U.S. Speeds Up Precision Munition Delivery to Israel

But when you’re targeting a single house in a congested neighborhood, a SDB could get the job done without taking out all the houses alongside it..

Looking at some of the images on the news and you will never think it was done by modern, guided weapons. Some of the scenes would not be out of place in WWII blitz raid footage.

In the past Israeli forces have used house demolision as a form of punishment/warning against those who it sees as supporting its enemies (because of how extremely important houses are to people in arab cultures). I think this is just an extention of that policy, only difference is that LGBs are now used instead of bullozers.

Pin-point strikes are only a viable option where targets can be easily…pin-pointed. Don’t think Hezbulla fighters are obliging enough to stand out in the open with big crosshair placards telling the IDFAF where to drop their bombs.

There are quiet grumbles that the IDF are thinking that since the people in the areas where Hez’ are hiding are overwhelmingly supportive of Hez’, it doesn’t matter all that much if civilians are killed, since they are ‘on their side’ anyways.

But when you’re targeting a single house in a congested neighborhood, a SDB could get the job done without taking out all the houses alongside it..

Ideally, the Israelis could probably use a lot of 250-lb SDBs instead of heavier bombs that they have been using if only to minimize collateral damage.. why use a sledgehmmer when a tack hammer will get the job done in most instances?

Pin-point strikes are only a viable option where targets can be easily…pin-pointed. Don’t think Hezbulla fighters are obliging enough to stand out in the open with big crosshair placards telling the IDFAF where to drop their bombs.

There are quiet grumbles that the IDF are thinking that since the people in the areas where Hez’ are hiding are overwhelmingly supportive of Hez’, it doesn’t matter all that much if civilians are killed, since they are ‘on their side’ anyways.

Ideally, the Israelis could probably use a lot of 250-lb SDBs instead of heavier bombs that they have been using if only to minimize collateral damage.. why use a sledgehmmer when a tack hammer will get the job done in most instances?

Dear Member,

This does not make sense. Israel has a robust defense industry that produces their own bombs including guided one. They are operating in a non-electronic threat over Lebanon and they have a very cheap IR kit that turns any bomb into a guided one. The only weapons that the US is speeding up delivery of that Israel can not produce is the bunker buster deep pentration bomb the GBU-28. And they don’t need that 5000 lb monster for Lebanon.

Jack E. Hammond

You’re making the very common mistake of ignoring how Israels weapons are financed. Israel spends its own money on whatever it wants. But a very large proportion of Israels military procurement is financed by the USA, & with a few very rare exceptions, this must be spent in the USA. Israel has actually considered having Israeli-designed weapons made in the USA, in order to qualify for US funding, & the choice of which weapon to buy is often influenced by the availability of US aid. Israel reserves much of its own money for products not made in the USA, or for products specifically designed to Israeli requirements, such as Merkava – which is a very good example of how funding decides things. The engine of Merkava 4 is a German MTU diesel, assembled by GD in the USA, so it qualifies for US funding. If Israel bought direct from MTU, it would have to pay for the engines with money from Israeli taxpayers.

maybe the Hez have tunnels and deep bunkers in the mountains ?

the israeli production line maybe too small to keep up with surging demand hence the request for US stocks ?

I hope you are not serious

Of course Im not serious, I was responding to a previous post, the point of which seemed lost on me.

How much of the IDF inventory is home made PGM’s as opposed to US made PGM’s ?? Anyways do they even manufacter GPS guided munition ? It just might be a case of getting free munitions from US taxpayer!!

Israel has had a batch or two of JDAM kits for the Mk84/BLU-109 series and we also sold them a batch or two of the BLU-109. ( forged steel pointy tip 2000lb ‘er). They have had these for some time. If I am not mistaken a few years ago in the press it was stated we were selling “bunker busters” to Israel when all this Iran nuke stuff came up. Where the BLU-109 gets the mistaken label of Bunker Buster in the dumb-press. It isn’t, it just manages cement nicely with mild penetration before going off. Almost always a better choice to mate with a JDAM kit rather than a MK-84 iron bomb when dealing with cement locales.

Be interesting to find out what PGM kits are being sent over there ( Paveway? JDAM?) As the news at this time doesn’t know.

http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-07-22T050649Z_01_N21268027_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST-BUSH-WEAPONS.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsHome-C1-topNews-2

Actually I think they should use nukes. Next time a Katyusha lands in Haifa, Beirut becomes a smoking radiating ruin. Then we will see how brave Hezbollah are. :p

I hope you are not serious

Dear Member,

This does not make sense. Israel has a robust defense industry that produces their own bombs including guided one. They are operating in a non-electronic threat over Lebanon and they have a very cheap IR kit that turns any bomb into a guided one. The only weapons that the US is speeding up delivery of that Israel can not produce is the bunker buster deep pentration bomb the GBU-28. And they don’t need that 5000 lb monster for Lebanon.

Also, I watching the news reports on the land incursions into Lebanon by the IDF armored units. They are not being serious about these incursions. No serious numbers, etc.

I think another shoe is going to drop soon. And it won’t be Lebanon. Syria? Iran? Or both?

Jack E. Hammond

The higher end Israeli PGMs with GPS ability- which compare to JDAM type systems…eg SPICE etc are FAR more expensive than US ones…
That imo is most likely reason.

Actually I think they should use nukes. Next time a Katyusha lands in Haifa, Beirut becomes a smoking radiating ruin. Then we will see how brave Hezbollah are. :p

Of course, let the Lebanese subhumans die. Rrright…

US Agent (Dr Watson), you’ve missed the point, but that’s OK.

would you guys rather Israel end up using unguided dumb bombs when its precision muntion is used up? I thought so.

Actually I think they should use nukes. Next time a Katyusha lands in Haifa, Beirut becomes a smoking radiating ruin. Then we will see how brave Hezbollah are. :p

would you guys rather Israel end up using unguided dumb bombs when its precision muntion is used up? I thought so.

I would not be surprised if this was actually a gesture – i.e. ‘look, we have such a long list of targets that even our current huge stockpile will not quite cover it!’. Also, no matter how big a war reserve you carry, logic has always dictated immediate replacement of what you draw down from stocks, so you always maintain a suitable reserve.

Jack: it makes some sense, since the JDAM purchases are part of the defense aid provided, same with a lot of munitions – why buy your own product in preference to those provided for free, unless there is a real benefit.

Indicates 2 things to me:
– Israeli PGM stockpiles are drying up
– More bombing to come soon

Sherlock Holmes must be turning over in his grave. 😉

How much of the IDF inventory is home made PGM’s as opposed to US made PGM’s ?? Anyways do they even manufacter GPS guided munition ? It just might be a case of getting free munitions from US taxpayer!!

Dear Member,

This does not make sense. Israel has a robust defense industry that produces their own bombs including guided one. They are operating in a non-electronic threat over Lebanon and they have a very cheap IR kit that turns any bomb into a guided one. The only weapons that the US is speeding up delivery of that Israel can not produce is the bunker buster deep pentration bomb the GBU-28. And they don’t need that 5000 lb monster for Lebanon.

Also, I watching the news reports on the land incursions into Lebanon by the IDF armored units. They are not being serious about these incursions. No serious numbers, etc.

I think another shoe is going to drop soon. And it won’t be Lebanon. Syria? Iran? Or both?

Jack E. Hammond