Britannia Radio

IAF to the United States: F-35 Maintenance will only take place in Israel

The new F-35 fighters have not yet entered service in Israel and arguments are already taking place. The IAF has clarified to the US that heavy aircraft maintenance will only be carried out in Israel, and not in a

European center, as the US is demanding

Arie Egozi 24/1/2012

http://www.israeldefense.com/?CategoryID=472&ArticleID=836

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has clarified to the US that it will not agree

to send the F-35 stealth fighter for heavy maintenance to a center in

Europe.

According to the plans of the US aviation administration, all countries that

purchase the plane in the region and in Europe will have to transfer the

aircraft to a European center for heavy maintenance (level D).

The IAF clarified to the US that this request is out of the question, and

that Israel will insist all maintenance levels take place in Israel.

A source close to the issue said that the US understands Israel’s special

needs; however, an official response has not yet been forthcoming.

“Alternatively, we would be happy if a regional maintenance center were

established here. But, we will not send aircraft outside of Israel,” said

the source.

Meanwhile, the US is vigorously opposing the installation of key systems of

Israeli production in the stealth fighter. These consist of the radar and

electronic warfare (EW) systems. Concerning the radar, there are no

precedents that Israeli radar has ever been installed on board an aircraft

purchased from the US. This is a different situation with the EW systems. In

the past, such systems were installed on board fighters purchased from the

US.

The source said that the IAF would like an Israeli EW system that could

provide it with an advantage in comparison to every other air force in the

region that purchased the advanced fighter. “I presume that in the end, we

will be given interfaces that will allow the connection of our systems to

the aircraft’s original EW systems.”

--------------------------------------------

IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Website: www.imra.org.il