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Israel to pay $2.7B for F-35I jets
Hanan Greenberg
Published: 15.08.10, 16:26
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35 Talkbacks for this article
1. These planes won’t cost Israel a shekel!
Brian Boisvert ,   Boston, MA   (08.15.10)
Isn’t it great that Israel gets billions of free American taxpayers money so it can buy American weapons and planes? It’s like going into a store and the store owners giving you $50 dollars so you can buy stuff in his shop. Sweet!
2. Obama
Israel Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (08.15.10)
Obama he sells 60 billion dollars of weapons to the Saudis, which forces Israel to spend a few billion on buying the overpriced F-35. Fortunately, Obama's man in Jerusalem Ehud Barak, agreed to buy the toy. Obama doesn't care that his weapons will increase the chance of war and kill Middle-Eastern people. The main thing is to get those campaign donations from the arms manufacturers.
3. answer to #1
truth ,   new york   (08.15.10)
israel is the ONLY country where US investment benefits the USA.
4. #1 Brian Boisvert
Albrecht Klein ,   Germany   (08.15.10)
Do you really think, a nuclear armed Iran is in the very own interests of the USA?
5. #2 Israel Israeli
Albrecht Klein ,   Germany   (08.15.10)
If Barakah Hussein Obama does not want to sell weapons to the Saudis, they will buy them in Russia. It's as simple as this.
6. SECOND BEST
DAVID ,   JUDEA   (08.15.10)
While Europe is backing off the purchase of the F35 project, to expensive and not the right quality, Barak lacking any insight and spine, gets this expensive toy shuved down his throat. The F22 raptor is a far better plane, besides that the delivery is only 5 years down the road,by that time,the F35 will be even less competitive.
7. #2 Israel Israeli.
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (08.15.10)
You make a good point, I was actually wondering if our friend Ehud got a commission on the sale. Speculation aside, we would be better off participating in the development of a plane with Russia & India & reducing our dependence on the U.S.
8. #5 no
Israel Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (08.15.10)
No they won't. The Saudis and Americans are allies and friends, more than any other two countries. The Americans protect the Saudis, the Saudis share money with the Americans. The Saudis don't need the weapons, they don't know how to fight and they don't want to risk their lives. When the Saudis are in danger, the Americans fight for them. Look at the Iran-Iraq war and both American invasions of Iraq. The weapons sales are a kickback. The Saudis tax the world economies (China, India, Japan) through high oil prices, and give a refund to the US by buying American weapons and American services. Just like oil income doesn't go to the Arab masses, the refund is not to the American people, but to arms manufacturers, construction firms and private security firms. By the way, I didn't invent this theory, it was Eisenhower.
9. What the deal really fortifies is the US economy
Schreiber   (08.15.10)
The Israeli Ministry of Defense issued a tender for Namer APC’s based on the Merkava tank. The tender is for US companies only, which is a condition of American military aid to Israel. The Israeli army does not need most of the American foreign aid it receives, and strives continuously to find a way to utilize it, even to the point of purchasing chocolates in the United States. The aid is a must for the Israeli establishment, which uses it to explain its submissiveness to the US administration. (Samson Blinded Website)
10. Who knows if the 2015 delivery date
jason white ,   afula,israel   (08.15.10)
is accurate? Israel would be better off developing it's own aircraft with India instead. Or alone like the Lavi.
11. #8 Israel Israeli
Albrecht Klein ,   Germany   (08.15.10)
"The Americans protect the Saudis, the Saudis share money with the Americans." Do you think, President NObama will also protect them against a nuclear armed Iran?
12. Why?
James ,   Herzeliya   (08.15.10)
Why? If at all we should buy the F22. But I'd rather see Israel develop its next generation fighter in co-operation with India. We should be asking whats in it for Barak?
13. It's a waste of money.
Rich ,   Toronto, Canada   (08.15.10)
There is no serious threat anywhere against Israel's security. The government need's to start spending money to enhance the quality of life for the average Israeli. If the country is falling apart, what will be there to defend?
14. @ 1
Israel Supporter ,   Boston, MA   (08.15.10)
Brian, I think you should move to Canada if you don't like where American foreign aid is going. We have openly been supporting Israel financially for about 30 years and Israel represents the same values you and your forefathers in this country fought so hard for. Sadly it is the only country in the middle east that has these strong democratic values. Before you go into a tirade about Israeli dominance and killing innocent Palestinian civilians, look at US clandestine foreign policy in Yemen, Pakistan, etc... We are killing civilians there, and sadly that is a consequence and a heavy price we pay to eradicate terrorist organizations.
15. #11 YES
Omri ,   Israel   (08.15.10)
And what do you call all those sunctions? The israeli military base in saudi arabia? The US hightech weapons in the saudi army? On top of all that would a conventional war break i wouldnt be surprised if usa would come to the aid of israel,saudi,egypt,jordan and many others. As the world's superpower its USA's job to help the war of facist iran and so far shis doing fine with it.
16. To Israel Israel!
Billy ,   Burlington, Canada   (08.15.10)
Very interesting indeed what you've said, especially your TB #9! And I was wondering why Saudis are putting billions of dollars in old tech F 15's while they can buy the advanced Stealth Russian Su T-50 with a lesser price!! Thanks for your comment
17. Israel can't afford or need the $150 million F35
zionist forever   (08.15.10)
The F35 was designed to replace the F16 as Israels future multi role fighter & F16 makes up the bulk of the fleet we have over 300 and they cost around $30 million each whilst the F35 cost around $150 each ( 5 for the price of 1 ). The idea Israel will ever be able to afford 300 F135s is a fantasy and we will be retiring old F16s and a much quicker rate than we will be replacing them with new F35s for that money. We are not allowed to make repairs to the planes if it needs fixing it must go back to Lockheed. What happens if the plane is damaged in the middle of a war as the US wont let us make repairs we don't have any spare parts so the thing will be sitting in the hanger until the war is over and it can be sent to the US for repairs. It has small fuel tanks, if we wan't to increase the range it must be through external drop tanks and that comes at the expense of stealth. Because all the weapons are carried internally rather than on the wings and belly it means it can't carry as many missiles. Its not a dog fighter like F16. Its got stealth and nothing more and stealth is fine when your making the first strike but once the fighting starts you want agility, weaponry and fuel. F35 is ideal for the US and the type of wars it carries out where its fighting from ships usually against countries with inferior military capabilities but always with a host of other weapon systems not limited to the F35S and the bulk of the time tghe US is backed up by international coalitions. Israel doesn't have the variaty of weapon system the US has when they go to war, we don't have coalition partners to do part the fighting its just the IAF and their planes. As far as Israel is concerned the only thing thats better than F16 for its unique needs is the stealth everything else and more we can have with an ordinary G4 aircraft. We should have gone down the route of developing a stealth fighter UAV for Israels next generation fighter. UAVS don't mean compromising prformance for pilot capability, alot of the expensive stuff that goes into a manned plane isn't needed. It can be customized to Israeli needs, no American strings attached and at a later date we could export the thing so its being built by Israeli companies which helps the economy and eventually it will even pay for itself through exports. The F35 & F22 are the last manned fighters the US will build so why not get in on the act before the US. As a stop gap we should have bought a few of the stealthy F15SE which while not a true stealth jet can fly to Iran, it can do all the same things an existing F15 can and more. Its cheaper than the F35, Israel operates F15 already so we should have gone for the F1FSE short term land a UAV long term
18. If the country is falling apart ...
Jeremy ,   Hedera - Israel   (08.15.10)
Thta's right ! Israel is really " falling apart" and this will affect Jews EVERYWHERE . We don't need planes right now .... We need a healthy Israel , with a real government , and not what we have have right now ..... A bunch of ministries that do what they please ...
19. Some perspective
Elmer ,   USA   (08.15.10)
From various sources: Lockheed plans to build about 3,100 – 3,500 F-35’s. The US Pentagon plans to buy 2,443 of them. The rest are planned for sale to the eight US allies who have contributed to development of the F-35 (including billions in cash). These allies are under the same systems limitations and source code restrictions that Israel is. Israel’s tentative purchase of 20 planes is about 0.6% of the total scheduled run. Its Pentagon-authorized total purchase of 75 planes is about 2% of the total production run.
20. #14 'Israel supporter'
Bernard Lagat   (08.15.10)
((Brian, I think you should move to Canada if you don't like where American foreign aid is going)) You have no right to tell people where they should and shouldn't live. If Brian is an American citizen, then by the laws and freedoms granted by the US constitution, he has a right to protest where he spends his hard-earned tax dollars. ((We have openly been supporting Israel financially for about 30 years)) No, since its inception. Between 1949-1994, USA has given Israel over $139 billion dollars. Military/ economic aid accelerated post-1973, and now comes to about $3 billion a year, more than to any other country. ((Israel represents the same values you and your forefathers in this country fought so hard for)) Don't compare Israeli ethnocracy to American democracy. But I suppose we can compare the two in some ways: the Native Americans have only their "reservations" to call their own land. With Palestinian homes being bulldozed, villages ripped apart, and settlements put here and there in the West Bank, and Gaza converted to an open-air prison, the Palestinians are becoming the American natives. ((Sadly it is the only country in the middle east that has these strong democratic values)) True, most of the middle east's leaders are despotic tyrants who would sooner die than be just rulers, but the misery and destruction Israel causes others (aided and abetted by the American goverment, and supplied by US taxpayers, many of whom, like Brian, want nothing to do with it) shows an equal or greater measure of malevolence. ((Before you go into a tirade about Israeli dominance and killing innocent Palestinian civilians, look at US clandestine foreign policy in Yemen, Pakistan, etc...)) And I suppose that justifies Israeli actions? ((We are killing civilians there, and sadly that is a consequence and a heavy price we pay to eradicate terrorist organizations.)) LOL. The collateral damage argument. Israeli supporters invoke it all the time to justify atrocities. And if you wanted to "eradicate terrorist organizations" than the Israeli leadership should've been wise not to fund Hamas twenty years ago. And something tells me that even if any and all Palestinian political groups and fighters vanished from the earth, the killings, the persecution, the destruction of property will not stop. For now, it is your scapegoat.
21. #16 Billy
Albrecht Klein ,   Germany   (08.15.10)
The Sukhoi T-50 won't be available until 2015.
22. MESSAGE TO ALL
LARRY ,   US ARMY RETIRED   (08.15.10)
2015 IS A LONG WAY AHEAD IN MID EASTERN TIME ISRAEL HAS ONLY 1 WEEK TO GET THERE PLANES OVER IRAQ AND TURN THE NUK PLANT TO DUST BEFORE THE RODS ARE PLACED . WORRY ABOUT THE REST OF THE ENDLESS SMALL CRAP THAT TAKES PLACE ON A DAILY BASIS LATER. OR THERE WILL NOT BE A LATER. AND ISREAL WILL NEED TO GET THE BALLS TO DO IT ENTEBBE STYLE WITH OUT WORLD PRE APPROVAL
23. #6 David
shlomo ,   USA   (08.15.10)
The f-22 was canceled. Only those jets currently purchased will be built so there will not be any for Israel. I have seen the F-35 and believe me, Israel wants this jet because no other aircraft in the world will be able to keep up with it.
24. #1: no free lunch
david   (08.15.10)
thank you for regurgitating an oft repeated anti-semitic canard. no doubt you are distraught by th$28billion in aid given to Egypt (not our friend). in reality, the US knows very well what it is doing and it AIN'T giving out money for free. this money is used to control israel. it was used to kill israel's developement of its own jet fighter, the lavie. israel was told that it would not receive any aid if they went through with developing their own competing jet fighter. it was used to oust the shamir government). george bush senior offered loan guarantuees if the poeple voted out shamir (it worked and the loan guarantuees were never actually needed). also, on a more positive note, the US benefits 10 fold by the arms israel develops and shares with the US (for example, anti-missile technology like the arrow). of course, if the crazy moslems werene't trying to kill the jews, who DO you think they would be killing (hint: starts with a "U" and ends with an "S")
25. CORRECTION #22
LARRY ,   US ARMY RETIRED   (08.15.10)
IRAN NOT IRAQ
26. #24 david
Noah Ngeny   (08.15.10)
((thank you for regurgitating an oft repeated anti-semitic canard)) You know, many Jews protest aid to Israel. Are they anti-semitic? No, I suppose they're "self-hating Jews" LOL. ((no doubt you are distraught by th$28billion in aid given to Egypt (not our friend))) Oh, that is a lot, but like the aid to Lebanon (that was revoked), the aid to Egypt (also unnecessary) is conditional on the fact that Egpyt stays in line with the American-Israeli axis. And why is Egypt not a friend? Because it's Arabic? LOL ((in reality, the US knows very well what it is doing and it AIN'T giving out money for free. this money is used to control israel)) Who controls who? Your convoluted theory about how the USA is the boogeyman is laughable at best. ((also, on a more positive note, the US benefits 10 fold by the arms israel develops and shares with the US (for example, anti-missile technology like the arrow))) Uh... how does that benefit the US at all? The US is trying to end its wars successfully (to no avail), not expand them or start new ones, like Israel is trying to do. ((of course, if the crazy moslems werene't trying to kill the jews...)) LOL, crazy moslems. And you accuse others of bigotry. Please, take your missles, jets, and tanks to the devil; he, like you, enjoys playing with fire. (hint: starts with a "U" and ends with an "S") Gosh, you have me stumped. Didn't know those 'crazy moslems' were so passionate about killing Uzbeks.
27. Brian #1
Golani ,   Vineland, USA   (08.15.10)
Brian, I am trying to get beyond that you are probably anti semetic and anti Israel. Israel does pay back loans, but more importantly, providing weapons to Israel is a bargan for the US even if they were a gift. No one tests the US weapons better than Israel and if the US had to have a presence in that area of the Middle East to combat terror, it would cost billions more for tax payers. The US knows that they can depend on Israel to fight terror.
28. 1
zionist forever   (08.16.10)
Since the F35 program began the majority of the countries who planned to buy it are either now just deciding to buy another plane from somebody else or cut down on the originally planned F35s. Lockheed Martin originally said they would cost $60 million each so there were alot of interest now its $150 million each so people can't afford it. Lockheed is desperate to sell these things and fewer and fewer people want them. Countries like Turkey who are committed to it are building the plane under license so thats a loss of revenue to Lockheed. The US military aid to Israel is another way of saying government subsidy to the US arms industry. Israel gets most but there are alot of countries worldwide who get it. The arms industry is a very expensive one and they need government subsidies but as these are not government owned companies the government is forbidden to give them a subsidy. The solution is to create a political loophole by budgeting a certain amount of money be put aside every year to be given in military aid to various countries. The government gives on average $7 billion a year in military aid to various countries and that aid has all kinds of strings attached. With Israel it is obligated to buy the bulk of its weapons from the US. We can't take the US handout and then go to Europe for everything else. The US is given a veto on the sales of all domestically made weapon exports and the US on more than one occasion has abused that. India wanted to buy the Israeli Phalcon AWAC the US vetoed the sale and offered India the Boeing version. It wasn't until India rejected Boeing that the US agreed to let Israel sell Phalcon. Turkey & India both wanted to buy Arrow US said no but offered both those countries Patriot. Rather than a gift military aid is more like a buy 2 get one free offer. Israel spends more money every year on US weapons than it gets through military aid. Without the aid Israel would be free to shop around much more and buy whats best not whats American. When Clinton was in charge Israel was talking alot about coming off aid but Clinton pressured Israel not to drop it. The US gets alot more through military aid than its clients do. The bulk of the influence the US has over Israel is directly connected to the military aid. So with aid to Israel the US gets alot of political influence directly, it means Israel is not as likely to develop its own equivilent to the US weapons so less competition on the export market, it can tell Israel who to sell its own gear to via a veto, its also like a drug you give the first batch free of charge then you get addicted and start having to buy because you have no choice your hooked.
29. #22 ARE YOU SURE BUDDY??
LAWRENCE RAP ARTISTE ,   SAFED ISRAEL   (08.16.10)
"Israel has only one week to get there (should be THEIR) planes over IRAQ " You don't mean IRAN by any chance do you??? anyway ,Iran probably already has the bomb so it might be a bit late .
30. Wooo hooo!!! New Toys :^)
Nick Sporek ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (08.16.10)
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