The Pentagon has approved the sale to Israel of 25 F-35 stealth-enabled joint strike fighters to the Israeli Air Force. The deal is valued at $15.2 billion and is subject to congressional approval. The deal, valued at $15.2 billion, includes an option to buy 50 additional bombers in the coming years. Each plane is estimated to cost between $70 million and $80m. and will be equipped with F-135 or F-136 engines by the IAF.Read the whole thing.
A Pentagon official said Wednesday that the sale of the stealth jets to Israel was essential to American national interests and was meant to ensure that Israel maintained its qualitative edge over armies of neighboring countries.
A department in the Pentagon responsible for cooperation with foreign powers reportedly relayed a message to Congress announcing the approval of the deal, where it is expected to be confirmed within 30 days, before the November 4 US Presidential elections.
Thomas J. Jurkowsky, spokesman for the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, which manufactures the fighter jets, reportedly said that the deal would be the first international sale of the F-35 and was a significant first step in expanding the group of countries using the fighter jet outside the US.
Israel's interest in the short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft was first reported in The Jerusalem Post in December 2007. The decision to consider the F-35B was made due to an understanding that in a time of war, Israeli bases and runways would be heavily targeted by enemy missiles.
Here's a video of an F-35B taking off. This is really neat. Let's go to the videotape.
11 comments:
Now there´s money to solve the crisis.
Furthermore, they shouldn´t sell that technology to whom they shouldn´t sell it.
Anonymous,
What are you trying to say? Here's what I got from your comment;
1) you think the $1-2 billion price tag of the Stealth bomber is enough to have a significant effect on our troubled economy - or you are being sarcastic on that point, which is an even stupider tact to take
2) you think we ought not sell Israel a stealth bomber
Do I have that right?
Try saying what you mean next time.
By the way, Carl, this is very good news. I have more confidence that we are actually working to solve the problem.
The missile defense system was defensive. The stealth bomber is, obviously, offensive.
That's a good sign.
$1-2 billion is more than $700 millions.
Of course it´s not Israel to whom they shouldn´t sell it.
Anonymous,
I'm sorry I was rude to you. Now, I get your point.
The bailout is for
$700 BILLION
not $700 million.
We'd have to sell about 500 stealth bombers to make that up.
:)
Once again, sorry. I also thought you were saying we should NOT sell to Israel.
So, I thought you were just some troll being sarcastic.
I completely misunderstood you.
Pastorious,
It´s all right. And you are right, I could have put it clear.
I thought it was $700 millions. Then there are contradictory information on line about it.
I wish it were only $700 million.
Here is the story from Business Week (which is a major magazine in America):
http://www.businessweek.com/election/2008/blog/archives/2008/09/as_congressiona.html
Thanks, Pastorius.
Pastorius,
Yes, it's good news. But the first delivery isn't until 2014, so it's not much help for the immediate future.
Oh.
Yeah, you're right.
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