Pentagon seeks F-35 sale to Israel

[unhappycamper]

Pentagon seeks F-35 sale to Israel
By Stephen Manning - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Oct 1, 2008 6:18:09 EDT

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department said Tuesday that it wants to sell up to 75 fighter jets to Israel in a $15.2 billion deal for the aircraft expected to be the mainstay of air power in the U.S. and several other nations for decades.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said it notified Congress on Friday that Israel has asked to buy 25 of the F-35s made by Lockheed Martin Corp., with an option to buy an additional 50 at a later date.

The sale would be the first to a country outside of the U.S. and eight partner nations that are collaborating on the F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter. The jet is still under development and is not yet in service, but the U.S. plans to eventually acquire 2,458 planes for the Army, Marines and Air Force at a cost of $300 billion.

The F-35 was designed as a replacement for a range of warplanes, including the F-16, which is a large component of many air forces worldwide. Countries such as Spain, Singapore and Japan also have expressed interest in the F-35.

Israel has said it plans to buy a fleet of F-35s as it upgrades its military technology. The first batch of 25 would be the variant of F-35 designed for conventional take off from military airfields, but the later 50 could include a version that can land vertically.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/09/ap_f35_israel_093008/%2e



uhc comment: I guess closies count - $239,000,000 x 75 = $17.925 billion.

[Sherman A1]

1. And we wonder why the Pentagon can't keep track of

the money it gets. Perhaps instead of buying them new toys such as F-35's we should invest in a couple of truckloads of calculators and classes on how they are used.

The F-35 in my opinion is just another waste of time along with the F-22. If we need to replace aging airframes (and I am sure we do), why not simply reopen the lines for F-16, the F/A - 18 and f- 15 as nothing has bested them yet nor is there much on the horizon that will do so.

[cstanleytech]

3. Well I'm not an engineer but it might be because the F-35 is stealth capable

and some versions will be able to have VTOL which means it can replace the aging Harriers as well.

[Sherman A1]

5. Yes, they do have stealth capability, but

we have aircraft online now that do as well. The f-117 and B2, both of which have designs that are already paid for by our tax dollars. If we need a few more again to replace aging equipment (and this stuff does wear out as we noted with the F-15 crash over MO this past year). Then let's just buy a few more of what we already know and we already have built. Certainly electronics can be updated, engines can be made more efficient, new components can be added, but why reinvent the wheel?

Stealth technology is in my opinion primarily for penetration strikes to disable the enemy's (whoever they are) command, control and communication networks along with their air capability. Once they cannot communicate to their forces and their detection systems (radars) are down through whatever means. It makes no difference if the next strikes are done by B2's or by a B52 (or my personal favorite a B36, but I digress), as they are simply trucks delivering the goods at that point.

My point is that what we have works and while physically aging due to time and overuse, doesn't need to be replaced by the next gee wiz dream of the fighter lobby.

[cstanleytech]

8. The B2 is a bomber though and the F-117 has a very limited arsenal

at its disposal not to mention neither of them is designed for use on a carrier where as the f-35 is designed for possible deployment on carriers.
It appears to be a very versatile aircraft able to meet the needs of the military quiet well, what I question is though the need now for the F-22, that we might want to actually consider cutting.

[unhappycamper]

6. Stealth is overrated.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=259&topic_id=7995

[Submariner]

2. Sale???

Are you kidding me.

We give them the 15 billion, and they give it back for the weapons. We gave them nukes and the all the money for the apartheid wall. Israel is a welfare state to the U.S. We don't sell them anything. They are on the dole and get it for free.

[cstanleytech]

4. Cant argue much with that, never have understood why administration

after administration has pandered to Israel, I suppose some of its partly guilt for the lack of action taken by our government during WWII to stop Hitler sooner and some of it might be the whole bible thing with the rise of Israel but for whatever reason it needs to stop.

[TahitiNut]

7. The vast majority of "foreign aid" (by all nations) has such strings attached.

Foreign aid is typically like a Gift Certificate only redeemable at certain "stores." It's often a stealthy way to enact billions in corporate welfare. People are generally clueless that this is how it's structured ... but it's been that way for decades ... not on the U.S. but other countries like Japan, too.