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Thursday, May 5, 2005
US forced Israel to take inferior radar [now supplying UAE better]

US Forced Israel to take inferior radar [now supplying UAE better]

#1 ISRAEL FRUSTRATED OVER U.S. RADAR FOR F-16I
Wednesday, February 18, 2004

TEL AVIV [MENL] -- The Israel Air Force has quietly expressed frustration
over its decision to accept a U.S.-origin radar for the new F-16I multi-role
fighter.

Defense officials and military sources said the choice of Northrop Grumman's
AN/APG-68[V]9 synthetic-aperture multi-mode radar has dismayed both the
service and the Defense Ministry. They said an evaluation by Israeli air
force pilots of the U.S. radar showed it to be inferior to an indigenous
Israeli radar designed by Elta Electronic Industries. Israeli pilots flew
the F-16I in test flights in 2003 in the United States.

"This was the most political decision ever made by the air force and we'll
be paying for this for years to come," a senior officer said.

The military sources said the Defense Ministry agreed to a U.S. radar as
part of the request for 102 F-16 Block 50 aircraft from the United States in
1999. The U.S. Defense Department refused to allow Israel to install the
Elta SAR radar on the F-16, the staple of NATO air forces.

#2 US sells world's best F-16s to UAE
Arieh O'Sullivan, THE JERUSALEM POST May. 5, 2005
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1115173228697&p=1101615860782

Just one year after Israel, the United Arab Emirates this week took delivery
of the most advanced F-16 ever produced.
The first batch of US-built 80 F-16 "Block 60" fighters landed at an
official, but quiet ceremony in Abu Dhabi.

Neither the US nor the UAE announced the delivery. But reports from AFP as
well as the UAE's Khaleej Times said the event took place on Tuesday and was
attended by Abu Dhabi's crown prince, Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
They did not specify the number of planes received.

The UAE is paying $6.4 billion for the 80 jets, produced by aerospace giant
Lockheed Martin at its plant in Fort Worth, Texas.

These F-16s are more advanced than the newest Israeli F-16 I "Block 50+" and
even any US F-16 model. It is one of the few weapon systems in the hands of
an Arab state qualitatively superior to that in the Israeli arsenal.

The new F-16's major difference is the Northrop Grumman APG-80 multimode
radar, for improved tracking of multiple targets. The Block 60 configuration
is the most extensive change in the history of the F-16 program. Its unique
features include new cockpit displays and a new mission computer.

The UAE F-16 will be called Desert Falcons. The delivery to the UAE marks
the first time the US allowed its sale outside of NATO countries.

The Israeli F-16 Is were built with conformal fuel tanks developed and
produced by Israel Aircraft Industries to give it extended range. Like the
Israeli F-16 I, the UAE jets also contains components from other countries.

The UAE F-16 can just barely reach Israel without mid-air refueling. But
should it ever be deployed closer in another Arab country, it would be a
formidable foe for the IAF since it is technically an aircraft superior to
the IAF's best.

The UAE signed the deal for the Block 60 in March 2000. Delivery had been
scheduled for late 2004 and will take place over three years. There was no
explanation for the delay.

The oil-rich UAE has embarked on an ambitious program to boost its defenses
with modern weaponry after it watched Iraq swallow up Kuwait in 1990.

Nahyan, who is also the deputy supreme commander of the UAE armed forces,
was quoted as saying the delivery of the fighter was a culmination of the
"decade-old and sustained efforts by the UAE to acquire a sophisticated
combat aircraft that is adequately responsive to the defense needs of the
21st century.

"With the delivery of this installment, the capability of our armed forces
will be significantly enhanced. This landmark event is a result of the
sustained efforts by our political leadership to modernize our armed
forces."

The ceremony was attended by Gen. Michael Moseley, vice chief of staff of
the US Air Force.

Israel began receiving 102 F-15 Is in February 2004 as part of a deal worth
$4.5 billion.

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