"Israel sets sights on 100 F-35s, six C-130Js"

JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY - APRIL 11, 2007

Israel sets sights on 100 F-35s, six C-130Js

The Israel Air Force wants to replace its ageing F-16A/B multirole
fighter aircraft with F-35A Joint Strike Fighters
The air force is also seeking information about the F-22 Raptor air
superiority fighter. The Israel Air Force (IAF) modernisation
programme for the next decade will include the acquisition of 100
Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs) and at least six
Lockheed Martin C-130J transport aircraft, according
to senior IAF sources. If Israel succeeds in persuading the US
administration to increase the annual military aid package of USD2.4
billion, additional aircraft will be bought, the sources said. Senior
Israeli officials have recently begun discussing with their US
counterparts a request to increase the annual US Foreign Military
Funding (FMF) by USD50 million-USD60 million incrementally in each of
the next 10 years. As no resolution has been made so far, the Israel
Defence Force's
(IDF's) new five-year workplan will be based on the existing USD2.4
billion FMF package, for which the different IDF branches are now
competing. The IAF, which traditionally procures 100 new fighter
aircraft each decade, has decided in principle to acquire at least 100
F-35A conventional take-off
and landing aircraft. The intention is for the F-35As to gradually
replace the IAF's ageing Lockheed Martin F-16A/B multirole fighters.
"If we do not begin the procurement process now we will find ourselves
with a very old aircraft fleet in 2020," the sources told Jane's. The
F-35A deal is currently estimated at some USD5 billion and the IAF is
still seeking US Department of Defense approval to install Israeli-
made systems on the
aircraft and gain access to its software source code. "Obviously, the
IAF F-35 will include Israeli-made communications systems and will
carry Israeli-made missiles and bombs," said the IAF source, "but we
are interested in installing additional unique capabilities on the
aircraft, as we do with any of our fighters." The IAF is still
receiving deliveries of its previous major acquisition of 102 F-16I
Sufa (Storm) multirole fighters, the last of which will be delivered
in 2009. "Although we fear that there might be a considerable gap
between the last deliveries of F-16Is and the completion of the JSF,
we will not acquire an additional fighter in between," said the
source. At the same time, the IAF is seeking more information about
the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor air-superiority fighter programme,
despite the fact that the aircraft has not been cleared for export.
"It is definitely an aircraft
we would like to fly," said the source. The IAF requirement for modern
transport aircraft is currently restrained by budget considerations
and it was forced to limit its initial procurement of
the C-130J to only six aircraft. "We will have to create a mix between
new and upgraded platforms," said the source. However, following
discussions with Lockheed Martin representatives, it appears that the
IAF has succeeded in reducing the costs of the estimated USD450
million procurement. "The cost will be considerably lower than what
had been published," Rob Weiss, Lockheed Martin vice president for
business development, told Jane's. The IAF wants to replace its ageing
fleet of C-130E/H Hercules (Karnaf) transport aircraft, the oldest of
which is 43 years old. Combined with the C-130J procurement, the IAF
is planning to launch an upgrade programme for several other C-130E/
Hs, for which Boeing is offering its C-130 Total Life Extension
programme. However, as the cost of an overall upgrade for the C-130
could reach 75 per cent of the cost of a new C-130J, the IAF might
choose to procure an additional six C-130Js. After consideration, the
IAF has decided to defer the decision to acquire Boeing V-22 Osprey
tilt-rotor aircraft as a solution for IDF special forces transport.
Instead, the IAF aviation maintenance unit is performing a USD100
million programme to upgrade the CH-53 Yassur heavy transport
helicopters and extend their lifespan beyond 2025.