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Israel to speed up Russia's UAV order

May. 24, 2009
Yaakov Katz , THE JERUSALEM POST

A MiG 31 warplane.
Photo: Courtesy

 

Israel plans to expedite production of unmanned aerial vehicles for Russia after Moscow announced last week it had decided to halt the sale of advanced MiG-31 fighter jets to Syria, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

Under the $50 million deal, signed in April, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will supply Russia with some of its second-tier UAVs, including the Bird-Eye 400 mini-UAV, the I-view MK150 tactical UAV and the Searcher Mk II medium-range UAV. This is the first Israeli sale of military platforms to Russia.

Officials said delivery of the UAVs would begin by the end of the year.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin is expected to visit Israel in the coming weeks to get a look at production. At a later stage, the deal is likely to include the sale of IAI's long-range Heron, which is capable of remaining airborne for over 50 hours at altitudes of up to 35,000 feet.

Russia's interest in Israeli drones surfaced in late 2008 following the war in Georgia, during which Tbilisi operated Israeli-made drones. At the time, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry's Diplomatic-Security Bureau, visited Moscow and received assurances that Russia would not sell the S300 defense missile system to Iran, and would consider halting the sale of MiG-31s to Syria.

Russia was supposed to sell eight MiG-31s to Syria, according to a report in the Kommersant newspaper. The $500m. deal was signed in early 2007, but work on the project was halted in April.

The contract was supposed to be the first export deal for the MiG-31E, a heavy twin-engine interceptor capable of flying at nearly three times the speed of sound and simultaneously firing at several targets at ranges of up to 180 km.

The aircraft was designed in the 1980s for tackling low-flying cruise missiles and other difficult targets. It was considered a key component of Russia's defense against a possible US attack and remains the backbone of the country's manned air defenses.

Syria is slated to receive a number of MiG-29M fighters, a version that features significantly improved range, has better radar and carries a broader array of weapons, compared to the basic MiG-29 model. It was not clear whether this deal was also halted.

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US to fully fund Arrow 3 missile system

May. 20, 2009
Yaakov Katz , THE JERUSALEM POST

An Arrow 2 missile test.

 

The US has said it will provide the full funding for the development and production of the Arrow 3 anti-missile system, defense officials told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

The American decision was revealed during a session of the Strategic Dialogue that Defense Ministry director-general Pinchas Buhris held with his US counterparts in Washington. The Dialogue is held annually but Wednesday's session was the first meeting of senior Israeli defense officials with the Obama administration's new staff at the Pentagon.

Israel has been concerned that the US - which has supported the Arrow project since its inception over 20 years ago - would end the funding due to major cuts made to the American defense budget by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The development costs for the coming year will likely reach some $100 million.

The Dialogue was led on the American side by Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michelle Flournoy. Buhris was joined on the Israeli side by outgoing ambassador to the US Sallai Meridor and the IDF military attaché to the US, Maj.-Gen. Benny Gantz.

Israel and the United States are also developing David's Sling - a missile defense system for medium-range missile with a range between 70 and 250 km. The Arrow 3 will be a longer-range version of the Arrow defense system currently in IDF operation. It will be capable of intercepting incoming enemy missiles at higher altitudes and farther away from Israel.

Last month, the IAF held its 17th test of the Arrow 2 interceptor, shooting down a missile mimicking an Iranian Shihab ballistic missile.

Later this year, the IAF will hold an unprecedented, massive exercise with the US military to test three different ballistic missile defense systems, the Israeli-made Arrow and the American THAAD and Aegis, which will be brought to Israel for the exercise. The drill, which will span several days, is called "Juniper Cobra."

This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com /servlet/Satellite?cid=1242212426298&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull

Israel, India discuss $1.1b AWACS deal

May. 24, 2009
Yaakov Katz , THE JERUSALEM POST

 

A Chilean Boeing 707 with a Phalcon radar fitted to its nose.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and India are in the advanced stages of talks regarding New Delhi's interest in purchasing three new Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) from Israel, in what could turn into the largest defense contract in the country's history.

On Sunday, and after a five-year delay, Israel will deliver the first of three AWACS ordered by India in 2004 for $1.1 billion. The plane is scheduled to take off from Ben-Gurion Airport in the afternoon. The remaining two planes are scheduled to reach India in 2010.

The Phalcon (phased array L-band conformal radar) was designed and manufactured by Elta, a subsidiary of IAI. It includes radar, electronic intelligence systems and communication equipment. The company has already sold a similar system to Chile's air force.

The Phalcon will enhance India's ability to detect aerial threats and serve as a platform for directing combat jets to targets. It is an all-weather system capable of tracking 60 targets simultaneously and can operate to a range of up to 400 km.

Officials said that the Indian Defense Ministry was currently holding internal debates over the possibility of purchasing three additional aircraft. India has also expressed interest in the Eitam, an intelligence-gathering plane also developed by IAI.

A new Phalcon deal with India would involve planes with the same configuration as those purchased in the 2004 order and would include a radar and electronic intelligence system designed and manufactured by Elta Systems Group installed in an Ilyushin-76 aircraft, which would be supplied by Russia. However, IAI is reportedly asking 30 percent more money for another three aircraft.

This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com /servlet/Satellite?cid=1242212449433&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull