For Defense Ministry officials, Congress’ approval of 25 stealth-capable state-of-the-art F-35 Lighting II fighter planes was indeed a substantial Rosh Hashanah gift from Israel’s staunchest ally, the United States.
 
The Lockheed Martin-built fighter is capable of an array of operational capabilities while maintaining its radar defeating characteristics. It is a fifth generation single-seat, single-engine craft. The 25 planes represent part one of a major weapons acquisition for Israel, which will hopefully be followed by the purchase of 50 planes, F-35Bs, capable of a short takeoff and a vertical landing, like a helicopter.
 
In Israel, officials do not expect delivery of the planes before 2014, and in the meantime, Defense Ministry officials are seeking to purchase the F-22 Raptor, a fighter craft that also deploys stealth technology.
 
Americans are in favor of the deal, which Pentagon officials’ state will not change balance-of-power realities in the Mideast but will enhance Israel’s capabilities. In addition, providing the planes for Israel significantly reduces cost of production for the US. 
 
A senior unnamed Pentagon official quoted in the daily Yisrael HaYom newspaper stated that Israel will cease buying cluster bombs from the United States but the IDF will change over to M85 cluster bombs manufactured by Israel Military Industries. The Pentagon official explained the American-made bombs are too dangerous for use in urban areas. They are not suited for Israel, he explained, adding the bombs will cause too many civilian casualties and therefore, Israel must refrain from using them to avoid a repeat of what was seen during the Second Lebanon War.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)