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IDF to cut down on Air Force squadrons, armored units
Yoav Zitun
Published: 10.07.13, 20:53
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19 Talkbacks for this article
1. Israel can cut down on its intelligence,
A ,   Belgium   (07.10.13)
the other side isn't very intelligent at all.
2. Lets build our own damn planes for a change
Dror ,   Haifa, Israel   (07.10.13)
We can easily build a next generation fighter bomber. The Chinese and the Russians have already built re designs of America's F22 and F23 stealth fighters. We can build even better re-designs. Build one to start with and then build and sell to Africa and India. We will make billions, ah I forgot, the Americans won't let us...
3. But of course the Welfare Ministry gets plenty...
Vlad   (07.10.13)
To pay off legions of Haredim (they're now beginning to enter the workforce, but 60% are still welfare leeches), as well as to pay off an entire army of useless social workers because family judges are too lazy to hear cases themselves.
4. As gas revenue come online defense
Stephen in New York   (07.10.13)
budgets will increase. In the immediate future think of the IDF as compact, but capable.
5. As I see it there are two (2) possible explanations
Alexander ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (07.10.13)
(1) Either the leadership and the ruling political elite of Israel is becoming suicidal or (2) Israel is engaged in a campaign of disinformation meant to catch the enemies off guard. We can only speculate as to what exactly is going on behind the curtains. It doesn't necessarily have to be true that IDF is lacking funds due to the new budget which is determined by the Netanyahu government ONLY because Ynet and other newspapers CLAIM that. It's entirely possible that the Netanyahu government intends for the general public and Israel's enemies to believe Israel is "declining" militarily speaking. It may be true and if it is - it's really bad. If it's not true - then it is a campaign of disinformation meant to surprise our enemies. The timing of releasing this information also seems to be a litte bit more than a "coincidence" considering what's going on in our neighbors' countries. I have distinct feeling that the last major Arab- Israeli war of 1973 - the Yom Kippur War, won't remain the last Arab- Israeli war.
6. This is beyond annoying
HaifaGuy   (07.10.13)
Maybe it's a knee jerk reaction on my part but every time I hear about IDF going through budget cuts, I feel like grabbing our leaders by the back of their fat necks and smashing their stupid populist faces on the table. The same table on which documents are strewn showing, demonstrating, proving time and time again what a poor timing they have chosen for reducing the military budget. Then again, I might be completely out of sync with ME reality and maybe now is the time to turn swords into plowshares, I dunno...
7. Cut your nose to spite your face
Adam ,   Israel   (07.10.13)
How childish. Instead of implementing real reforms in early pensions, outlandish salaries for non combatants, cutting waste, they choose to hurt themselves and everyone else.
8. !! 7-Billion / 5 yrs Significant Hedge Against Euro Collapse
Ovadiah ben Avraham ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (07.10.13)
Egypt and Syria are busy consuming themselves in internal conflict. Israel can use that fact, *carefully*, to adjust spending. Perhaps the greatest threat is the possible Eurozone economic collapse.
9. millions could have been saved if there was no haredi draft
zionist forever   (07.10.13)
These cuts are to drastic, the IDF could of course saved millions if they didn't draft the hared who they don't need and are only there to satisfy haredi haters. A cut in the number of tanks not so good considering a huge number are old Pattons whilst Egypt & Jordan have modern ones. Still thought its liveable. A cut in the IAF squadrons is madness, once you disband an airforce squadron you cannot just reform it the way you can form a squadron of ground forces. With the ships, the navy never gets anything but scraps when it comes to spending. Already they are retiring more & more ships and their begging for money for new ones falls on death ears. The most advanced ships in the surface fleet are the 3 SAAR 5 corvettes and they are now 20+ years old. The rest of them are over 30 years and are either being retired or due for it and the navy is being asked to do more than ever but now to do more with less. Cutting down on air defences, Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas, Egypt. Everyone of them have missiles that can hit Israel some all the country accurately but we will invest less in stopping them. The cuts will probably be even deeper again next budget because Lapid in his usual desperation to get the populist vote has announced in advanced there is no extinction threat so next budget more money can be spent on social projects. We will as usual make such deep cuts the IDF cannot function properly, they will screw up in war then we will have investigations into whose responsible then we will go on a spending spree & then start making deep cuts again as we always do.
10. Probably not...
JustSaying ,   Israel   (07.10.13)
... the best idea to publish this right next to the 'Hezbollah gearing up for war with Israel' article. Unless its deliberate and spiteful to scare the Israeli public.
11. Turn swords into plowshares, then plow for ones with swords
Juha Teuvonnen ,   Boston,MA   (07.10.13)
If you turn your swords into plowshares, you will plow for someone who kept their sword. Except, in the Middle East you won't plow, because dead people can't do it. The idea to develop an Israeli 5th generation fighter plane is completely unrealistic. Granted, Israel is entirely capable of developing avionics, EW and weaponry which is a significant part of the cost. Developing the stealth airframe will pose a significant challenge. It's not an impossible task, it's just a lot of money that could be better spent elsewhere. I don't think that Israel has technology for building a 5th generation engine. In fact, I do remember that Israeli Kfir flew with US engines sourced from a Phantom. Developing engine technology means decades of R&D and an atrocious amount of money. That money could definitely be better spent elsewhere. Of course, you could always use an American engine, but then you will need US approval to sell this aircraft. The odds of getting such an approval would be slim to none. When it comes to "Buy vs Build", it makes sense to build if you plan on manufacturing the aircraft in large numbers. It also makes sense to build if you are a country like USSR or Iran, which means that no one will sell you such hardware. It just does not make sense in Israel's case. You can have a few US planes for the price of one domestic. Looking at the near future, the F-35s are supposed to arrive in a couple of years, it will take a lot longer to build a domestic aircraft. That train has left the station many years ago.
12. 11
zionist forever   (07.10.13)
Other than the fact the article doesn't even mention building a G5 aircraft Israel really does need to for the sake of its economy. Israel currently makes billions from the sale of UAVS but already UAV technology is starting to move away from platforms like to Predator into the jet age. The Americans & Europeans are both working on stealth jet powered combat UAVS and technology doesn't wait for Israel to catch up. Israel once had a fighter jet industry but that died with the cancelation of Lavi. Israel currently has an advanced UAV industry and it is earning the country fortunes & creating jobs but if Israel doesn't develop its own engines and jet powered UAVS then that industry will also die. If Israel makes the platform but relying an American engine there will never be any exports because the US will block the sales to avoid competition. Without an engine doesn't matter how advanced the platform it will never get into the air. Current UAVS are the the equivalent of WW1 biplanes and soon both the IAF & foreign countries will say why buy biplanes when we can buy jets from somebody else so no engine development and its the end of an industry for Israel.
13. @ 2
Sheik Rattle & Roll ,   USA   (07.10.13)
That's a great idea as long as the US doesn't fund it like the Iron Dome. You can always cut your soldiers pay in half from $100.00 a month to $50.00 a month to save money. You can also decline American aid and raise taxes to cover the 3 billion dollars in aid. The American tax payer will be jumping for joy if that happens. I know you hate America because we don't support you enough, however not many Israeli politicians decline our help on major issues of strategic importance to Israel.
14. Military Spending Cuts
Steve Goodman ,   Israel   (07.10.13)
There is a time for being "MOUTHY" and a time for "HOLDING THY TONGUE"....why don't we just tell our enemies what areas we will be weekening so they know "WHERE" to improve their "STRIKE CAPABILITIES" oops we already did....Dumb is as dumb does
15. Cut government payments to rabbis
USA   (07.10.13)
16. IDF to Cut Down AF
Nili   (07.10.13)
Syria is being armed, and the US is sending fighter jets to Egypt and we are Cutting Down?? What part of "we will kill all the Jews" do these idiots not understand? Next they'll ask us all to jump into the sea--saves time and money for our enemies, eh?
17. @8 Dont eat those propaganda, the eurozone actually
(07.11.13)
is better on than the USA!
18. NOW NOT TIME TO CUT MILITARY..OR ..AIR FORCE FUNDS
Esther ,   Selkirk Canada   (07.11.13)
ISRAEL ARE YOU SERIOUS ?? UNBELIEVEABLE... DON'T DO IT...I BEG YOU...
19. budget
sue ,   jerusalem   (07.11.13)
CLOSE YOUR OFFICES AROUND THE WORLD. NO NEED FOR THEM. YOU WILL SAVE MILLIONS OF $$$$$$$$$$$$
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