AMIR COHEN Reuters
Faced with the need to confront the ever-increasing threats in the Middle East, the Israeli air force will soon order several new aircraft that will allow them to update their aging squadrons.
For the majority of Israeli military aircraft for several decades, and now, when the first squadron of stealth fighters F-35I Adir has been taken on combat duty, the Air Force and the Israeli Defense Ministry are considering concluding a deal with the American company Boeing, one of the largest in the country.
The transaction, the total amount of which, according to some estimates, can reach $ 11 billion, will allow you to purchase F-15IA fighter jets (IA means "Israel, improved"), Chinook transport helicopters, as well as V-22 converters and airplanes for refueling KC-46 .
“Israel is an extremely important market for Boeing and a major source of modern technology,” said Gene Cunningham, vice president of global sales for defense, space and security at Boeing International.
According to Cunningham, Boeing spends more than $ 220 million annually on defense purchases, as well as on investments in Israeli start-ups and education.
Funds for the deal will be allocated from the historic military aid package for $ 38 billion, which the United States and Israel signed in 2016 and which entered into force in February of this year.
Israel is involved in a long “war between wars,” and its air force has always tried to achieve air superiority over its opponents in the region. For this reason, the Israeli Air Force (Hel Ha'Avir) received 12 F-35I Adir fighter jets, assembled by Lockheed Martin. By 2024, the total number of aircraft of this model is expected to reach 50, that is, two full squadrons.
But in addition to the fifth generation fighter, the Air Force must maintain its high-quality military superiority and modernize one of its most important squadrons of fighters. Most of the F-15s that have been in the service of Israel have been for more than 30 years, most of them were acquired in the second half of the 70s, and the newest ones, the F-15I, arrived in Israel in the 90s.
F-15IA fighters built at Boeing factories and which the Air Force, the most cost-effective fighters ever built, are inclined to buy.
With numerous improvements compared to previous models - for example, more efficient engines and flight control systems, which are considered the most significant changes in this model for 20 years - the operating costs of the F-15IA are 25% lower compared to the F-15I.
Boeing engineers added two additional external hangers to its wings, capable of carrying about 13.380 kg of combat load, that is, 12 air-to-air missiles and 15 air-to-ground or air-to-water missiles, which are able to track several targets simultaneously.
F-35I fighters, on the other hand, are limited in weapons that they can take on board, as it must be in the internal compartments to provide low radar visibility.
Israel also expressed interest in buying the F-35B, which have the ability to take off and land vertically. This allows them to use much shorter runways in the event of an attack of Air Force bases by Iranian fighters or Hezbollah missiles.
In addition, Israel wants to replace the tankers Ram (Boeing 707), which are needed for long-distance flights, but whose age is approaching 60 years.
Israeli Ram aircraft, their number is classified, are former civilian aircraft that have been adapted for military needs, for example, for refueling in the air.
Although Hel ha'Avir thinks about buying a used Boeing 767 commercial airliner and converting it into flying tankers, Boeing offers to buy KC-46 tankers, which are also based on 767 civilians.
Like other tanker aircraft, the KC-46 serves a crew of three, two pilots and a fuel rod operator. With a range of 11,830 km and a capacity of 207,000 pounds of fuel, the KC-46 can refuel more than 64 aircraft. The tanker can refuel up to 3 aircraft simultaneously, and the refueling time will be only 3-4 minutes.
In addition, Israel wants to modernize its fleet of large-capacity helicopters by 2025, replacing the currently operating Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion Yas'ur with CH-47F Chinook from Boeing.
Information service 7days.us
Source: 7days.us
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