Israel forfeits edge? - agrees to F-35's without Israeli technology

Dr. Aaron Lerner
http://www.imra.org.il
15 July 2009

(I hope that I'm not the only one that finds much of this article disturbing.)

Makor Rishon correspondent Danny Shalom reports in today's edition that after over a year of negotiations Israel decided to accept that the F-35's supplied to Israel not be equipped with Israeli technology that would give the aircraft an edge over the same jets should they be supplied to the Arabs. The equipment included Israeli electronic warfare equipment and weapons. The American did, however, agree to provide Israel limited access to the jet's system software.

Shalom explains that while the F-15 and F-16 has a number of computers on board so that changing or adding a system does not involve a central computer, the F-35 operates with a central computer handling all systems, thus any change has to be reflected in the software of the central computer - with all the system tests etc. that go with it.

Israel wanted to include a system that allows for data communications between planes and with ground control but the manufacturer said that the system would only be added if all the costs of integrating it into the jet were borne by Israel. The manufacturer wanted to charge Israel $125 million a jet instead of $80
million for adding the Israeli technology.

Israel also wanted to add Israeli Python 5 Air to Air Missiles that are superior to the American Sidewinders but the Americans refused to permit the introduction of the competing equipment.
.