December 10, 2003
Israel gets new fighter, need becoming more obvious.
Full Story @ Jane's Defence News
Israel's F-16I fighters to go down a storm
A total of 102 two-seat F-16Is will be delivered to Israel under two production contracts worth a combined $4.4 billion. The first aircraft will arrive early next year and subsequent deliveries will occur at a rate of two per month spanning about four years.
Acquired through the US government's Peace Marble V programme, the fighters will gradually replace the IAF's existing inventories of A-4 Skyhawk ground-attack and F-4 Phantom strike aircraft (Jane's Defence Weekly 30 April). The F-16 will provide the backbone of the air force's future strike capability - the latest acquisition brings to 362 the number of the aircraft delivered to the IAF. Dubbed the Soufa (Storm), the new aircraft will augment more than 230 F-16s now in service, as well as the IAF's fleet of more than 90 F-15-series fighters.
## And now why they need them.. ##
Syria's fear
Full Story @ Jane's Middle East/Africa News
The Israeli military intelligence service, Aman, has informed the government that the Syrian leader, President Bashar Al-Assad, has instructed his army to get ready for an Israeli military attack.
He has also called for a resumption of peace talks with Israel. But Israel, under the leadership of the hardline expansionist, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, does not take Assad's call for a resumption of negotiations seriously, especially when Sharon apparently has no intentions whatsoever of withdrawing from the Golan heights, which has artillery batteries within firing range of Damascus, the Syrian capital.
In open provocation of Syria, Israel has been conducting air force flights over Syrian airfields, barracks and other military interests, and has attacked 'terrorist' targets within Syrian territory. On 5 October, Israeli F-16 jets bombed an empty Palestinian training base near Damascus. It was the first assault on Syrian soil in 30 years and the Syrians were stunned, failed to retaliate and were mocked throughout the Arab world for letting the Israelis humiliate them. In October, eight Israeli F-15's crossed the international border with Lebanon, flew over Beirut and all the way over the 35,000 Syrian troops stationed in northern Lebanon.
Posted by Muddy at December 10, 2003 11:24 AM | TrackBackIsrael Air Force is the best air forece in the world. Just like what Winston Churchill says, "GIVE US THE TOOLS AND WE WILL FINSH". The Israelis need more to finish of those terrorist plotting attacks against them. They will never defeat Israel.
Posted by: red sys at January 28, 2004 02:35 AMIsrael had the finest military in the world. Bar none. (sorry Cwill/Skywalker)
U.S. is a very close second. :-/
Military yes, branch of service no!
If I had to choose between going to war with the IDF/IAF and the US' military, I'd take the Israeli's any day of the week. They are overall a vastly superior force.
Not someone I'd pick a fight with, or do anything to piss them off.
Posted by: skywalker at January 28, 2004 07:06 PM