Israel eyes new Lockheed F-35 fighter jet

[mawilson 2,133]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israel wants to start buying radar-evading Lockheed

Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-35 fighter jets as soon as 2011, with delivery likely about

two years later, a U.S. F-35 program official said on Wednesday.

The interest in acquiring an initial batch of up to 25 F-35s dovetails with Israeli

fears that Iran is seeking a nuclear bomb and could have it as soon as 2010,

sooner than predicted by the United States.

Iran says its nuclear ambitions are limited to generating electricity.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in Washington on Tuesday, at the start

of a three-day visit to the United States, that the Iranian nuclear program must

be stopped by "all possible means".

The single-seat, supersonic F-35 is hard to detect by radar and is designed to

knock out enemy fighters while simultaneously carrying out bombing missions.

Olmert was to meet President George W. Bush later on Wednesday for talks

that could include Israel's interest in the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter. Israel also

may be interested later in the F-35B version that can land vertically.

"It's possible that things could come up," said Dana Perino, a White House

spokeswoman, when asked about possible Bush-Olmert talks on arms sales to

Israel. "Obviously Israel wants to defend itself, and the United States has been

supportive."

An Israeli Embassy spokesman declined to comment.

Israel is seeking to integrate its own weapons, communications, command,

control and intelligence systems into the F-35, said the Pentagon program

official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the matter's sensitivity.

The U.S. official predicted a government-to-government agreement would

occur in the fall of 2009, after the projected completion of contract negotiations

and technology-transfer pacts.

Israel recently submitted a formal request for pricing information and wants

to start buying "as early as fiscal 2011," the official said, adding deliveries

typically take about two years.

Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon's No. 1 supplier, said on Wednesday it had

"production maturity and capacity to handle additional F-35 aircraft in the 2011

time frame and beyond." The company calls the F-35 the most electronically

advanced aircraft ever built, with capabilities unavailable in current multi-role

fighters.

The F-35A is expected to have an unrefueled combat radius of 600 nautical

miles or so, according to the Congressional Research Service and other experts,

meaning the distance it could travel to a target and return without refueling.

Possible Iranian targets are more than 700 miles from Tel Aviv, depending on

the flight route. Israel recently has stepped its work on mid-air refueling.

Israel's proposed early purchase of the F-35 is good news for Lockheed Martin

and for the Pentagon program, which is pushing co-development partners to

stick to projected purchase plans to keep the aircraft as affordable as possible.

The "average unit recurring flyaway costs" for the F-35A have remained stable

in the upper $40 million range in baseline 2002 dollars, said John Smith, a

Lockheed Martin spokesman. Early purchases could cost considerably more.

So far, Lockheed Martin has one U.S. order for two F-35As plus funding authorization

for six more along with six of the F-35B "short takeoff and vertical landing" models.

Eight countries, including Britain, Turkey and Australia, helped foot the bill to develop

the F-35.

Lockheed's key subcontractors are Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N) and BAE

Systems Plc (BAES.L). Two separate, interchangeable engines are under development

by United Technologies Corp's (UTX.N) Pratt & Whitney unit, and by General Electric Co

(GE.N) and Rolls Royce Group Plc (RR.L).

Britain is due to get two F-35As from the third production batch for its operational tests

and evaluation. The Netherlands would get one. Italy is close to a final decision to buy

one at the same time.

An Israeli purchase might be part of the fifth production series, the Pentagon program

official said, about the same time Australia may buy its first.

(Additional reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky and Jeffrey Heller in Washington,

Dan Williams in Israel; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)

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[Nagishkaw 510]

At least they are not buying submarines from the UK.

[HAL 9000 96]

Nothing like evading all those Palestinian radars

[mawilson 2,133]

Nothing like evading all those Palestinian radars

Huh? Israel doesn't need F-35s to kick Palestinian ###.

[Ban Hammer 13,636]

Nothing like evading all those Palestinian radars

Huh? Israel doesn't need F-35s to kick Palestinian ###.

a few merkavas would do that.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

At least they are not buying submarines from the UK.

Eh, only Canada is in the market for "WELL-USED" military equipment.

[almaty 19]

At least they are not buying submarines from the UK.

Eh, only Canada is in the market for "WELL-USED" military equipment.

lol..they are hoping to get a few f-4s one of these days

[Ban Hammer 13,636]

At least they are not buying submarines from the UK.

Eh, only Canada is in the market for "WELL-USED" military equipment.

lol..they are hoping to get a few f-4s one of these days

shhh, we're still selling them b-17's

[almaty 19]

oh sorry,, the b-17 is bigger...and uses regular unleaded

[Nagishkaw 510]

At least they are not buying submarines from the UK.

Eh, only Canada is in the market for "WELL-USED" military equipment.

Exactly!