Persian Gulf & Middle East Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

I suppose US funds provided must be used for buy only US weapons, seems normal o_O

Unfortunately a significant portion of aid have not been cycling back to the US but have ended up elsewhere.
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...
Netanyahu gave ground on several major points. He conceded to a U.S. demand for a gradual phasing-out of the amount of aid money - now 26.3 percent - that Israel can spend on its own military industries rather than on American products. The provision originated in the 1980s to help Israel build up its defense industry, which is now a major global player.

Netanyahu also agreed to end Israel’s use of 13 percent of the U.S. money on military fuel purchases, officials said.
...
Will have to see the terms of the eventual signed agreement to see if it is indeed a better deal for the US.
 

Miragedriver

Brigadier
Just to clarify things. Info about this "mysterious Karrar MBT"

New Iranian-made Karrar MBT Main Battle Tank unveiled by local television footage.

First footage of the Iranian Television "Telewebion" has unveiled the new Iranian-made Karrar MBT (Main Battle Tank) which is full designed and manufactured in Iran. The layout of the Karrar seems to be similar to the Russian made T-90MS but with some specific features.

p9xRpr4.jpg


The overall layout of the Iranian-made Karrar MBT seems to be similar to that of the Russian-made T-90MS MBT with the driver's compartment at the front, two-man turret in the centre and engine and transmission at the rear. The driver is seated in the centre of the hull.

According to our first analysis, the front of the turret and each sides of the hull are protected with explosive reactive armour (ERA) while the rear side of the hull and the turret are fitted with wire cage armour.

The suspension consists on each side of six dual rubber-tired road wheels with the drive sprocket at the rear and idler at the front. The upper part of the suspension is protected by side skirts.

The turret has a rear extension which can be the automatic loading system of the main gun. The main armament of the Karrar could be a 125 mm smoothbore gun. A remote weapon station is mounted on the top of the turret which can be armed with a 12.7 mm or 14.5mm heavy machine gun.

Banks of electrically operated smoke grenade dischargers are mounted either side of the turret.

 
Yesterday at 7:01 AM
... Israel, US Agree to 10-Year Defense Deal
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now found US adds F-15 to $38 billion military aid package for Israel
(no, Eagles aren't mentioned in the above link)
US and Israeli diplomats announced the largest military assistance package in US history on 14 September in a $38 billion, 10-year package that will deliver an assortment of American-designed weapon systems, including Lockheed Martin F-35 and Boeing F-15 fighters to Tel Aviv.

The agreement, which takes effect on 1 October 2018, pledges $38 billion to Israel over the next decade, including $33 billion in foreign military financing funds and $5 billion for missile defense, US national security advisor Susan Rice said.

In a surprise move, Rice added to the F-15E to the mix of weapon systems on the agenda for the 10-year aid package, perhaps reducing funds available to purchase Israel’s planned complement of 75 F-35I Adirs.

“This additional funding will allow Israel to update the lion’s share of its fighter aircraft fleet, including the acquisition of additional F-35s and F-15s,” she says.

Boeing referred questions about the agreement to the US and Israeli air forces, who were not immediately available for comment.

As Israel prepares for the delivery of the first F-35I Adir to Nevatim Air Base in December, the inclusion of F-15s in the deal could affect the mix of F-35s and F-15s in their fleet. While Israel defence officials requested more F-15 squadrons in 2015 as part of a “compensation package” following the US’s decision to lift sanctions against Iran, industry sources later told FlightGlobal that acquiring additional F-15s was unlikely.

Still, the agreement provides solid backing for the F-35 programme from Israel. The US has approved the sale of up to 75 F-35s to Israel and the country has signed contracts for 33 F-35s, the last of which will arrive around 2021, FlightGlobal previously reported.

During the unveiling of the F-35I Adir in Texas earlier this summer, Israeli air force chief of staff Brigadier Gen. Tal Kelman recommended the purchase of 17 additional F-35As. In addition to the conventional takeoff variant, Israel is also mulling over the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B, but that purchase would depend on additional F-35A buys. While Israeli officials would not comment this week on the MOU’s effect on discussions for a STOVL variant or a renewed V-22 purchase, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at the need for a vertical takeoff aircraft in July.

The memorandum of understanding, signed by Israeli national security adviser Jacob Nagel and US under secretary of state for political affairs Tom Shannon, comes after intense negotiations between the two nations. As the US faces tightening budgets and a gridlocked Congress, the agreement promises an unprecedented aid package and a steady stream of funding over the next 10 years that will be protected from political turmoil.

“For years, US funding for missile defense has been subject to uncertainty of the annual appropriations process,” Rice says. “Some years the funding has been unclear for months at a time, some years it’s been in decline. With this funding [Israel] will be able to count on a steady multi-year commitment.”
source is FlightGlobal
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Should we see the extra F-15's as industrial support for Boeing?
I read it differently: F-35 detractors may quote this news as, F-35 Is A Bust, and I repeat this can be conjured up but some people, and I said it in this context OK?

EDIT
(I'm that careful because recently a guy, when arguing with me, was removing chunks of my sentences, and went against the chunks he (or she? :) "conveniently" kept!)
 
Last edited:

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
I read it differently: F-35 detractors may quote this news as, F-35 Is A Bust, and I repeat this can be conjured up but some people, and I said it in this context OK?

EDIT
(I'm that careful because recently a guy, when arguing with me, was removing chunks of my sentences, and went against the chunks he (or she? :) "conveniently" kept!)
I see it differently Jura
like this.
F35I is very much a want for the IAF It's a Strike platform with stealth characteristics.
The F15 is however a long time love of the IAF and with the Recent Procurement of newer fighters like the Eurofighter, Rafael Flankers and Indigenous machines by the neighbors combined with the fact that the IAF still uses a number or F15A and B models means that the IAF feels the need to sure up there Air superiority fighter fleet.
SO No F35 is not a bust.
 

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
Agree TE
Should we see the extra F-15's as industrial support for Boeing?
I don't think former USAF F-15 or eventualy stored ? USAF need keep.
Normaly new F-15SA a new designation or eventualy F-15SE low observable but not stealth for " supported " Boeing, to consider for a Sqn about 20.

To see...
 

Miragedriver

Brigadier
Live webcast of situation in Aleppo with real time surveillance cameras. It even includes real time aerial reconnaissance footage, mostly like from an Orlan as its from the Russian MOD.

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Miragedriver

Brigadier
Syria Shoots at Israeli Jets, Flying Toward War?

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Syria shot two surface-to-air missiles at Israeli jets—and they shot at the Israeli jets not even over their own air space.

These were not errant missiles or spillover shots which is military parlance for mistakes. These missiles were calculated and intentionally targeted shots from an S-200 Russian missile system aimed at Israeli jets that were, quite frankly, targeting Syrian rocket launchers.

This is a major change in Syrian engagement. It could signal an escalation of tensions between Israel and Syria, especially because three mortars were shot from Syria into Israel later that day.

The reason Syria feels it can engage Israel is very clear. One word—Russia. Syrian leadership believes that Russia will protect them from Israel.

Until now Israel had a carte blanche to fly over Syrian airspace. They did as they wished, and there was no significant response. Israel had a relatively free hand. That ended on Tuesday when Syrian President Bashar Assad began implementing his decision to change the entire status quo and push Israel out of Syrian airspace and off the offensive.

Shooting the S-200s was part of this plan. This weapon was delivered to Assad’s father by the Russians in the late 1960s and was almost never used. The S-200 has a range of almost 200 miles (300km). A range that puts almost all of Israel’s major population centers at risk as well as all commercial aircraft coming in and out of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.

The Syrian press, which Israel closely monitors, declared that their High Command repelled Israeli aggression. According to the official statement released by the government to the press, “The high command issued an order at 1 a.m. to strike at the aggressive Israeli attack.” The statement also claimed that Syria “downed an Israeli plane west of Kunetra.”

The Syrian headline read “The Army High Command Said That the Syrian Air Defense Systems Activated Against Israel War Jets and Shot Them Down.” This is more than an exaggeration. It is propaganda—part of a two-pronged effort aimed at establishing Syria’s military force as powerful and foreboding. First, it is an attempt to make Syrians feel as if they are finally standing up and taking a military stand against Israel. Second, it serves as a message to terror groups opposing Assad, telling them that his forces are now strong enough to confront Israel. And if they are strong enough to confront Israel, they are certainly powerful enough to wipe out ISIS and Al Qaeda.

But using a weapon like the S-200 was either a plain old big mistake, or it was a huge message out of proportion to the events. Maybe it was both. The Israeli fighters were flying low. Despite its relatively old age in military years, the S-200 is still a long range and high altitude missile of 40,000 ft.

Until now Israel has very clear mission when acting inside Syria. Whenever dangerous weapons were moving or arriving that would change the balance of power, Israel would strike. If the weapons were from Iran and headed to Hezbollah, Israel would strike. Israel would also punish Syria when its rockets and missiles specifically targeted Israelis or important locations—not rockets gone astray.

We know that Russia has given Syria the green light in many areas. I cannot imagine, however, that Russia signed off on this latest adventure. Russia does not want to test its technological military prowess against Israel over Syria.

The potential embarrassment to Russia would be so humiliating to them and jeopardize their entire Middle East plan. Imagine if there engaged in a dog fight over Syria or the Mediterranean and Russia took more losses than Israel. The entire episode would take only a few seconds—blink and it’s over. If Israel were to emerge victorious, which is highly probable, not only would Russia lose face but the ripple effect of that encounter in the Arabic and Muslim world would turn Israel into a superpower even greater than the Arab world already believes her to be.

Russia cannot afford that kind of risk. They are playing for the long run in the Middle East. This was an amateur move on Syria’s part. There will be repercussions.

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