IAI forced out of Indian fighter jet bid
Jerry Gordon comment: Witness what my chaver, Jan Poller says about this further effort at protectionism by the Obama Administration aimed at Israel:
India is looking to buy $12 billion for 120 new fighters. Competing countries are The United States, Russia, The UE and Sweden-Israel joint venture. Israel would supply the avionics and Sweden the Saab Grippen air frame. The United States says that it would mean Israel would supply India with American Technology. The Administration has the chutzpah to say this while, at the same time, proposing the all American F-16 or F-18 with all-American avionics. This is the same administration that didn’t want Israel to put the all Israeli electronics into the F-35 Strike fighter. Perhaps, Israel should cancel plans to buy the F-35 and buy SAAB Gripen JAS-39s with Israeli electronics. Someday, this administration, with its anti-Israel attitudes is going to seriously hurt Israel. That day will see the cessation of all weapons and spare parts sales to Israel.
by Yaakov Katz, Jerusalem Post, July 5, 2009
Swedish AF JAS-39 Gripen SAAB fighter
The deal, estimated at a whopping $12 billion for over 120 new aircraft, is being fought over by Lockheed Martin’s F-16, Boeing’s F-18/Hornet, Russia’s MiG-35 and BAE’s Eurofighter. IAI was asked by Saab, manufacturer of the Gripen, to jointly develop an advanced model which would compete for the deal.
The Defense Ministry ordered IAI to back out of the deal after the Pentagon expressed concern that American technology, used by Israel, would be integrated into the Gripen offered to the Indians.
“The stated concern was that Western technology in Israeli hands would make its way to the Indians,” one Israeli official said.
What was strange with the American request was that Boeing and Lockheed Martin - the two largest US defense contractors - are also competing for the Indian deal. For this reason, Israeli officials said it was more likely that the Americans were concerned that if IAI competed for the deal with Saab, it would force the American companies to lower their prices. (Continue Reading this Article)
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Pingback by Israpundit » Blog Archive » IAI forced out of Indian fighter jet bid | India today — July 5, 2009 @ 4:22 pm
Regarding the USA forcing Israel (IMI) out of the bidding for developing new tanks for the Turkish Armed Forces, the bizarre and strange thing was……that afterwards USA lost their own bid to Turkey, and the whole huge Turkish order went to the Republic of South Korea !! So, the USA first destroyed a lucrative order for Israel, and then lost it themselves !! That’s crazy. Really, a loose - loose situation !
I would set up a special prosecuter to Check every clerk, every high ranking Army officer, every politician to see who among them are and have been on the payroll of American Defense contractors or anybody else for that matter. This is not the first time and if we continue as Americas little colony here in the ME. Every export contract lost is less income for the Government, less services to the Israeli public, higher taxes which then result in less competitiveness of all our products , higher unemployment and emigration od some for better opportunities abroad.
This is the exact reason I favor Obama If he can’t break the Israel dependence on America who can. Certainly not his flunky BB. I respect America in this respect they are as they should seeking to protect their own industries and protect their workforce from any competition but what about our guys who and what are they protecting. The answer to that question would solve a lot of problems if they were made known.
Anybody have any ideas as to what our Pygmies are protecting and why?
Comment by yamit82 — July 5, 2009 @ 5:54 pm
Comment by yamit82 — July 5, 2009 @ 6:07 pm
Of course, Israel has no business of buying F-35s from the US, not that I particularly admire Sweden. As I have stated many times, Israel needs to build their own airframe, Jet engines and electronic systems. Israel certainly has the means of doing so. As a sovereign country they should be able to export military hardware to any recognized democratic country. Having a strong military construction business could and would make Israel far less dependent on the US and financially stronger.
Comment by Ed D — July 5, 2009 @ 6:52 pm
Israel needs to stop giving in to US government blackmail.
Comment by Laura — July 5, 2009 @ 6:56 pm
I agree with Ed D.
As for Lockheed Martin, I’m getting fed up with them. Aren’t they the ones who won’t hire Jews, because they suspect all Jews of being Israeli agents? This says it all:
Money-grubbing bastards!
Comment by BlandOatmeal — July 6, 2009 @ 12:24 pm
I agree with EdD.
Why not have India BUY Saab Aero and move it to India? Then India can work with any Israeli contractor they want.
The Swedish government is so pacifist they probably would not notice - and too busy de-industrializing Sweden’s powerhouse of engineering talent into a nation of retailers.
Saab Aero is currently trying to move a big chunk of themselves to Brazil in order to stay in business since their order book is almost empty in 2012.
is it time for israel to align with the BRIC economies? (Brazil, Russia, India, China)
Comment by Birdalone — July 7, 2009 @ 6:12 am