http://www.dsca.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2008/Israel_08-82.pdf
WASHINGTON, September 9, 2008 – The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Israel of GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $77 million.
The Government of Israel has requested a possible sale of 1,000 GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (SDB1), 150 BRU-61/A SDB1 Mounting Carriages, 30 Guided Test Vehicles, 2 BRU-61/A SDB Instrumented Carriages, 7 Jettison Test Vehicles, 1 Separation Test Vehicle, 2 Reliability and Assessment Vehicles, 12 Common Munitions BIT and Reprogramming Equipment with Test Equipment and Adapters, 3 SDB1 Weapons Simulators, and 2 Load Crew Trainers. Also includes containers, flight test integration, spare and repair parts, support equipment, personnel training and equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $77 million.
Israel’s strategic position makes it vital to the United States’ interests throughout the Middle East. Our policy has been to promote Middle East peace, support Israel’s commitment to peace with other regional Arab countries, enhance regional stability and promote Israeli readiness and self-sufficiency. It is vital to the U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives.
Israel will have no difficulty absorbing these additional bombs into its armed forces. The proposed sale will not affect the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractor will be Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, Boeing Corporation, St. Louis, MO. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/financial/news/2008/q4/081215b_nr.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5553/is_200106/ai_n21515397
Jun. 20–PARIS–Israel has agreed to buy 50 F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. of Fort Worth for about $2 billion, the company said Tuesday.
The deal, which must be approved by the U.S. government, would secure about 2,000 jobs at the Fort Worth plant, said company president Dain Hancock.
“This literally keeps the (F-16 production) line open beyond 2006,” Mr. Hancock said in an interview at the Paris Air Show, where the agreement was completed and announced.
http://www.govexec.com/features/0807-15/0807-15s3s1.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6920988.stm
US defence aid to Israel currently stands at $2.4bn a year – the new package would amount to a 25% increase.
Mr Olmert said the aid had been agreed at a meeting with US President George W Bush in Washington last month.
2 Comments
Israel needs these Super Tomcats to defend. No foreign Pilot wants to come up against one of them. And with the exceptional skill of the Israeli pilots they will be awesome like they are when American pilots fly them.
The child crying is a result of Hamas and Iran trying to bomb Israel off the planet and no one else’s fault.
The scared child is a product of the hatred most Arabs have for Israelis and Americans.
GATORBOB
Mr. Staggs, you will notice this post consists entirely of press reports–no commentary of my own.
It does not mention “Super Tomcats” (F-14s), but rather cites the Israeli purchase of F-16s (with US military aid funds–meaning they are paid for by the US taxpayer).
The “skill of the Israeli pilots” is not in doubt.
The purpose of the post is to identify the “kill chain” of some of the “legal” military hardware recently used by the IAF to kill 1,400 Gazans–including 400 children like the girl in the photo–and to maim 5,500.
For more information about the effects of the SDBs and their “low collateral damage” DIME warheads, see this:
http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/dropping-a-dime/