Israel wants new F-15s paid for by US

Each year, the budget of the Israeli armies is matched by the United States to the tune of $ 3,3 billion to acquire new equipment from US industries, as well as $ 500 million to acquire and maintain state missiles. Hebrews. This budget is now almost entirely absorbed by the program to acquire the new F35i Adir ordered by Jerusalem, as well as by the maintenance of the F15, F16 and other E-2C Hawkeye in service with the air forces of the country, as well as its helicopter fleet. However, Hebrew officials keep warning about the growing threat that Iran represents for the country, and in particular through its nuclear program which, according to the Israeli intelligence services, should have enough fissionable material. to build a nuclear bomb in a few months.

In fact, the country's armies, and in particular the air forces, for several months have been increasing the number of exercises in order to prepare to strike, if necessary, the Iranian nuclear installations, as was the case in 1981 during Operation Opera, when 8 F16s covered by 6 F15s saw the Iraqi nuclear reactor (made in France) struck and destroyed. 'osirak. Unfortunately, the F35i, which would have been ideal for this mission due to its stealth to challenge the increasingly modern anti-aircraft defenses defending Iranian airspace, does not have the reach needed to carry out strikes on Iranian soil. At the same time, the F15s and F16s currently in service, although thoroughly modernized, do not incorporate the latest capabilities available to the new US Air Force F-15EX. To be able to contain the Iranian threat, but also the announced rise of Syrian air defenses, the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, therefore, came to Washington to meet President Biden on Thursday, with a request that could not be clearer: that the United States offer Israel 20 to 25 new F-15IA derived from the F-15EX, and finance the transformation of 25 other aircraft currently in service within the IAF to this standard.

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