Israel 'suspended' from warplane project

With Saudia expected to get Rafales, this could be a problem for the IsAF in the future.

Israel ‘suspended’ from warplane project

From correspondents in Tel Aviv
April 15, 2005
From: Reuters

THE United States has suspended Israel from joint efforts to produce the new F-35 jet fighter in which Australia has an involvement.

The move was in protest at the Jewish state’s defence dealings with China, an Israeli newspaper said today, citing US sources.

The Pentagon included Israel among foreign partners in developing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in 2003.

Under the deal, Israel was promised first purchase of the advanced warplanes due out next decade, ahead of non-partner nations.

But the Maariv newspaper said Washington suspended Israel from the JSF project after alleging it had violated a US export ban by upgrading China’s fleet of Israeli-supplied Harpy attack drones.

The United States, which gives Israel $US2.9 billion ($3.77 billion) in aid annually, has opposed past Israeli arms sales to Beijing, citing concern that the technology could be used against its ally Taiwan in any conflict.

“We continue to raise our concerns on the sale and transfer of technology to China,” said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman in Washington.

But he said Israel was a “security cooperation partner” in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the US remained committed to selling Joint Strike Fighter aircraft to Israel.

Israel had denied wrongdoing in the Harpy deal, calling it routine repairs. The Israeli Defence Ministry declined comment on the Maariv report, saying only that US ties were good.

“Our relations with the United States are solid and we are holding talks to solve misunderstandings that arose as a result of the Harpy deal,” a ministry spokeswoman said.

Industry newspaper Defence News has said the JSF jets, expected to cost at least $US100 million ($130.14 million) each, would have fighter, bomber and surveillance capabilities.