The F-35 JSF, being rammed down Israel's throat in order to keep the program alive, is getting further and further away as the US rejects Israeli demands to replace most of the avionics with Israeli built systems. Israel demanded this for two reasons: 1) to keep costs down and redirect some of the cost to Israeli industries, and 2) to give the planes a qualitative advantage in Israeli terms for integration into Israeli air force systems.
Also, almost bizarrely the US won't permit onsite maintenance which means all planes would have to be shipped off for service, even during combat operations. At $130 million each, it appears that the program is going to be doomed before it starts. The question is, who will the US sell them to instead? Egypt? Saudi Arabia? Perhaps Israel for its multibillion dollar investment would be better served developing a new generation of low observability/stealth inexpensive long rang cruise missile?
Quote:
|
"This is not something we can live with," the official said. "Can you imagine that during a war we will send one of our aircraft to Italy to be fixed?"
|
'Pentagon rebuffing Israel's technical demands on F-35' | International News | Jerusalem Post
And when/if the F-35 program goes kaput, there are other G4.5/5 options out there including the Eurofighter, the Rafale and the JAS39C Gripen
__________________
Look, I've got to go and call the central station and let them know my mother has the memory span of a fruit fly
Instead of creating intelligent policy, Obama seeks to solve problems by giving speeches and then holding events in celebration of his words.
01-24-2010, 02:13 AM
'Pentagon refusing Israeli F-35 demands'-The F-35 JSF gets further away
Linear Mode
