Israel Now Has 100+ F-16s On Order From U.S.

Yoshie Furuhashi furuhashi.1 at osu.edu
Fri Sep 7 12:04:51 PDT 2001



>From: "MER" <MERL at MiddleEast.Org>
>Subject: Israel Now Has 100+ F-16s On Order From U.S.
>Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2001 14:32:08 -0400
<snip>
>
>ISRAEL BUYS 52 MORE U.S. JET-FIGHTERS
>
>The F-16I makes up the backbone of Israel's air force Israel has
>signed a contract to receive 52 F-16I fighter-bombers from the US
>firm Lockheed Martin having bought 50 of the aircraft last year.
>
>The deal comes as an amendment to the original January 2000 deal,
>which gave Israel the option to purchase more of the planes.
>
>Lockheed Martin will deliver the same two-seat F-16I configuration
>as in the previous order, with deliveries expected to start in 2006
>and end in 2009.
>
>The funding for the $2 billion contract will come from the US
>military aid budget, which awards that amount to Israel on an annual
>basis.
>
>Correspondents say the F-16I is considered one of the most advanced
>fighter-bombers in the world and has been equipped with advanced
>fuel tanks that extend its range.
>
>With an aerial arsenal already including an estimated 250 F-16s,
>Israel has the largest fleet of of the aircraft outside of the US.
>Egypt has the second-largest foreign F-16 fleet.
>
>"Israel's sixth acquisition of F-16s demonstrates their continued
>confidence in the F-16I to satisfy their future defence needs,"
>Lockheed Martin president Dain Hancock said.
>
>The first planes from the earlier order are due to be delivered in 2003.
>
>The agreement covers aircraft, logistics support, training, and
>other services.
>
>The new planes will include a number of systems produced by local
>Israeli companies, Lockheed Martin said. [BBC - 7 September 01]
>
>
>
>
>CORPS BUILDS TRAINING BASES IN ISRAEL
>By Torrie McAllister
>
>[U.S. Army, Europe District - 6 September 2001] : What do Israel's
>elite paratroops look for when building a new military base? Like
>Americans, they put quality training and quality of life at the top
>of their list.
>
>Europe District and the Israeli Ministry of Defense laid the
>cornerstone for a new U.S.-financed basic training base in the
>northern Negev Desert in Israel on May 15. Israeli defense officials
>said the location in the Judean hills is particularly suitable for
>paratrooper infantry training and state-of-the art support
>facilities for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
>
>Recruits can look forward to air conditioning and other modern
>amenities in new barracks, dining halls, and recreation facilities.
>Their families are happy because it will be safer to visit their
>loved ones on weekends once their training bases are relocated from
>the West Bank into Israel.
>
>The $45 million Southern Infantry Training Base is being funded by
>the U.S. to support the Wye River Memorandum that Israeli and
>Palestinian leaders signed in 1998 during summit talks hosted by
>former President Bill Clinton. The U.S. is funding base construction
>and infrastructure costs so the IDF can move out of the West Bank to
>free-up land for possible transfer to the Palestinians.
>
>The IDF and the 35th Infantry Training Brigade celebrated the start
>of construction with a traditional Israeli stone-laying ceremony,
>where a scroll is buried to commemorate the new beginning.
>
>"What we're doing here lays the cornerstone for a secure Israel, at
>peace with her neighbors," said U.S. ambassador Martin Indyke, who
>participated in the Wye River negotiations and came to sign and help
>bury the scroll. "It's highly symbolic of the United States'
>iron-clad commitment to Israeli security, and serves as a foundation
>for reaching a comprehensive peace.
>
>"This is the first of many construction projects brought about by
>Wye River which will assist with the redeployment of Israeli troops
>in the West Bank," Indyke added. "It's an important step toward
>building a spirit of trust with your Palestinian neighbors."
>
>During the next four years the Corps will manage construction of an
>estimated $280 million in military facilities for Israel. The Corps
>is soliciting, awarding, and managing the construction contracts.
>
>Near-term construction consists of three new military bases:
>
>The Southern Infantry Training Base, now underway, which was awarded
>to the Israeli joint venture firm Solel-Boneh and Minrav Holdings
>Ltd.
>
>The Northern Infantry Training Base, which is scheduled for
>construction next fall. Proposals are being solicited.
>
>The Nachshonim Storage Base, a $138 million storage and maintenance
>facility, which will break ground in August. The contract was
>awarded in June to the U.S./Israel Joint Venture firm of ABB SUSA,
>A. Arenson, and Baran Group.
>
>Amos Yaron, Israeli Director General of the Minister of Defense,
>told young soldiers who gathered to see the new site, "It gives me
>particular personal pleasure to look back on my days in the 35th
>Infantry and see how well this fits the new needs of this old
>brigade as we begin a new century."
>
>"Thank you for continuing to stand by us in these difficult days,"
>Yaron told Indyke. "We're working with the U.S. Army Corps of
>Engineers to build 40,000 square meters of built-up areas to the
>highest tactical and quality of life standards, standards befitting
>the responsibilities of such an elite unit. This is a moment in
>which we celebrate U.S. and Israeli cooperation. That spirit of
>cooperation is reflected in the partnership of our design and
>construction engineers."
>
>Wye River implementation offers the Corps another opportunity to
>assist Israel. The first was more than 20 years ago, after the Camp
>David Accords were signed and Israel gave up airbases in the Sinai
>to make peace with Egypt. From spring 1979 to summer 1982 the Corps
>helped build the Ovda and Ramon Air bases, a $1.6 billion initiative
>that helped defend Israel and keep the peace into a new millennium.
>
>"The Corps of Engineers is proud to be your partner," said Brig.
>Gen. Steven Rhoades, North Atlantic Division commander. "A superb
>team effort brought us this far. Our 35,000 soldiers and civilians
>from across the U.S. and Europe offer our hopes and prayers that the
>Corps efforts here will help secure a lasting peace in the Middle
>East, and a better world for our children."
>
>
>
>
>----------------------------------
>MiD-EasT RealitieS - http://www.MiddleEast.Org
>Phone: 202 362-5266
>Email: MER at MiddleEast.Org
>Fax: 815 366-0800
>
>
>To subscribe email to MERLIST at MiddleEast.Org with subject SUBSCRIBE
>To unsubscribe email to MERLIST at MiddleEast.Org with subject UNSUBSCRIBE



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list