for use in Kosovo.
The UAV has been one of the most important factors enabling the United States to fight effectively with minimum casualties. The U.S. has one of the largest fleets of Israeli-made UAVs which re used to identify targets and assess bomb damage without putting pilots at risk. During the Gulf War and Kosovo, Israeli-made Pioneer and Hunter UAVs were used to stop hard-to-detect targets such as missile launchers, artillery units and command and control bunkers.
The Python-4 is recognized as the world' most advanced short-range air-to-air missile. Unlike other missiles of its kind, the Python can fire at targets from any angle, not just those directly in front of it. This gives it a much larger zone in which in can effectively destroy enemy aircraft.
A rifle grenade designed to breach through doors. It is mainly used to access buildings with locked or barricaded doors without endangering U.S. troops or the people inside. A variant is currently in service with the United States army.
This Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW) is a portable weapon for use in destroying deeply buried and hardened concrete-reinforced bunkers. The U.S. Marine Corps procured this missile for use in Iraq.
The US Air Force ordered 21 MANPADS, shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles (SLSAMs), for use against low-flying aircraft, such as unmanned aerial systems (e.g., drones), and helicopters.
The U.S. Army is using Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binoculars developed by Israel’s Elbit Systems. The helmet-mounted device is a departure from the green-washed imagery of traditional night-vision equipment which can cause eyestrain and fatigue. The device amplifies existing light and makes it easier to identify targets in low-visibility conditions.
Sources: U.S. Department of Defense.
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
AIPAC.
Wikipedia.
Yaakov Lappin, “US Army approves Israeli surveillance balloon for purchase,” Jerusalem Post (March 18, 2015).
Yaakov Lappin, “Israel's Elbit to supply US Marines with laser system,” Jerusalem Post (March 22, 2015).
Yaakov Lappin, “US Army selects Israel Military Industries for APC active protection system,” Jerusalem Post (June 7, 2016).US Air Force to Buy Shoulder-Fired Missiles Assembled in Israel,
ARMSCOM, (February 22, 2017).
Scout Warrior, “US Army tanks, Strykers, and Bradleys are getting active-protection systems to fend off enemy fire,” Business Insider, (June 8, 2017).
Judah Ari Gross, “US Army inks $193 million deal to buy Israeli tank defense system,” Times of Israel, (June 26, 2018).
Luke Tress, “Israeli defense firm Elbit wins US Air Force contract worth up to $476 million,” Times of Israel, (March 11, 2020).
“Rafael finishes delivering Trophy tank protection systems to US Army,” IsraelDefense, (January 7, 2021).
Dalvin Brown, Dalvin Brown, “Dalvin Brown, “It’s not a game, it’s the Army’s new night-vision tech,” Washington Post,” Washington Post, (May 24, 2021).
As I've noted on other threads Vivek is actually advocating an increase in aid to Israel, not a reduction. Clearly he doesn't know the issue well enough to understand the meaning of Israel should not get more aid than its Middle Eastern neighbors after 2028, or he's planning on reducing aid to Israel's neighbors as well. He'll have to revise his opinion. Still, I think it's fair to say Israel's cooperation with the US military is as least as important as Ukraine's.
I think he statement was one of ignorance of foreign affairs, relative to the needs of the position he aspires to not necessarily anti Israel sentiment. Like our current President who has been ranting about “settlements” for decades. Two of our last three Presidents share/shared this defect. I’m not anxious to have a fourth.
Israel spending American money on private companies in America isn’t exactly a selling point. We have no money and shouldn’t be giving it to any foreign nation.
Meaning that perhaps Israel should stop providing aid to the liberal West.
If you want to support aid to Israel fine but please don’t pretend it somehow benefits Americans footing the bill.
It doesn’t. At all.
A topic for another thread. The issue is whether we should end aid to Israel, not end foreign aid.
Why does this guy think he’s fit to lead a country whose history does not run in his veins? The dots always think they need to run shit. Sit down, Ramaswamy.
There’s no denying that Israel spends their military aid on American weapons. Ramaswamy doesn’t want to end the sale of American weapons to Israel. He wants to end welfare to Israel. Welfare is my word not his. Israel is fully capable of buying American weapons with their own money, just like all of Europe is capable of funding NATO. Just like South Korea can pay and fully defend itself. Just like Japan can pay and fully defend itself.
We are broke. Our military is weak. We don’t focus on defending America. Our priorities are all screwed up. When nations can afford their own defense they should pay for it. That doesn’t stop us from being friends.
Ramaswamy has a very consistent foreign policy that is tightly integrated with domestic policy. It’s simple to understand. First, America stops foreign aid to countries that can afford to pay their own way. That’s militarily and otherwise. Then America becomes self sufficient in whatever interest we have in foreign nations when possible. The leading example is Taiwan. Our interest in Taiwan is semiconductor manufacturing. Our foreign policy is simple. We protect our current interest in Taiwan until we are self sufficient in manufacturing semiconductors. Then Taiwan is on its own. We can still be friends. They can unify with China if they want. China can forcibly unify with Taiwan. I really don’t care. We have no interest in Taiwan when we are semiconductor self sufficient. That removes the need to send our sons to war for Taiwan. To be more accurate, it removes the need to have our sons killed, injured and crippled. That to me is more important than money.
The same works with any other interest. The Middle East for oil is another good example. It’s good for America because we focus on our economy first, which makes us stronger. It’s good for America because we can first focus on defense of our homeland. When we are stronger we can actually help our friends. Our friendships won’t be based on coveting some product or resource.
The defense of our homeland should be a priority by the way. We are woefully unprepared. We sent our weapons around the world to foreign nations. Our military is dispersed around the world. What kind of defense do we have at home? Do we have air defense systems around our cities and manufacturing centers? Nope. Here’s a thought exercise for those supporting Ukraine where we have no national interest. If Biden sends our troops into battle against Russia, what does Russia do? What do we do?
I don’t know about our woke generals, but if I was running things I would not contain the battlefield to Ukraine. I would be cutting Russian supply lines in Russia. Guess what. Russia will be doing the same thing here in America. And we are not nearly ready to defend ourselves. You can play the same thought experiment a conflict with China.
We have idiots running our country. They have made America economically weak. They have made America militarily weak. And yes, we have lost every war in the past 22 years.
Shouldn’t give Israel anything.
Sick and tired of our leaders bowing down to them
Also... their culture STILL observes a rigid caste system. We don’t need thi guy
Well said.
Thank you. Knowledge is a potent weapon and as potent a defense. Very enlightening post.
In this day and age where we have to borrow money to pay for our own bloated seditious .gov, we shouldn't be sending money to anyone for any made up reason or any perceived benefit. This entire world needs to learn to stand on it's own two feet, or perish. I have a box full of small violins and another full box of whiney sheet music for the concerned amongst US.
Israel spending American money on private companies in America isn’t exactly a selling point. We have no money and shouldn’t be giving it to any foreign nation.
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It looks like a laundering scheme of our taxpayer dollars to big U.S. weapons manufacturers. We give them taxpayer dollars, calling it aid, and they launder it back by buying military equipment from the civilian military-industrial complex.
As to Israel is fully capable of buying American weapons with their own money, Israel wouldn't need to buy much of what they purchase from the US, they could produce them. And could export arms without US permission. It's a symbiotic relationship not common with most countries to whom we provide aid.
BTW eliminating all foreign aid, whether good or bad, wouldn't make a dent in our financial problems, current or future. Six or seven percent of our defense budget, which isn't enough. And that's not where the funds would go anyway.
Truthfully our Armed forces & our armed forces command suck. Military families are telling their loved ones to stay the heck away. Obama & Biden hollowed out the military by separating the honorable officers and promoting the culturally debauched.
America is in no position to outsmart the rogue Nations that want to destroy us. People that think we can do it alone with our woke military have not been keeping up. Israel’s intelligence and intervention has never been more essential.
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