Israel pays for additional F-35s

[botsing]

I still don't see the need for the B's. It seems to me it would just be better to build up a network of road bases to use with the regular A's and don't have to deal with the drawbacks of the B's.

When you study & reflect on Israel's wars & history it makes sense they want a short range killer. There's always going to be a Golan Heights regardless off who holds it! It's always been a key strategic point. Defensively & offensively it does make sense for Israel IMO

A "short range" aircraft with longer legs than a SHornet?

People are always hitting on the F-35B for being "short range" when it has better range than most (if not all) western 4th gen aircraft (certainly if they weren't lugging around bags). It's only "short range" compared to the "-A" and "-C" models.

A "short-range" as in "closer to the front" can mean a higher sortie rate and faster response, the F-35B would be perfect for that job.

[SpudmanWP]

I think "short range" refers to the AAM (ie ASRAAM, 9X, etc) and not the plane caring the AAM.

[XanderCrews]

Israel figured out a long time ago that sortie generation trumps fleets. Take 1 airplane and have it do 10 missions instead of 10 airplanes doing one.

The F-35B is a natural fit.

[hythelday]

Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel expands on his 5 year tenure as IAF commandder, says this about F-35:

“[The Americans] embarked on something very ambitious in its capabilities. We already see what this plane has. Not everything is perfect. There are things you learn along the way. That’s been the case with every plane we acquired. But when you take off in this plane from Nevatim [base], you can’t believe it. At 5,000 feet, the whole Middle East is there for you in the cockpit. You see things, it’s inconceivable. American pilots who visit us haven’t seen anything like it, because they fly over Arizona or Florida, and here they suddenly see the [entire] Middle East as a combat zone – the threats, the different players, at both close range and long range. Only then do you grasp the enormous potential of this machine. We’re already seeing it with our eyes.”

http://www.haaretz.com/amp/israel-news/ ... m-1.808556

[fang]

Israel finalizes agreements to buy 17 more F-35 jets
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-fin ... f-35-jets/

On tuesday (Aug 29) another two F-35i's (should be AS-6 & AS-7) will depart Texas on the way to Nevatim AFB in Israel.
In October two more F-35i's (AS-8 & AS-9) will join the fleet in Israel.
IOC to be declared in 12/2017 with all the 9 aircrafts.

Head of the F-35 JPO Visits Israel
http://www.iaf.org.il/4463-49463-en/IAF.aspx

[SpudmanWP]

Israel finalizes agreements to buy 17 more F-35 jets

DEATH SPIRAL...............

[gc]

Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel expands on his 5 year tenure as IAF commandder, says this about F-35:

“[The Americans] embarked on something very ambitious in its capabilities. We already see what this plane has. Not everything is perfect. There are things you learn along the way. That’s been the case with every plane we acquired. But when you take off in this plane from Nevatim [base], you can’t believe it. At 5,000 feet, the whole Middle East is there for you in the cockpit. You see things, it’s inconceivable. American pilots who visit us haven’t seen anything like it, because they fly over Arizona or Florida, and here they suddenly see the [entire] Middle East as a combat zone – the threats, the different players, at both close range and long range. Only then do you grasp the enormous potential of this machine. We’re already seeing it with our eyes.”

http://www.haaretz.com/amp/israel-news/ ... m-1.808556

With the advanced ESM systems aboard the F-22 and F-35, I do not see why they cannot be used over the eastern Europe and western pacific region to gather intel on threat emitter characteristics and location data. Using these stealth fighter platforms seems much safer than using lumbering RC-135s and EP-3Es which are prone to dangerous air to air intercepts by Russian and Chinese fighters. Anyone knows if the ALR-94 and ASQ-239 system can collect and store raw data for analysis in the lab in a similar manner to traditional SIGINT platforms?

[hythelday]

Anyone knows if the ALR-94 and ASQ-239 system can collect and store raw data for analysis in the lab in a similar manner to traditional SIGINT platforms?

Nice try, SVR

[spazsinbad]

Purchase finalized for 17 more F-35 stealth fighter jets
27 Aug 2017 Yoav Zitun

"...According to the contract, the planes' delivery will be completed by December 2024. "This is the third deal for F-35 purchases the Ministry of Defense has penned in the past decade alone," said Dubi Lavie, the head of the Israeli delegation to the US.

"With every series of jets coming off the production line, the American manufacturer has committed to bringing the price for an individual plane down," Lavie added. "We're happy to announce that on this particular deal, the American project manager has successfully negotiated with the manufacturing company to bring down the average per-plane price to below $100 million. This is a significant reduction compared to the planes Israel has brought thus far."

In the first deal, Israel paid $125 million per plane for 19 F-35s in total. In the second deal, the price went down to $112 million per plane for 14 jets. Israel expects the price to drop below $90 million per plane when it approaches the US again for planes for a third flight squadron.

This price reduction came after the Pentagon ordered 50 new jets from manufacturer Lockheed Martin. F-35 jets are considered to be more expensive for the Israeli Air Force compared to those purchased by the US Air Force due to the number of unique systems [BLACK BOX Interface] installed onboard the planes as per the operational requirements made by the IDF....

...All 50 planes the Ministry of Defense procured for the air force are of the A model but were integrated with unique capabilities and advanced Israeli weapon systems."

Source: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... 50,00.html

[sunstersun]

I think Israel will eventually get up to 100 F-35's.

[afjag]

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Two-F- ... yed-503713

TWO F-35S DUE TO LAND IN ISRAEL NEXT WEEK DELAYED

The arrival of two F-35 “Adir” stealth fighter jets expected to land in Israel in the coming days has been delayed due to technical problems found in other F-35s.

While there were no problems discovered in the Israeli jets, “according to the decision of the US Air Force, the arrival of the two F-35 ‘Adir’ jets will be delayed for a short period of time in order to complete the technical inspection of aircraft,” the IDF said on Tuesday.

[fang]

Delivery of two F-35 jets delayed over issue in different model
https://www.timesofisrael.com/delivery- ... ent-model/

Does anyone know what's the problems with the other US aircraft?

[mas]

F-35 offers Israel 'entire Middle East' from the cockpit

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/origina ... ority.html

[spazsinbad]

Perhaps the 'unknown' reason and just my WAG is that the aircraft delivered need to be 'operational' when they arrive?

Israel orders additional F-35s
29 Aug 2017 Yaakov Lappin

"...The military source told Jane’s in July that the five that have already been delivered will be declared fully operational in December and that all aircraft that will subsequently be delivered will be considered operational when they arrive...."

Source: http://www.janes.com/article/73407/isra ... onal-f-35s

[botsing]

Perhaps the 'unknown' reason and just my WAG is that the aircraft delivered need to be 'operational' when they arrive?

Israel orders additional F-35s
29 Aug 2017 Yaakov Lappin

"...The military source told Jane’s in July that the five that have already been delivered will be declared fully operational in December and that all aircraft that will subsequently be delivered will be considered operational when they arrive...."

Source: http://www.janes.com/article/73407/isra ... onal-f-35s

You mean with block 3F loaded? Good thinking!