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| By Israel Insider staff October 25, 2007 |
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The Pentagon has agreed to start delivering its newest stealth fighter to Israel two years earlier than planned in an effort to strengthen Israel's air force as Iran moves close to gaining nuclear power. The US is expected to begin transferring the fighter planes, called The Joint Strike Fighter, in 2012.
"This plane can fly into downtown Teheran without anyone even knowing about it since it can't be detected on radar," the Jerusalem Post quoted a senior Israeli defense official as saying.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel gained permission to start receiving the stealth fighter as soon as the model becomes operationally available, at a price between 50 million and 60 million US dollars.
"We asked that for every two jets manufactured for the US, one be manufactured for Israel," a senior defense official said, adding that acquisition of the aircraft would greatly increase Israel's deterrence as Iran races toward nuclear power.
The defense minister also managed to persuade the Americans to allow Israel to install its own unique technology in the aircraft, which had been a major point of dispute between the Defense Ministry and the Pentagon, defense officials said.
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has increased his public messages threatening Israel's security and very existence. He recently announced that the Islamic republic has over one thousand missiles aimed at Israeli targets, ready to be launched in the event of an attack on Israel's nuclear facilities. These threats, in addition to the president's constant calls for Israel to be "wiped off the map" have caused much concern in the Jewish state.
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