Hagel to focus on arms deal during visit to Israel

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will land in Israel on Sunday, April 21 on a visit which is expected to see the finalization of an arms deal that will enable Israel to improve its long-range strike, aerial patrol and troop transport capabilities, according to The Jerusalem Post.

During the visit, Hagel will meet with Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, and conclude the sale of V-22 Osprey aircraft, refueling tankers, advanced radars for fighter jets and anti-air defense missiles.

The arms deal will not be the only topic of talks between Ya’alon and Hagel, an Israeli defense source told the JPost. The Iranian nuclear program and ongoing Syrian instability will demand the attention of both defense leaders.

Israel Air Force pilots have begun training on the tili-rotor V-22 aircraft, which uses rotors to take off and land vertically before flying on missions as an airplane. It can match the speed of a Hercules and refuel from it during sorties. The V-22 will improve the IAF’s aerial patrol capabilities, and can also transport troops a considerable distance.

Israel will also purchase the KC-135 military refueling plane, which will form a substantial addition to the IAF’s current fleet of modified Boeing 707 refueling aircraft, of which the air force is believed to have around 10.

The arms deal is part of a wider $10 billion package involving U.S. sales to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, designed to provide Washington’s allies in the region with enhanced military capabilities against Iran. The UAE will take stock of 25 F-16 Desert Falcon jets worth nearly $5b.

“This not only sustains but augments Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region,” Reuters quoted a U.S. official as saying. “This package is a significant advance for Israel... This is about giving all three partners in the region added capacity to address key threats that they may face down the road.”

The New York Times cited a U.S. official as saying that the package was aimed at helping “Israel deal with various security challenges – but devised so it would not be viewed as an American endorsement of accelerated planning by Israel to strike alone at Tehran’s suspected nuclear facilities.”