Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., February 10, 2009 Shvat 16, 5769 | | Israel Time: 14:43 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 12:54 19/11/2008
Pentagon official says IAF 'very aggressive' in negotiations over fighter jet purchase
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: IDF, Lockheed Martin, IAF 

A United States government official accussed Israel Air Force representatives of being "very aggressive" in negotiations over a planned purchase of dozens of fighter jets.

In an article this week in the weekly magazine Defense News, the U.S. official said the Israelis were "very agressive in their demands, and their list of requests was extremely extensive?they need to pick through the menu of options and separate the nice-to-have from the need-to-have."

The state-of-the-art fighter jet the IAF is seeking to acquire, the F-35 is expected to cost $200 million per unit, as opposed to the $80 million that the IAF had originally estimated, leading to tension between IAF and Israel Defense Forces officials and defense officials in the United States.
Advertisement
Details of the planned purchase were printed in the Defense News article, including revelations the IAF has sought to purchase 75 F-35s, in three shipments of 25 jets each. However, since only $2 billion was set aside for the first purchase, the IAF will only be able to purchase 10 jets in the first shipment, if the $200 million estimated price per unit is correct.

Defense News quoted an official in the IDF General Staff as saying that "It's unbelievable, first it was $40 million to $50 million, and then they [the IAF] told us $70 million to $80 million. Now, we're looking at nearly three times that amount, and who's to say it won't continue to climb?"

The article also stated that the Pentagon estimates total costs for the 75-aircraft purchase to run as high as $15.2 billion, which includes the 75 aircraft, training and logistics support, and the plethora of upgrades and add-ons requested.

A Lockheed Martin official is quoted in the article as saying the higher-than-expected price tag is based on the special add-ons and upgrades requested by the IAF
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Democracy's discontents
Panel allows far-rightist Marzel to oversee Arab city poll.
One born every minute
Senior U.K. diplomat said arrested over anti-Semitic tirade.
  1.   expensive planes 13:04  |  joe 19/11/08
  2.   The Pentagon isn`t shy in its payment demands too 13:14  |  x-ray 19/11/08
  3.   $3 billion subsidy doesnt go far does it bbs 13:25  |  victor hardman 19/11/08
  4.   The Gimme State of Israel 13:26  |  Clickfool 19/11/08
  5.   To joe of afula 13:26  |  American 19/11/08
  6.   This criticism wouldn`t have happened a year ago... 13:42  |  Johnboy 19/11/08
  7.   And what is Isreal .... 13:45  |  Scott G 19/11/08
  8.   Saving money for tne taxpayer 13:48  |  hal 19/11/08
  9.   Part II 13:49  |  Scott G 19/11/08
  10.   1 is right 14:15  |  michel 19/11/08
  11.   Americans can put the planes on its ass 14:38  |  Sarat 19/11/08
  12.   #4 Clickfool 14:48  |  Daniel King 19/11/08
  13.   victor h 14:55  |  sean 19/11/08
  14.   Daniel - you need to read between clickFOOL`s lines 15:13  |  ERSB 19/11/08
  15.   Daniel King arguing every tiny point is the trolls` raison d`etre 15:13  |  x-ray 19/11/08
  16.   Why do I get the feeling.... 15:19  |  American Patriot 19/11/08
  17.   Americans better be careful... 15:42  |  curious george 19/11/08
  18.   Cant put a price on Israels security...we need these fighters... 15:45  |  Jordan 19/11/08
  19.   TO JOE IN AFULA. 15:49  |  DANNY. 19/11/08
  20.   Maybe Next Year 15:56  |  Frances 19/11/08
  21.   If there`s anything worse than a panhandler... 15:57  |  Natallie Durson 19/11/08
  22.   TO NO 7 15:58  |  DANNY 19/11/08
  23.   Now you see where all the money , including 16:14  |  TOMY 19/11/08
  24.   Natalie`s Hate 16:18  |  ERSB 19/11/08
  25.   To Durson 16:20  |  ottomatik 19/11/08
  26.   The F-35 is - typically - way over cost 16:20  |  Mark Lincoln 19/11/08
  27.   #6 Johnboy , Indeed happy days are comming 16:22  |  TOMY 19/11/08
  28.   Sarat @ 11 is right!! 16:30  |  Pinoy 19/11/08
  29.   Clickfool,any US help to GB is waste,RN lost to Iran 3:0 16:30  |  Absolute Sweden 19/11/08
  30.   To Sarat @ 11 16:36  |  Pinoy 19/11/08
  31.   "y`idf"? Hal, something is showing. 16:55  |  bobby 19/11/08
  32.   Durson`s "pandler" comment 16:58  |  ernie 19/11/08
  33.   tell the US bring the price down or we develop our own & export 18:28  |  zionist forever 19/11/08
  34.   Israel should invest the money to complete the Lavi project. 19:59  |  Eli 19/11/08
  35.   The bigger picture here concerns the US not Israel 20:08  |  zionist forever 19/11/08
  36.   1Joe&10michel. Did you forget the 20 year old LAVI... 20:17  |  bat yam 19/11/08
  37.   CFOOL Who is saying give me? besides the Arabs you give 00:03  |  PETER SM 20/11/08
  38.   JOHNBOY ignorance is bliss. 00:07  |  PETER SM. 20/11/08
  39.   You can get the technology with 10 planes 02:22  |  Realist 20/11/08
  40.   Ottomatik # 25 & Curious george re: friends , no thanks 02:58  |  American in NY 20/11/08
  41.   JOHNBOY ignorance is bliss. 03:32  |  PETER SM 20/11/08
  42.   UAVs are the answer. 04:01  |  Stephen in New York 20/11/08
  43.   sarat 11 04:15  |  potobac 20/11/08
  44.   Many must have skipped the.. 04:35  |  Scott G 20/11/08
  45.   zionist forever 34 11:20  |  potobac 20/11/08
  46.   # 33 zionist 12:49  |  Axel 20/11/08
  47.   # 34 eli 19:04  |  Axel 20/11/08
  48.   IAF Very aggressive over fighter purchase 13:37  |  C. Jackson 23/11/08
  49.   americans are paying for this themselfs 14:09  |  muslim khaled 10/02/09
 Haaretz Hot Topics
Israel 2009 election results
Israel goes to the polls
Conflict in Gaza
Israel vs. Hamas
Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
More Headlines
14:07 ELECTION DAY: ISRAEL GOES TO THE POLLS
13:21 Elections 2009 / Livni, Netanyahu make final appeals to Israel's voters
13:40 Rightist MK whisked out of poll in Arab city after violent protest
14:29 LIVE ELECTION BLOG: Kahane campaigns for the Arabs, Hamas for Likud
14:39 Elections 2009 / Partisan violence, electoral fraud reported in Jerusalem
11:58 ANALYSIS / A time of reflection for Netanyahu, Livni, and Barak
14:14 Elections 2009 / Fatah rooting for Livni, says Netanyahu win will boost Hamas
14:34 Elections 2009 / Arab reporters banned from campaign meet of Lieberman's far-right party
10:11 IN PICTURES / Israel goes to the polls
13:52 Elections 2009 / Google Israel marks election day with special logo
13:57 Elections 2009 / Labor, Meretz in final bid to win over undecided voters
07:35 Egyptian intelligence officials 'optimistic' about Shalit deal
14:05 Elections 2009 / Journalists have hard time selling Israel election story abroad
07:47 ANALYSIS / Why did Olmert only agree to free terrorists for Shalit now?
13:01 Ahmadinejad says Iran ready to talk with U.S.
14:15 Elections 2009 / Lieberman gets a cool welcome from Western Wall worshippers
13:55 Elections 2009 / Topsy-turvy campaign for once invincible Likud
07:58 UN envoy: Gaza's children traumatized by war, despite ceasefire
13:54 Elections 2009 / Parties enlist celebrities for star-studded election campaign
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Summer in Israel
Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
Passover Vacations
The BEST Passover Vacations around ? Mexico, Arizona and Florida
SURF RAMBAM
Keep current about new-wave medical care, education and research.
Camp Kimama Israel 2009
The best place for your children this summer
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved