- The United States will sell Israel 5,000 smart bombs,
for $319 million, according to a report made to Congress a few weeks
ago.
-
- The funding will come from the U.S. military aid to
Israel,
and the bombs range from airborne versions, guidance units, training bombs
and detonators. The bombs are guided by satellite, in a system already
in the Israel Defense Forces arsenal. The guidance unit receives a signal
from a satellite, correcting the bomb's course to the target.
-
- The Pentagon told Congress that the bombs are meant to
maintain Israel's qualitative advantage, and advance U.S. strategic and
tactical interests.
-
- Among the bombs the air force will get are 500 one-ton
bunker busters that can penetrate two-meter-thick cement walls; 2,500
regular
one-ton bombs; 1,000 half-ton bombs; and 500 quarter-ton bombs.
-
- Government sources said the bomb deal, one of the largest
weapons deals of recent years, did not face any political difficulties,
despite the use Israel has made of U.S.-made F-16s in some of its
assassinations
in the territories. The IDF used a one-ton bomb to kill a senior Hamas
officer, Salah Shehadeh, in July 2002, an assassination that also took
the lives of 15 Palestinian civilians, including children. In September
2003, the air force used a smaller, quarter-ton bomb, to strike at Hamas
leaders, but missed. In other cases, half-ton bombs have been used.
-
- The government sources said Israel will not be asking
for any new weapons systems or purchases until after the upcoming November
elections. On October 12, delegations from the two countries meet for their
regular six month session for strategic cooperation.
-
- © Copyright 2004 Haaretz. All rights reserved
-
- http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/479587.html
|
