Israel Matzav

US supplies bunker busters to Israel

The US is supplying Israel with bunker busters like the GBU-28 shown at the top of this post (Hat Tip: Danny A). A similar report appeared in Globes - Israel's business daily - last week. The original report appeared in Defense News. This is from Globes:

According to "Defense News", Israel will shortly bring the GBU-39 bomb into operational use with the F-15I "Thunder" squadron. This 250-pound precision-guided bomb can accurately hit a target in all weather conditions and penetrate more than two meters of concrete, according to the specifications of its manufacturer, Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) and the US Air Force. The sale of 1,000 bombs was reported to Congress, as required by law, in 2008.

Israeli Ministry of Defense and defense establishment officials told "Defense News" that, in 2010 and 2011, the IAF F-15I and F-16I "Storm" squadrons will have GBU-39 bombs, which will give the IAF the ability to hit multiple targets more accurately with a single sortie, while minimizing collateral damage.

The IAF is also equipping its F-15I squadron with the GBU-28 2.2-ton hard target penetrator bomb, which can penetrate 30 meters into the ground, or crack a seven-meter concrete roof.

The Pentagon approved the delivery of 100 GBU-28s in 2005, after years of hesitation. It notified Congress of the delivery of 50 more bombs in 2007. US and Israeli sources told "Defense News" that the IAF has not yet procured all the bombs approved of both types, nor has it used them in reprisal air strikes, in order to keep them ready for possible use against Iranian nuclear sites.

DEBKA adds:

Debkafile's Washington sources report that the Obama administration decided to release this data to dispel rumors of a US arms embargo against Israel, especially of items that would enable Israel to attack Iran's nuclear installations. The GBU-28 "Deep Throat" has that capability and is one of those items.

US defense sources declined to comment on the debkafile report of March 28, according to which President Barak Obama halted the delivery of advanced, high-precision bunker-buster Joint Direct Attack Munition-JDAM bombs to Israel on March 28, after Vice President Joe Biden ended his visit to Jerusalem. These bombs were already en route to Israel when they were diverted instead to the US base of Diego Garcia, thereby initiating an arms embargo designed to prevent an Israeli strike against Iran.

Hmmm.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:13 AM