Israel fears US budget cuts may hurt missile defense

Israel fears US budget cuts may hurt missile defense

www.ynetnews.com

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is once again considering offering Israel the Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) anti-ballistic missile system instead of helping Israel finance most of the development of the Arrow-3 system, Ynet has learned. Congress is expected to discuss the matter shortly. Israel has rejected a similar offer in the past.

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Israel objected to the development of the SM-3 at the expense of the US funding of the new Arrow program, as the Defense Ministry prefers to provide work to Israeli industries and because the cost of the new SM-3 is estimated at $10-12 million per missile, while the Arrow-3 will only cost 1.5-2 million per unit.

Another reason is that the Arrow missiles have already been successfully tested as an anti-ballistic missile system and would better serve Israel's defense needs.

Firstly, why would the US fund a missile program that has no relevance to homeland security? After all, the US has no plans of using this system. Now I know this is a rhetoric question as the Israeli lobby is the reason for the US to fund this program greatly.

The US is so much tied to Israel's apron strings, it's incredible. They are going to offer Israel another way of spending their own money.

Secondly, Israel prefers the defense jobs to be in Israel rather than in the US, what should Americans think of this? Especially with the current unemployment rate.







www.ynetnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Mdv2

Firstly, why would the US fund a missile program that has no relevance to homeland security?

why profit of course. the US makes gazillions out the sale of arms to other nations.

Secondly, Israel prefers the defense jobs to be in Israel rather than in the US, what should Americans think of this? Especially with the current unemployment rate.

americans shouldn't give a damn because isreal is not gonna buy the american product at 10 times the cost and the US knows this. but... and i say but, isreal's enemy's will by the standard system.

Isreal is going to have to manufacture the Arrow system themselves. without the US funding and technology, it may be less effective. America does not want anyone to have equally advanced firestorm shield systems.

The US is so much tied to Israel's apron strings

they say keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.


[edit on 13-4-2009 by spearhead]

[edit on 13-4-2009 by spearhead]

reply to post by Mdv2

Another reason is that the Arrow missiles have already been successfully tested as an anti-ballistic missile system and would better serve Israel's defense needs.

Well the RIM-161 SM-3 variant is vastly superior in all regards to the Arrow ABM system and has show itself capable of intercepting everything from ICBM's to satellites in testing.
It's faster, has a greater range, better terminal manoeuvring, etc.

But Israel is only looking to use an ABM system to use as a precaution against mythical, Iranian nuclear attacks which will never happen.

That's the primary motivation for spending less on ABM defence, whereas America wants the SM-3 to become the default standard for their Ballistic Missile shield.

Firstly, why would the US fund a missile program that has no relevance to homeland security? After all, the US has no plans of using this system. Now I know this is a rhetoric question as the Israeli lobby is the reason for the US to fund this program greatly.

You just answered your own question.

Why should America give $6.4 billion a year to Israel in the first place?

It's counter-productive to national security because it gives Jihadists everywhere the perfect justification to attack the United States.

Of course to the Jewish Lobby, that doesn't matter. Their loyalties lie solely with Israel, not the US.