It is not a pleasant thing to talk about. But these days when there are so
many elements suggesting that Israel be threatened with sanctions if it
doesn't follow American orders, it is extremely understandable that Israel
does not want to find itself in a situation that there is a "technical"
delay in the supply of replacement units (with a heavy hint that the supply
problem could be resolved a lot faster if Israel would be more forthcoming).
And in a war situation - we could have the nightmare scenario that some
unforeseen glitch grounds many F-35's and the White House suggests Israel
accept the Arab's terms instead of continuing the battle.

Let's not forget what Henry Kissinger did in the opening days of the Yom
Kippur War - intentionally delaying the supply of emergency military
equipment because he believed Israel had to bleed in order to get the Jewish
State to agree to withdraw from the Sinai.]

US denies Israel access to F-35 computer

Yaakov Katz , THE JERUSALEM POST May. 7, 2009

www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1241719495058&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull
A refusal by the United States to allow Israel to repair computer systems in
the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is at the heart of disagreements between the
Defense Ministry and the Pentagon that have been holding up an official
Israeli order for the fifth-generation fighter jet.

The JSF, also known as the F-35, is a stealth fighter jet under development
by Lockheed Martin. Last year, Israel received approval from the Pentagon to
purchase up to 75 aircraft in a deal that could reach close to $20 billion.

Defense officials told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday that talks between the
Israeli defense delegation in Washington and the Pentagon have picked up
speed in recent weeks but have yet to result in agreement due to the US's
refusal to grant Israel access to the plane's internal computer mainframe.

The Americans are concerned that by allowing Israel to independently repair
the computers, the Israel Air Force will get its hands on the classified
technology that was used to make the plane.

Israel, on the other hand, has argued that due to its operational
requirements it needs to have the ability to repair damaged or broken
computer systems in "real time" and cannot wait for a computer system to be
sent to the US for repairs in the middle of a war.

The Americans have told Israel it will receive a number of spare computer
systems that it could install in place of a damaged system but would still
have to send the damaged system to the US for repairs.

"This is the core of the disagreements right now," explained one senior
defense official. "We have major operational constraints and need to have
the ability to repair the systems on our own."

Due to the disagreements regarding the computer, as well as American
opposition to the integration of Israeli systems into the plane and its
overall soaring cost - now reaching $100 million - the Defense Ministry has
recently asked Boeing for details on the new and advanced model of the F-15
Eagle, which is claimed to have enhanced stealth capabilities.

There is also an option to upgrade existing F-15s to the Silent Eagle model
at a much lower cost.

In March, Boeing unveiled the F-15 Silent Eagle (F-15SE), a new
configuration of the F-15 which has undergone improvements and modifications
that, according to media reports, give the plane a stealth capability that
is effective in evading radars on enemy aircraft but not against
ground-based radar systems.

Improvements in stealth include coatings and treatments to the aircraft, as
well as a new design for the conformal fuel tanks that includes the
possibility of carrying weapons inside them instead of fuel.

Israel operates several squadrons of F-15s, including one of 25 F-15Is, the
aircraft with the longest-range in the IAF.