Jump to content
Please support this forum by joining the SH Patreon ×
Sturgeon's House

Israel to inject 1.879 Billion into US Economy


Belesarius

Recommended Posts

http://defense-update.com/20150519_israel_ordnance.html#.VWlPfEYufh0

 

Big orders of bombs and missiles to replenish IAF stocks. 14500 JDAM kits, 12000 bombs, 4100 SDBs, 50 5000lb deep penetration bombs, 1500 Paveway Kits, 3000 Hellfires, and 250 AIM-120Cs.

 

 

That's a lot of freaking bombs and missiles.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder how much of this they pay for out of their own pocket and how much of it is paid for by either direct US military aid or loans which will later be forgiven.

 

 

I'd be curious to see what Israel has spent the last few years on US munitions and if this is significantly higher than that.

 

 

Both good questions.

 

I'm also curious how self-sufficient the Israeli defense industry is.

 

A few years ago when various companies were trying to bring a semi-auto TAR-21, there was a lot of concern about 922® compliance.  For those not fluent in the vagaries of US firearms import laws, a rifle like the TAR-21 would require a certain percentage of the parts to be made in the US.  Word about the street was that this was fairly easy to do; a large percentage of the parts of the TAR-21 were rumored to be built in the US already by Continental Machine and Tool.

 

(Sturgeon, refresh my memory; did the importer at SHOT confirm these rumors?)

 

How much of Israeli military tech just undergoes final assembly in Israel?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Both good questions.

 

I'm also curious how self-sufficient the Israeli defense industry is.

 

A few years ago when various companies were trying to bring a semi-auto TAR-21, there was a lot of concern about 922® compliance.  For those not fluent in the vagaries of US firearms import laws, a rifle like the TAR-21 would require a certain percentage of the parts to be made in the US.  Word about the street was that this was fairly easy to do; a large percentage of the parts of the TAR-21 were rumored to be built in the US already by Continental Machine and Tool.

 

(Sturgeon, refresh my memory; did the importer at SHOT confirm these rumors?)

 

How much of Israeli military tech just undergoes final assembly in Israel?

 

Last I talked to the guys at SHOT, IWI had totally taken over the booth, and there was no one there who didn't speak English as a second language.

I could not substantially get any information from them except prices.

Or do you mean in 2012?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Both good questions.

 

I'm also curious how self-sufficient the Israeli defense industry is.

 

A few years ago when various companies were trying to bring a semi-auto TAR-21, there was a lot of concern about 922® compliance.  For those not fluent in the vagaries of US firearms import laws, a rifle like the TAR-21 would require a certain percentage of the parts to be made in the US.  Word about the street was that this was fairly easy to do; a large percentage of the parts of the TAR-21 were rumored to be built in the US already by Continental Machine and Tool.

 

(Sturgeon, refresh my memory; did the importer at SHOT confirm these rumors?)

 

How much of Israeli military tech just undergoes final assembly in Israel?

 

I'd be willing to bet (based on what I've looked into in researching Israeli tanks) that almost all but the armor plating itself, basic electronics and radios, guns, and ammunition (excluding missiles and other munitions like those listed in the OP) are imported.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is not uncommon in history.  During the Great War better than half of the weapons made for the allies were made in the US, and the loans that paid for them came from US banks.  BEFORE US entry into the war the US was the largest participant in terms of dollars invested in fighting.  While allowing millions of US soldiers onto the continent trained to the highest standard of small unit advance tactics was stupid on the part of Germany, they had been fighting the US already for three years.

 

In WW2 30% of every dollar spent by anyone, Axis or Allies, was a US dollar.  

 

In defense seminars it is said if you want to build up your defenses cozy up to the US, if you want to invade your neighbor call the US names and collect the check from Russia.  Getting US aid is like buying from the Apple store - great products that go bang every time and look good doing it, but you do it Apple's way of no way at all.  Russia is like the Dell store - cheap beige boxes which work (sometimes) but no one cares if you run your child porn empire on it.

 

Israeli criticism of the US has become existential and dangerous.  In Israeli Likud circles the US is referred to quite openly as a weak and overbearing nation of idiots, and there is wistful talk that Israel would prefer a supporting nation that had the technology and money of the US, but the social and foreign policy of Russia.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In defense seminars it is said if you want to build up your defenses cozy up to the US, if you want to invade your neighbor call the US names and collect the check from Russia.  Getting US aid is like buying from the Apple store - great products that go bang every time and look good doing it, but you do it Apple's way of no way at all.  Russia is like the Dell store - cheap beige boxes which work (sometimes) but no one cares if you run your child porn empire on it.

 

wow

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Israeli criticism of the US has become existential and dangerous.  In Israeli Likud circles the US is referred to quite openly as a weak and overbearing nation of idiots, and there is wistful talk that Israel would prefer a supporting nation that had the technology and money of the US, but the social and foreign policy of Russia.  

 

wow

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Israel is moving away from the era when it was all about protecting world Jewish rights, and is moving toward an era where it is about control the power they never expected to have.  In some ways Israel is color blind anymore to choosing it allies, as long as its allies give them what they want and keep their mouth shut.  Good old Ben, by involving himself in US politics and not being very subtle about his criticism of his allies, is signaling that Israeli loyalty is for sale.  In Likud thinking, the weak Americans will not be able to avoid giving them something, but that better deals can be had with some other ally - China or Russia being only examples.  The same thing happened when Israel kicked France to the curb in the 1960s for the US.  No one expected that the French / Israeli axis would ever fall, but it did and dramatically.

 

We are moving to a time when Israel is going to try and throw off its "protectors" and seek better deals for itself.  The only question is how graceful this realignment is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My mind still boggles at the thought that there are Israelis that think the previous balance of power in their relationship with the US wasn't enough in their favor, and I worry at potential implications that could have for their goals.

 

Like I said, this is a Likud party line.  Super-right Likudniks like Danny Danon love to scream that the US is interfering with the sovereign right of Israel to do what it pleases whenever Obama says the words "two state solution."  Danon is the first person I heard comment that other allies are needed to force the US back into its traditional role of supporting Israel (read - forking over the pork).  The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has been told in no uncertain terms by Likud that Israel may be moving away from its special status with the US and that AIPAC must move quickly to secure Israel's friendship.  Several Israeli speakers have visited AIPAC and warned that the US is moving in the direction of NAZI Germany with its criticism of Netanyahu and the slow speed that it has been approving increased funding, and why these are extreme examples it is souring the US support for Israel among affluent, educated Jews.

 

Most of the divorce between Israel and the US has been quiet.  Dermer has stated numerous times in public that Obama is impertinent and needs to learn to "listen rather than talk" when being lectured by him on the Arab - Israeli issue.  He also arranged for a number of public embarrassments for Biden.  But Dermer does remember that a previous Republican president invited a previous Israeli ambassador into the Oval office and stood there screaming at him in the presence of Marlin Fitzwater and others.  So Israel is shopping for a new partner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frankly I'm rather worried for what that implies about Likud's positioning and everything considering that in general Israel's been handed carte eggshell (or your preferred off-white).

 

I've got to say as an American I'm pretty glad Israel's not holding our leash anymore.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frankly I'm rather worried for what that implies about Likud's positioning and everything considering that in general Israel's been handed carte eggshell (or your preferred off-white).

 

I've got to say as an American I'm pretty glad Israel's not holding our leash anymore.

 

Aside from influencing Middle Eastern policy, how does Israel hold the US' leash?

 

  He also arranged for a number of public embarrassments for Biden. 

 

All that requires is for Biden to be in public.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...