IAF bids for F-22, Damascus to buy Mig-31

US Congress that Syria is set to purchase Russia’s advanced Mig-31 fighter jet, a move which Jerusalem hopes to counter by obtaining the superior F-22 stealth fighter.The head of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. General Michael D. Maples, told the US Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month that Russia plans to sell the Mig-31E fighter jet to Syria, as well as several older but still dangerous MiG-29M jets. He assessed that Syria's military is still not able to defeat Israel, but added that the Assad regime was working hard to upgrade their capabilities and change the balance of power with the IDF.An Israeli defense official responded that "if Syria gets new MiG 31s, then this will pose a definite threat to our air force." The latest in the series, the MiG 31 was designed by the USSR in the mid 80's and has yet to be sold by Russia to a foreign air force.Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force has expressed renewed interest in buying the Lockheed Martin built F-22 “fifth generation” fighter, which so far has only been sold to the US military. Congress will be discussing the F-22 next month, and there is widespread speculation that the ban on selling the aircraft abroad will be lifted, as the production line for the aircraft is in danger of shutting down.The F-22 is a stealth fighter with abilities surpassing any other fighter plane in the world, but its $150 million price tag has the Pentagon looking for alternatives. Japan and Australia have also expressed interest in buying the plane, as well as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter."We will definitely want to review the possibility of purchasing the F-22," said one Israeli military source. "In order to have strong deterrence and to win a conflict we need to have the best aircraft that exists."

Posted in: Fighter jet,israel,Middle East