TEL AVIV [MENL] -- The Israel Air Force has quietly expressed frustration over its decision to accept a U.S.-origin radar for the new F-16I multi-role fighter.
Defense officials and military sources said the choice of Northrop Grumman's AN/APG-68[V]9 synthetic-aperture multi-mode radar has dismayed both the service and the Defense Ministry. They said an evaluation by Israeli air force pilots of the U.S. radar showed it to be inferior to an indigenous Israeli radar designed by Elta Electronic Industries. Israeli pilots flew the F-16I in test flights in 2003 in the United States.
"This was the most political decision ever made by the air force and we'll be paying for this for years to come," a senior officer said.
The military sources said the Defense Ministry agreed to a U.S. radar as part of the request for 102 F-16 Block 50 aircraft from the United States in 1999. The U.S. Defense Department refused to allow Israel to install the Elta SAR radar on the F-16, the staple of NATO air forces.
The Israeli's have a reputation for retro fitting better systems, I don't know why they just don't remove the '68 and install their own systems.
Defense officials and military sources said the choice of Northrop Grumman's AN/APG-68[V]9 synthetic-aperture multi-mode radar has dismayed both the service and the Defense Ministry. They said an evaluation by Israeli air force pilots of the U.S. radar showed it to be inferior to an indigenous Israeli radar designed by Elta Electronic Industries. Israeli pilots flew the F-16I in test flights in 2003 in the United States.
"This was the most political decision ever made by the air force and we'll be paying for this for years to come," a senior officer said.
The military sources said the Defense Ministry agreed to a U.S. radar as part of the request for 102 F-16 Block 50 aircraft from the United States in 1999. The U.S. Defense Department refused to allow Israel to install the Elta SAR radar on the F-16, the staple of NATO air forces.
The Israeli's have a reputation for retro fitting better systems, I don't know why they just don't remove the '68 and install their own systems.