When you guys said “Israeli Spine” on the F16, do you mean with Israeli equipment in the spine or the spine on the F16 specified by IDF/AF? In terms of some kind of spine on an F16, the correct history of it is that the F16 AFTI program that started in the late 70s required such a spine to house extra electronics. IIRC, this spine is then enlarged and offered to the Israelis. I don’t think it’s an aftermarket modification…i can be wrong of course. 😉

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showpost.php?p=945726&postcount=36

And anyway, the spine on the AFTI was tiny :p

How is the enlarged spine Iraeli when it was first seen on the VISTA F-16 in the late 80’s?

From F-16.net (The MATV and VISTA programs merged into one program):

The F-16 Multi-Axis Thrust-Vectoring (MATV) program originally began as a joint General Electric/General Dynamics privately-funded program for a thrust-vectored version of the Fighting Falcon. The USAF initially declined to support the program, so the two companies agreed to collaborate with the Israel Defense Force/Air Force, which was highly interested in the program for its own F-16s.

Under the terms of the agreement, the IDF/AF was to supply a F-16D for the tests, with the two American companies doing the conversion. However, in 1991 the USAF’s Wright Laboratory became interested in the project, and the USAF now assumed an active role. Israel withdrew from the program in 1992.

Anyway, Israel got its first F-16D in 1987, before the MATV/VISTA programs began.

And correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t the F-16I’s delivered to Israel without the indigenous systems installed since Israel didn’t want us to install them? If that’s the case, How can LM offer those systems they aren’t allowed to touch to a third country?

True, some of the systems were installed in Israel. Maybe LM can deliver the planes to India through Israel, but I doubt that Israel would export these systems anyway.

The US didn’t deliver F-16Is with Israeli radar because US military assistance credits were used to buy the airplanes. US military assistance credits are paid for by US taxpayers and credits are only to be used to purchase US-built equipment. The US taxpayer is not an economic assistance program for Elta.

Here we go again… Does any thread that has to do with Israel, even if not direct, has to turn into flame wars? :rolleyes:

If what you wrote was true then the F-16I (or any other fighter Israel has to be precise) wouldn’t have had any Israeli systems on it, which is obviously not the case.