Spain reveals plans for armed MQ-9

Spain has confirmed that it will eventually try to weaponise its future fleet of MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicles, although the immediate priority is to bring the surveillance-only variant into operation.
Madrid's programme to acquire a class III UAV for its air force began in September last year, with the Reaper eventually selected in mid-2015 over the competing Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP.
“The LOA [letter of agreement] from the US government is about to be signed, and this could be done before the end of the year,” Col Enrique Martinez Vallas, former chief of acquisitions programmes for the Spanish Air Staff.
Vallas says there are no technical obstacles to adding offensive capability to the Reaper as it already has hardpoints for the carriage of weapons, but the US government would have to authorise any request for weaponisation.
That has become enabled following the easing of export restrictions in February, with Italy in November becoming the first nation - outside of the UK - to receive permission to arm its MQ-9 fleet.
Spain could follow suit, but Vallas notes that it took some ten years for Italy to be permitted to arm its Reapers. Madrid, he says, is more concerned with completing the basic acquisition for now.
Vallas says that although both the Heron TP and the Reaper met the air force's requirements, commonality with NATO allies was a key reason for the selection of the US-built platform.
Four aircraft and two ground control stations are due to be delivered under the proposed deal, and training will begin in 2016.
The first two aircraft plus one ground control station (GCS) will be delivered in 2017. Initial operational capability will be achieved with the second delivery, which is expected in 2018, while full operational capability and the final aircraft are expected in 2020.
The Spanish air force is also in the process of acquiring an upgraded variant of the Airbus Defence & Space Atlante UAV that will be able to carry a multi-sensor and weapons payload.
The contract may be signed this year or soon after the next cabinet is formed following a general election on 20 December. “It has more capabilities with automatic take-off and landing, increased endurance and payload,” Vallas says.
flightglobal

Israel todavía está interesado en conseguir 20 F-35 adicionales/ Israel still interested in getting 20 more F-35s

El embajador de Israel en Estados Unidos ha declarado que su país todavía está interesado en 20 F-35 adicionales a los que ya tiene bajo pedido, a pesar de haber rechazado la oferta que se había realizado de 20 cazas por interrumpir la construcción de asentamientos.
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Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren said during an interview with Bloomberg that his country is still seeking additional F-35s despite rejecting an offer for 20 jets in return for a freeze on Israeli settlement construction earlier.
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IAI presenta la aeronave no tripulada Panther, de 12 kg. de peso/ IAI unveils 12kg Mini Panther UAV

Israel Aerospace Industries ha presentado una versión reducida de su aeronave no tripulada con propulsión a hélice Panther, que tiene un peso de sólo 12 kg.
flightglobal
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Israel Aerospace Industries unveiled a scaled-down version of its Panther tiltrotor unmanned air vehicle on 23 November, revealing the design to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu
flightglobal

Israel emite requerimiento por nuevo entrenador avanzado/ Israel issues advanced jet trainer request

Israel ha enviado un requerimiento de información a Alenia Aermacchi (M-346) y Korea Aerospace Industries (T-50) para la compra de un nuevo entrenador avanzado que sustituya a los Douglas A/TA-4 Skyhawk actualmente en servicio.
Elbit Systems e Israel Aerospace Industries, se han presentado al concurso, proponiendo ellos la compra del avión, y vendiendo las horas de enseñanza a la Fuerza Aérea. Ambas empresas también desean ensamblar el avión en Israel montando equipos de fabricación local.
flightglobal
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Israel's defence ministry has sent a request for information to Alenia Aermacchi and Korea Aerospace Industries for a new fleet of advanced jet trainers.
The Israeli air force has already evaluated the companies' respective M-346 and T-50 designs as potential replacements for the Douglas A/TA-4 Skyhawks used at its flight academy.
The new request was issued after Israel's anti-trust commissioner confirmed that a proposed joint venture arrangement between the nation's two leading defence companies remains under evaluation.
Involving Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, the joint venture aims to purchase the selected aircraft and sell flight hours on the type to the air force. The companies also want to assemble parts of the chosen type in Israel and equip it with some locally made systems.
flightglobal

Israel probará el misil Arrow-3 a mediados de 2011/ Israel to test Arrow-3 interceptor by mid-2011

El nuevo misil antimisiles balísiticos de Israel, el Arrow-3, realizará su primera prueba a mediados de 2011.
Israel Aerospace Industries, está realizando pruebas en tierra. Se espera que el Arrow-3, interceptará sus objetivos mediante energia cinética, en lugar de detectarlos por proximidad, como los actuales Arrow-2.
flightglobal
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The first fly out of Israel's new Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile interceptor will be performed by mid-2011.
Israel Aerospace Industries, which is developing the Arrow-3, is currently performing ground testing of the new missile, which will intercept incoming ballistic missiles using kinetic kill instead of proximity warhead detonation as with the operational Arrow-2.
flightglobal

Estados Unidos ofrece a Israel 20 aviones caza F-35 si se paraliza la construcción en las colonias durante tres meses

El Gobierno israelí decidirá en los próximos días si acepta una generosa oferta de Estados Unidos que comprende un importante paquete de ayuda militar a cambio de una moratoria de sólo tres meses en la construcción en los asentamientos judíos de Cisjordania, sin incluir el sector ocupado de Jerusalén.
Aunque la reunión ministerial deparó agrias discusiones, en medios políticos israelíes se da por seguro que al final el primer ministro Binyamin Netanyahu logrará el apoyo del Gabinete. La propuesta de EEUU prevé el suministro de una cuantiosa ayuda militar tan sólo a cambio de un vago compromiso de negociar con los palestinos, si estos se muestran dispuestos, durante tres meses.
Durante la reunión que el jueves pasado mantuvo con Netanyahu en Washington, la secretaria de Estado, Hillary Clinton, prometió a su interlocutor la entrega de 20 aviones F-35 avanzados que están valorados en 3.000 millones de dólares.
Y los aviones sólo son el principio. Clinton también prometió que EEUU seguirá apoyando la política de ambigüedad nuclear israelí. En los años ochenta expertos occidentales estimaron que el Estado judío disponía de más de 200 cabezas nucleares. Se supone que desde entonces su número ha crecido, y ahora además posee al menos tres submarinos con capacidad nuclear.
publico

Tercera batería de misiles antiaéros Arrow para Israel/ Israeli Air Force getting a third Arrow battery

La Fuerza Aérea Israelí, va a añadir proximamente la tercera batería de misiles Arrow a su inventario. Se espera que sea capaz de batir los objetivos mas difíciles, utilizando el nuevo radar Oren Adir.
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The Israeli Air Force is expecting to add a third Arrow battery to its arsenal. This battery is expected to get the newest interceptor and will employ the new Oren Adir radar
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Maniobras conjuntas Israel-Grecia/ IsraelIAF and Hellenic Air Force Conduct Combined Exercise in Greece

Helicópteros de la Fuerza Aérea de Israel UH-60 y AH-64 han realizado maniobras conjuntas con la Fuerza Aérea Griega esta semana.
Ambas fuerzas han practicado el vuelo y el aterrizaje en terreno montañoso en todo tipo de condiciones meteorológicas.
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Israeli UH-60 and AH-64 helicopters took part in a joint exercise with the Hellenic Air Force in Greece this week.
Both sides practiced flying and landing in mountainous terrain and under changing weather conditions.
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Esperando al Invisible.

No es muy común que un diario de información general como El Mundo, profundice en un tema como la compra por Israel del F-35, por eso lo publico en esta entrada.
Israel reconoce que el avión es caro (97 millones de dólares por unidad), pero entienden que ese tipo de tecnología es vital para su supervivencia. Además han conseguido muchas contrapretaciones para su industria nacional. Da envidia comprobar lo claro que lo tiene algunos.
Su efecto disuasorio ya se empieza a notar, y Siria ya ha lanzado mensajes de alerta.
Aquí dejo el enlace, espero que os guste.
elmundo.es

Israel firma el contrato para la compra de 20 F-35/Israel signs $2.75b agreement for 20 F-35s

El contrato de compra de 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 para la Fuerza Aérea de Israel, ha sido firmado en Nueva York, el pasado 7 de Octubre.
Israel obtendrá contrapartidas industriales por 1.000 millones de dólares, por lo que es posible que el número final de unidades a comprar por Israel se eleve.
flightglobal.com
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The letter of offer and acceptance for the supply of 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters to the Israeli air force was signed in New York on 7 October.
The Joint Strike Fighter purchase will involve an immediate $1 billion in offset work for Israeli defence companies. This will grow if Israel exercises options to purchase more of the aircraft.
flightglobal.com

Alemania, Israel y Taiwán interesadas en adquirir helicópteros CH-53K/ Germany, Israel and Taiwan interested in CH-53K

Alemania, Israel y Taiwán están entre los países que han anunciado un fuerte interés en la compra del helicópteroCH-53K. Mientras Alemania e Israel buscan capacidades extra de transporte, a Taiwán le interesa su capacidad de lanzamiento de minas.
aviationweek
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Germany, Israel and Taiwan are among the countries that have voiced strong interest in buying the CH-53K.
While both Germany and Israel are looking at the extra lifting capabilities of the CH-53K. Taiwan hopes to acquire it for its mine sweeping capability.
aviationweek

Agencia iraní informa de aterrizaje de helicópteros israelíes en Arabia Saudí/ Iranian news says Israeli helicopters landed in Saudi Arabia

Una agencia de noticias semi oficial iraní, informó el 23-06-10, del aterrizaje de helicópteros militares israelíes en Tabuk, localidad de Arabia Saudí, entre el 17 y el 18 de junio.
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A semi-official Iranian news agency reported on Wednesday that Israeli military helicopters had enter Saudi Arabia and landed in the town of Tabuk on Jun. 17 and 18.
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Arabia Saudí podría ceder su espacio aéreo a Israel para ataque a Irán/Saudi opens air corridor to allow Israel to strike Iran

El diario "The Times" ha informado que Arabia Saudí ha abierto un corredor aéreo en su espacio aéreo que sería utlizado por aviones de combate israelíes para atacar las instalaciones nucleares iraníes, citando fuentes norteamericanas. Al parecer Arabia Saudí ha estado probando sus sistemas de defensa aérea para permitir a los cazas israelíes volar sin ser detectados. "The Times" añade que este acuerdo es bastante conocido en círculos de defensa de Arabia Saudí.
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The Times reported that Saudi Arabia has opened a narrow air corridor to allow Israeli warplanes to strike Iran citing a U.S. defense source as saying that the Saudis have tested standing down their air defense system to ensure Israeli jets pass through unmolested. The Times added that it is common knowledge within defense circles in Saudi Arabia that an arrangement is in place if Israel decides to launch the raid.
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Israel decidirá en Julio de 2010 si finalmente adquiere el F-35/ Israel to make decision on F-35 by end of next month

Israel decidirá si finalmente compre F-35 tras tres reuniones a mantener, la última de ellas en julio, presidida por el ministro de defensa Ehud Barak.
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Israel will decide whether to go ahead with the purchase of the F-35 over three upcoming meetings.
The final meeting will be held next month, to be chaired by Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
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Israel pedirá información sobre futuro entrenador en Junio/Israel to issue jet trainer request for information in June

Israel emitirá un requerimiento de información en junio para un nuevo avión de entrenamiento para su fuerza aérea. Ejecutivos de Alenia Aermacchi y Korea Aerospace Industries han visitado el país recientemente donde se han reunido con altos funcionarios del Ministerio de Defensa.
Israel Aerospace Industries y Elbit Systems están en conversaciones para una joint venture, mediante la cual comprarían el avión seleccionado y venderían las horas de vuelo a la Fuerza Aérea.
Israel está considerando el Alenia Aermacchi M-346 y el KAI T-50 como potenciales sustitutos de lso Douglas A-4 Skyhawk utilizados actualmente.
www.flightglobal.com
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Israel's defence ministry is expected to issue a request for information for a new fleet of advanced jet trainers in June.
Officials from Alenia Aermacchi and Korea Aerospace Industries have recently visited the country and met Israeli air force, defence ministry and industry representatives.
Meanwhile, Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems are in advanced negotiations over a proposed joint venture that would see the companies buy the selected aircraft and sell flight hours to the air force.
Israel's air force is considering the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 and KAI T-50 as potential replacements for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawks used at its flight academy.
IAI and Elbit are also talking to the potential suppliers ahead of a selection. Sources say their joint venture may also include assembly of the selected trainer in Israel, in addition to the installation of locally made avionics equipment.

www.flightglobal.com

Israel reduce venta de armas a Turquía/Israel 'cuts arms sales to Turkey'

Israel impondrá un enfriamiento en sus ventas de armas a Turquía, antiguo y fuerte aliado, debido a las críticas del primer ministro turco Erdogan al Estado de Israel, que ha declarado, en un acercamiento a Irán, que Israel es la principal amenaza para la paz en Oriente Medio. Israel tendría bloqueado el uso del espacio aéreo turco para un posible ataque a instalaciones nucleares de Irán, por lo que estaría buscando alternativas. La India e Israel mantienen fuertes lazos militares y Israel podría utilizar su espacio aéreo para entrenamiento.
Uno de los programas a revisar es la venta a Turquía de equipos electrónicos SIBAT.
Las relaciones entre ambos estados se vienen deteriorando desde la invasión por Israel de la Franja de Gaza en Diciembre de 2008 y que acabó con el acuerdo de cooperación militar que mantenían desde 1996.
La industria de defensa de Israel se ha beneficiado de grandes contratos con Turquía en los últimos años y a pesar del enfriamiento ambos países están intentando vender conjuntamente carros de combate M-60 modernizados a Colombia.
El gobierno de Erdogan ha excluido a Israel de las maniobras OTAN y ha prohibido el uso del espacio aéreo turco por la Fuerza Aérea Israelí que se ejercitaba regularmente en el país, con vista a un posible ataque a Irán.
Sobre esto, en Mayo de 2008, la Fuerza Aérea Israelí, realizó un ejercicio utilizando mas de 100 aeronaves, que llegaron hasta el estrecho de Gibraltar.
Israel tiene acuerdos con Rumanía que permite que sus cazas se entrenen en este país.
En Marzo dos Gulfstream G-500 Shavit israelíes de inteligencia electrónica, fueron detectados en Hungría.
(combataircraft.com)
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Israel will impose a temporary freeze on the sale of advanced weapons systems to Turkey, once a key ally, because of blistering criticism of the Jewish state by Turkey's Islamist Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The latest outburst from Erdogan, who has been moving closer to Iran, came April 7 in Paris when he branded the Jewish state "the principal threat to regional peace" in the Middle East.
Meantime, the Israeli air force, blocked from Turkish air space and bracing for possible long-range attacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, is scouting for new training skies in Europe and Asia.
India has close military ties with Israel and that is being mooted as one option for the Israeli air force.
One issue under review by the ministry's Foreign Defense Assistance and Export Organization, known by its Hebrew acronym, SIBAT, is a Turkish request for Israeli electronic warfare systems.
Relations between Israel and Turkey have been steadily deteriorating since the Israeli military invaded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Dec. 27, 2008.
That effectively ended a landmark 1996 military cooperation agreement, which covered a wide range of intelligence-sharing, between Israel and Turkey, an overwhelmingly Muslim nation and NATO's only Muslim member.
Israel's defense industry benefited from big-ticket sales to Turkey over the years.
Relations soured even further over delays by Israel in delivering six Heron unmanned aerial vehicles ordered by Turkey under a 2005 contract for 10 of the surveillance drones. Despite the nosedive in diplomatic relations, Israel and Turkey have maintained "a cautious business relationship" and discussed the joint sale of upgraded U.S.-built M-60 main battle tanks to Colombia.
Erdogan's government excluded Israel from routine NATO air exercises last October in Turkey in reprisal for the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. It later banned Israeli aircraft from deploying in Turkey, where the Israeli air force, constrained by the Jewish state's small size, regularly conducted exercises in Turkey's air space.
This lack of air space apparently has hampered air force training for possible long-range airstrikes against Iran, whose alleged nuclear arms program is viewed by Israel as an existential threat.
In recent years, the air force has intensified its long-range training schedule, presumably because of the growing threat from Iran.
The most prominent of these operations was a May 2008 exercise in which some 100 Israeli warplanes, including aerial tankers and command aircraft, flew the length of the Mediterranean from Greece to Gibraltar in what was widely seen as a dress rehearsal for an assault on Iran.
As a result, the Defense Ministry is looking to continue an agreement it signed in 2006 that allows fighter jets to deploy in Romania.
Two Israeli air force Gulfstream G-500 Shavit electronic intelligence aircraft were spotted over Hungary in March.
(combataircraft.com)

Israel desea comprar mas F-15 y F-16/Israel mulls buying more F-15s, F-16s

Israel está planeando comprar mas Boeing F-15I o Lockheed Martin F-16I para rellenar el vacío operacional causado por los crecientes costes de desarrollo y crecientes retrasos del F-35 que la Fuerza Aérea desea comprar. Se trataría de comprar 18-24 aviones para equipar un escuadrón si los retrasos se prolongan. Se podría incluso retrasar la la retirada de los F-16A. El programa F-35 sufre un retraso de un año y medio y no estará listo hasta 2015 en lugar de la fecha prevista de 2013. Los costes han subido desde los 50 millones de dólares en 2002 a los 112 millones actualmente, aunque se especula que esta cifra podría llegar hasta los 150 millones por unidad.
Israel deseaba una entrega inicial de 25 F-35, con entregas en 2012, con opciones por 50 mas.
Israel dispone de 27 F-15I Raam y 102 F-16I Sufa de ataque al suelo, además de 72 F-15 A/B/C/D y 224 F-16 A/BN/C/D de caza.
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Israel is mulling the purchase of more Boeing F-15Is or Lockheed Martin F-16Is to fill the operational gap caused by the growing delays -- and soaring price tag -- of the ill-starred F-35 stealth fighter the air force wants to buy.
Israeli air force is considering the acquisition of one squadron -- 18-24 aircraft --if the delay in developing the F-35, is prolonged.
If the delays become too problematical, the IAF may postpone its procurement program and retain aircraft such as the F-16A, which it had planned to phase out once it received the initial batch of F-35s.
The Pentagon announced March 11 that the F-35 program was a year-and-a-half behind schedule and would not be ready for operational deployment until 2015 instead of 2013 and also disclosed that the cost of building the fifth-generation aircraft had risen from $50 million per plane when the program began in 2002 to $112 million, attributed to overruns, inflation and the increased cost of materials.
But some industry sources said the cost could swell to around $150 million per plane when revised estimates are completed in June.
The Israeli air force wanted to buy an initial batch of 25 F-35s, with delivery in 2012, with an option for 50 more.
Israel has 27 F-15I Raam and 102 F-16I Sufa ground-attack fighters, as well as 72 F-15 A/B/C/D and 224 F-16 A/BN/C/D fighter and strike variants.
The Ra'ams and Sufas comprise the air force's strategic long-range strike force.

IAI Y ELBIT SE UNEN PARA FABRICAR NUEVO AVION ENTRENADOR DE ISRAEL/IAI, ELBIT TO JOIN FORCES ON TRAINER DEAL

Israel Aerospace Industries y Elbit Systems están en negociaciones para crear una joint venture que podría suministrar un nuevo entrenado avanzado a la Fuerza Aérea Israelí. Las empresas están en conversaciones con Alenia Aermacchi y Korea Aerospace Industries, cuyos respectivos modelos M-346 y T-50son los principales candidatos para sustituir al Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
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Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems are in advanced negotiations on a proposed joint venture that could deliver a new advanced jet trainer service to the Israeli air force. The companies are also talking to Alenia Aermacchi and Korea Aerospace Industries, whose respective M-346 and T-50 designs are leading candidates to replace the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk.

ISRAEL ADQUIERE 3 C-130J HERCULES/ISRAEL SIGN DEAL FOR THREE C-130J

A principios de Abril, Israel firmará un contrato para la compra de tres C-130J, con opciones por seis mas. El primero se recibirá en 2013 e irá equipado con cockpit de tres personas, como el que utilizan algunos ejemplares de las Fuerzas Especiales de Estados Unidos. Además, serán modificados para poder portar equipos israelíes clasificados. Israel dispone de de 11 C-130E/H y cinco KC-130H versión cisterna. Los de la versión "E", serán retirados con la entrada en servicio de los nuevos "J", mientras que Israel Aerospace Industries realizará trabajos para alargar la vida útil de los C-130H.
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Israel will sign a contract for the purchase of three Lockheed Martin C-130J,with its acquisition to include an option for six more.
The Israeli air force plans to receive its first C-130J in 2013, with a three-person cockpit configuration, similar to some examples used by US special forces.
The new transports will also be modified for the future installation of some Israeli-classified equipment. Israel has an active fleet of 11 C-130E/H transports, plus five KC-130H tankers. Its E-model Hercules will be phased out with the new acquisition, while Israel Aerospace Industries will conduct structural work to extend the service lives of its younger C-130Hs.

Ante los retrasos en el F-35, Israel considera la opción de mas F-15/F-35 delays force Israelis to rethink about F-15

Israel está volviendo a considerar la compra del Boeing F-15, ante los retrasos que sufre el programa F-35. Un acuerdo inicial para la compra del F-35 fue firmado hace un año.
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Israeli defense officials are taking a second look on Boeing's F-15 after delays with the F-35 program. The Jerusalem Post reported that the signing of a letter of agreement has been pushed back by a year.