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Facing soaring costs and American opposition to the integration of Israeli systems into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Israel Air Force is showing some interest in Boeing's new F-15 Silent Eagle (F-15SE), The Jerusalem Post reported yesterday. The F-15SE is a new configuration of the F-15 which has undergone improvements and modifications that could give the plane a stealth capability. Improvements in stealth include coatings and treatments to the aircraft as well as a new design for the conformal fuel tanks that allows them to carry weapons rather than fuel.Israel operates several squadrons of F-15s, including one of 25 F-15Is, the aircraft with the longest range in the IAF.The Silent Eagle will be capable of carrying internally air-to-air missiles, as well as air-to-ground weapons such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB).Defense Ministry Director-General Pinchas Buhris was scheduled to travel to the United States on Monday for talks at the Pentagon about the F-35.Buhris will also seek to receive assurances from the new administration that the US will continue to fund the development of the Arrow 3 missile defense system.Israel's interest in the new F-15SE stems from a number of considerations, but primarily from expected delays in the delivery of the JSF as well as the Pentagon's opposition to Israel's request to install Israeli-made systems in the aircraft, which is under development by Lockheed Martin.While Israel decided last year to purchase the F-35, if political disagreements over the integration of systems continued, officials said it was possible interest in the newly-modified F-15SE would increase.The Jerusalem Post first reported on the US opposition in February. In addition, the price of the F-35 is expected to pass the $100 million mark and would only arrive in Israel - if a deal is signed in the coming months - in 2014.According to media reports, the new F-15SE will cost less and could arrive in Israel as early as 2011.There is also an option to upgrade existing F-15s to the Silent Eagle model at a much lower cost. The US Air National Guard is also considering upgrading existing aircraft instead of purchasing new fifth-generation planes like the JSF and the F-22.
4 comments:
israel gets military hardware from US at very low and subsidized price same like india used to get from soviet union
the day when israel has to pay 100 million per aircraft they will think 1000 times
Unlike India isreal gets much more aid and lot of advance technology from USA and in almost every US election guarantees are given to protect isreal. At the same time isreal shows political and military will to deal with the dangers through aggressive strategies which no other small nation has opted recentl past.
well israel can make all aircraft avionics(radar,EW,MFDs) ,air to air missiles,PGM and stand off weapons ,including aesa radars,anti aircraft/ballistic missiles ,long range radars,AWACS,marine electronic systems
this is excellent that so small country can do so much
but it is peculier that israel isn't allowed to mount their own radars on their fighters but as well as on any US buit fighter anywhere in world
very innovative of the USA to convert the F-15 into stealth.It is one of the best fighters in the World.
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