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Comments:  71
Last update - 22:52 01/10/2008
U.S. approves sale to Israel of 25 F-35 fighter jets
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters
Tags: U.S., Israel News 

The United States government on Tuesday said it approved the sale to Israel of 25 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft and an option for 50 more in coming years - a deal valued at up to 15.2 billion Euros.

The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which oversees major arms sales, said the deal is vital to U.S. national security interests to assist Israel as it develops and maintains "a strong and ready self-defense capability."

Israel needs the aircraft built by the Lockheed Martin Corp to enhance its air-to-air and air-to-ground defense, the agency said.
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The DSCA notified Congress about the proposed arms sale before lawmakers head back to their districts for the November election. Lawmakers now have 30 days to block the sales, but such action is rare, since the agreements are usually carefully vetted beforehand.

The Israeli embassy in Washington bent over backwards to have the deal approved by the current Congress, and a critical development in the legislation was achieved this weekend.

The next stage would be Israeli and American defense officials signing the agreement, enabling the provision of the aircraft by 2014.

The Pentagon agency said Israel wants to buy an initial 25 F-35s in the Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL) configuration, with an option to buy an additional 50 F-35 CTOL or Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft.

All aircraft would be equipped with either the F-135 engines built by Pratt and Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp, or the F-136 engine being developed by General Electric Co and Britain's Rolls-Royce Plc.

Lockheed Martin said it welcomes the decision. "As the first potential foreign military sale of the F-35, this would be an important first step in expanding interest in the Joint Strike Fighter beyond the U.S. government and eight international F-35 partner nations," said Lockheed spokesman Tom Jurkowsky.

Earlier this month, the Pentagon approved up to 330 million Euros in three separate arms deals for Israel.

Top Israeli and U.S. government officials met in Washington this month for the most senior bilateral high technology dialogue ever between the two allies. Discussions focused in part on ensuring that sensitive technologies were not passed to third parties.

An embassy spokesman said that the deal is further proof of the U.S.-Israel special relationship, as Israel is the first country outside NATO to receive the aircraft.

Separately on Tuesday, the Pentagon approved Brazil's request to buy up to 525 million euros' worth of 15 United Technologies Black Hawk helicopters and 30 General Electric engines.


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      1.   Not much advantage 00:18  |  Brod 01/10/08
      2.   Sale should be larger, with more variety of planes 00:24  |  Kipperraes 01/10/08
      3.   25 F-35 Fighter Jets 00:33  |  The Teacher/Instruct 01/10/08
      4.   U.S. approves sale to Israel of 25 F-35 fighter jets 00:35  |  apl 01/10/08
      5.   Is There Any Else You Need, Israel? 01:07  |  Jeff Northridge 01/10/08
      6.   Silvienne? 01:14  |  Mark Anthony 01/10/08
      7.   Israel shoul NOT buy those jets!!! 01:24  |  Air Force Commander 01/10/08
      8.   Wisely ... 02:10  |  Axel 01/10/08
      9.   The "Ruach" IAF Strike Division Is Born! 03:39  |  Lavi 01/10/08
      10.   Good Job United States!...Now introducing.. 04:35  |  Pastor Joseph 01/10/08
      11.   Why Euros?? 04:38  |  newsreader 01/10/08
      12.   And the Russians will sell bi-planes to Iran 04:53  |  Murray of Montreal 01/10/08
      13.   Curious euros 05:30  |  Levyson 01/10/08
      14.   are these jets going to be as reliable as those buster bombs? if 05:41  |  glenna 01/10/08
      15.   speechless 06:10  |  Mark 01/10/08
      16.   escalation 07:33  |  Capt Ahab 01/10/08
      17.   possible scenario 07:39  |  Captain Ahab 01/10/08
      18.   To our American whiners 07:40  |  utagawa 01/10/08
      19.   In the year 2014 07:51  |  HAL 01/10/08
      20.   Decisions for the security of Israel should be taken in ... 08:23  |  Jean Van Daem 01/10/08
      21.   On CONDITION that it defends Israel, and NOT the OCCUPATION! 08:46  |  Ivar 01/10/08
      22.   As US Anti Iraninan Euro Missile Shield only harms Poland, Czechs 08:57  |  Ivar 01/10/08
      23.   Israel to get F35 fighters 10:11  |  Millicent 01/10/08
      24.   Junk. 10:15  |  Maureen Ann 01/10/08
      25.   # 18 to utagawa re: a couple things you fail to consider 11:27  |  eric 01/10/08
      26.   #20. Jean Van Daem. Today, I agree,but...... 12:08  |  Stephen. 01/10/08
      27.   #1 Brod 12:25  |  Rachel Stevens 01/10/08
      28.   The UK is cancelling it`s order 12:27  |  Rachel Stevens 01/10/08
      29.   Levyson 12:30  |  Rachel Stevens 01/10/08
      30.   utagawa 18 13:54  |  potobac 01/10/08
      31.   #.28. Rachel Stevens. Cancelling..? 15:09  |  Stephen. 01/10/08
      32.   Wasting money 15:27  |  David 01/10/08
      33.   #32. David is right, pure waste of money. 15:53  |  Stephen. 01/10/08
      34.   What about the Stealth? 15:56  |  lady from USA 01/10/08
      35.   Maureen Ann #24. 16:10  |  David Nigel Braham 01/10/08
      36.   #31 Stephen 16:10  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/10/08
      37.   #32 David of Israel 16:15  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/10/08
      38.   IVAR.Do not remember the USA asking your opinion before the deal 16:20  |  PETER SM 01/10/08
      39.   Pentagon approving sales in foreign currency ? 16:37  |  Alex 01/10/08
      40.   America is Selling Jets in Euros Now? 17:50  |  Baruch Gold 01/10/08
      41.   Israel Will Soup These Fighters Up So Much That It Will Be New 17:53  |  Baruch Gold 01/10/08
      42.   # 33 stephen 18:22  |  Axel 01/10/08
      43.   # 34 lady 18:24  |  Axel 01/10/08
      44.   #18 Utagwa, "Israel paying the bill" 18:26  |  mike 01/10/08
      45.   Israel to get planes 19:13  |  Millicent 01/10/08
      46.   Buy????? whose money? 19:22  |  j 01/10/08
      47.   re 35 maureen anns technical assesment 20:03  |  alan the real one 01/10/08
      48.   #47 alan the real one - HOW DARE YOU!!! 20:21  |  * BEN JABO 01/10/08
      49.   U.S. approves sale to Israel of 25 F-35 fighter jets: Toz 20:23  |  Aounist 01/10/08
      50.   #47 Alan the real one. Thanks for enlightening me... 21:01  |  Maureen Ann 01/10/08
      51.   # 45 millicent 21:34  |  Axel 01/10/08
      52.   ben jabo 21:38  |  potobac 01/10/08
      53.   #42.Axel. Youre quite right. 22:27  |  Stephen. 01/10/08
      54.   #.39. Alex..? Israel freirim, B2. Bombers ? 22:46  |  Stephen. 01/10/08
      55.   #49 Aounist - BENZONAH Don`t worry 22:47  |  * BEN JABO 01/10/08
      56.   Hi Eric 23:14  |  ballistic 01/10/08
      57.   F25-s - You can be certan of one thing 23:23  |  * BEN JABO 01/10/08
      58.   #.36.Chris Linthwaite. Re. RAF Pilots. 00:04  |  Stephen. 02/10/08
      59.   # 24 maureen ann 00:27  |  Axel 02/10/08
      60.   # 58 stephen 01:26  |  Axel 02/10/08
      61.   #59 Axel I really don`t like anything warlike, but... 02:08  |  Maureen Ann 02/10/08
      62.   #`s 20 and 26 , I Would Agree with You Folks 02:58  |  Gary 02/10/08
      63.   #52 Potobac - 03:23  |  * BEN JABO 02/10/08