US to sell bunker busters to Israel

[BBond]

In yet another move to promote peace and stability in the Middle East...

US to sell bunker busters to Israel

SN SECURITY WATCH (28/04/05) - The US has agreed to supply Israel with 5,000 ?smart bombs? in a US$319 million weapons deal announced on Wednesday.

The bombs include 500 one-ton ?bunker-busters?, along with 2,500 other one-ton bombs, 1,000 half-ton bombs, and 500 quarter-ton bombs.

The news prompted immediate speculation that the bombs may be used to hit Iranian nuclear facilities.

Tehran has insisted its nuclear program is aimed at producing electricity and is not a weapons program, but both Washington and Tel Aviv have been highly skeptical of that claim and have been pressing Iran to give up its nuclear program altogether.

Under the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), there is nothing to prevent signatories from pursuing nuclear programs for non-military purposes.

The US and Israel say they are pursuing a diplomatic course to convince Iran to end all nuclear activity, but Tehran has steadfastly maintained it has a right to develop its nuclear potential for civilian use.

On Tuesday, Tehran announced that it had started converting raw uranium into the gas needed for enrichment, a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons.

If Iran cannot be convinced to forgo its nuclear program, there are concerns that either the US or Israel may attempt to destroy its nuclear sites.

The BLU-109 (Bomb Live Unit) ?bunker-buster? ? 500 of which will be delivered to Israel - is well suited for such a purpose, as it can penetrate five meters of fortifications.

The bombs are mounted on satellite-guided missiles and can be fired from F-15 or F-16 jets.

Earlier this year, under the US government's Peace Marble V defense assistance program, Israel had received the first of 102 F-16Is configured for long-range strikes.

As the bombs can be guided by Israel?s own military surveillance satellites that monitor Iran, Tel Aviv would not need to rely on US satellites.

The precision-guided munitions, or ?smart? bombs, are self-guiding weapons intended to maximize damage to the target but minimize collateral damage. However, if their guidance systems fail, they could cause greater collateral damage than an ordinary bomb.

Israeli military officials have not made any statements about whether the bombs could be used against Iran, but they ruled out the possibility that they would be used against Palestinian targets.

In July 2002, Israel used a ?smart? bomb against a senior Palestinian militant, but the blast also killed 15 civilians, drawing international condemnation.

The Pentagon announced last June that it was considering the sale to Israel in a package meant to ?contribute significantly to US strategic and tactical objectives?.

Funding for the deal will come from US military aid to Israel.
(By Ustina Markus in Washington, DC)

I wonder how Iran, and their newly U.S. minted ally, The Islamic Republic of Iraq, feel about this?

 

[conjur]

Putin will have no problem making money off selling arms to Iran and Syria. Hell, we did it in the past and used the money to fund death squads for Negroponte in Central America.

Then we have Donald "Dr. Strangelove" Rumsfeld:

Rumsfeld says study of earth penetrating nukes makes "all the sense in the world"
http://www.spacewar.com/2005/050427172446.z80aon78.html

 

[Trente]

Originally posted by: BBond
In yet another move to promote peace and stability in the Middle East...

US to sell bunker busters to Israel

SN SECURITY WATCH (28/04/05) - The US has agreed to supply Israel with 5,000 ?smart bombs? in a US$319 million weapons deal announced on Wednesday.

The bombs include 500 one-ton ?bunker-busters?, along with 2,500 other one-ton bombs, 1,000 half-ton bombs, and 500 quarter-ton bombs.

The news prompted immediate speculation that the bombs may be used to hit Iranian nuclear facilities.

Tehran has insisted its nuclear program is aimed at producing electricity and is not a weapons program, but both Washington and Tel Aviv have been highly skeptical of that claim and have been pressing Iran to give up its nuclear program altogether.

Under the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), there is nothing to prevent signatories from pursuing nuclear programs for non-military purposes.

The US and Israel say they are pursuing a diplomatic course to convince Iran to end all nuclear activity, but Tehran has steadfastly maintained it has a right to develop its nuclear potential for civilian use.

On Tuesday, Tehran announced that it had started converting raw uranium into the gas needed for enrichment, a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons.

If Iran cannot be convinced to forgo its nuclear program, there are concerns that either the US or Israel may attempt to destroy its nuclear sites.

The BLU-109 (Bomb Live Unit) ?bunker-buster? ? 500 of which will be delivered to Israel - is well suited for such a purpose, as it can penetrate five meters of fortifications.

The bombs are mounted on satellite-guided missiles and can be fired from F-15 or F-16 jets.

Earlier this year, under the US government's Peace Marble V defense assistance program, Israel had received the first of 102 F-16Is configured for long-range strikes.

As the bombs can be guided by Israel?s own military surveillance satellites that monitor Iran, Tel Aviv would not need to rely on US satellites.

The precision-guided munitions, or ?smart? bombs, are self-guiding weapons intended to maximize damage to the target but minimize collateral damage. However, if their guidance systems fail, they could cause greater collateral damage than an ordinary bomb.

Israeli military officials have not made any statements about whether the bombs could be used against Iran, but they ruled out the possibility that they would be used against Palestinian targets.

In July 2002, Israel used a ?smart? bomb against a senior Palestinian militant, but the blast also killed 15 civilians, drawing international condemnation.

The Pentagon announced last June that it was considering the sale to Israel in a package meant to ?contribute significantly to US strategic and tactical objectives?.

Funding for the deal will come from US military aid to Israel.
(By Ustina Markus in Washington, DC)

I wonder how Iran, and their newly U.S. minted ally, The Islamic Republic of Iraq, feel about this?

Israel probably obtained these as a direct response to Iran's nuclear program.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Endless circle of cause and effect.

Where was the world ouitrage in 81 over Osrak?

 

[StageLeft]

Only $60k for one? I think I'll save up.

 

[Moonbeam]

When U got alot of knives and forks U feel an urge to cut something.

 

[Passions]

So what's the problem? The US sells weapons all over the world to our allies.

Weapons are a deterent to volatile nations. Read your history.

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: Passions
So what's the problem? The US sells weapons all over the world to our allies.

Weapons are a deterent to volatile nations. Read your history.

do you object to Russia providing armored cars to the palestinian police?

 

[BBond]

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: Passions
So what's the problem? The US sells weapons all over the world to our allies.

Weapons are a deterent to volatile nations. Read your history.

do you object to Russia providing armored cars to the palestinian police?

Apparently he approves of this deterrent as well.

It's all in the cause of peace. :roll:

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: conjur
Putin will have no problem making money off selling arms to Iran and Syria. Hell, we did it in the past and used the money to fund death squads for Negroponte in Central America.

Then we have Donald "Dr. Strangelove" Rumsfeld:

Rumsfeld says study of earth penetrating nukes makes "all the sense in the world"
http://www.spacewar.com/2005/050427172446.z80aon78.html

:music:Ain't no moutain high enough, Ain't no bunker deep enough to keep me away from you:music:

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
When U got alot of knives and forks U feel an urge to cut something.

So true...this is one of the real messages we should be paying attention too

 

[OffTopic1]

Originally posted by: Trente

Originally posted by: BBond
In yet another move to promote peace and stability in the Middle East...

US to sell bunker busters to Israel

SN SECURITY WATCH (28/04/05) - The US has agreed to supply Israel with 5,000 ?smart bombs? in a US$319 million weapons deal announced on Wednesday.

The bombs include 500 one-ton ?bunker-busters?, along with 2,500 other one-ton bombs, 1,000 half-ton bombs, and 500 quarter-ton bombs.

The news prompted immediate speculation that the bombs may be used to hit Iranian nuclear facilities.

Tehran has insisted its nuclear program is aimed at producing electricity and is not a weapons program, but both Washington and Tel Aviv have been highly skeptical of that claim and have been pressing Iran to give up its nuclear program altogether.

Under the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), there is nothing to prevent signatories from pursuing nuclear programs for non-military purposes.

The US and Israel say they are pursuing a diplomatic course to convince Iran to end all nuclear activity, but Tehran has steadfastly maintained it has a right to develop its nuclear potential for civilian use.

On Tuesday, Tehran announced that it had started converting raw uranium into the gas needed for enrichment, a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons.

If Iran cannot be convinced to forgo its nuclear program, there are concerns that either the US or Israel may attempt to destroy its nuclear sites.

The BLU-109 (Bomb Live Unit) ?bunker-buster? ? 500 of which will be delivered to Israel - is well suited for such a purpose, as it can penetrate five meters of fortifications.

The bombs are mounted on satellite-guided missiles and can be fired from F-15 or F-16 jets.

Earlier this year, under the US government's Peace Marble V defense assistance program, Israel had received the first of 102 F-16Is configured for long-range strikes.

As the bombs can be guided by Israel?s own military surveillance satellites that monitor Iran, Tel Aviv would not need to rely on US satellites.

The precision-guided munitions, or ?smart? bombs, are self-guiding weapons intended to maximize damage to the target but minimize collateral damage. However, if their guidance systems fail, they could cause greater collateral damage than an ordinary bomb.

Israeli military officials have not made any statements about whether the bombs could be used against Iran, but they ruled out the possibility that they would be used against Palestinian targets.

In July 2002, Israel used a ?smart? bomb against a senior Palestinian militant, but the blast also killed 15 civilians, drawing international condemnation.

The Pentagon announced last June that it was considering the sale to Israel in a package meant to ?contribute significantly to US strategic and tactical objectives?.

Funding for the deal will come from US military aid to Israel.
(By Ustina Markus in Washington, DC)

I wonder how Iran, and their newly U.S. minted ally, The Islamic Republic of Iraq, feel about this?

Israel probably obtained these as a direct response to Iran's nuclear program.

And Iran want nuke because Israel have nuclear weapons, and the US name them as one of the axis of evil.

 

[Trente]

Originally posted by: OffTopic

Originally posted by: Trente

Originally posted by: BBond
In yet another move to promote peace and stability in the Middle East...

US to sell bunker busters to Israel

SN SECURITY WATCH (28/04/05) - The US has agreed to supply Israel with 5,000 ?smart bombs? in a US$319 million weapons deal announced on Wednesday.

The bombs include 500 one-ton ?bunker-busters?, along with 2,500 other one-ton bombs, 1,000 half-ton bombs, and 500 quarter-ton bombs.

The news prompted immediate speculation that the bombs may be used to hit Iranian nuclear facilities.

Tehran has insisted its nuclear program is aimed at producing electricity and is not a weapons program, but both Washington and Tel Aviv have been highly skeptical of that claim and have been pressing Iran to give up its nuclear program altogether.

Under the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), there is nothing to prevent signatories from pursuing nuclear programs for non-military purposes.

The US and Israel say they are pursuing a diplomatic course to convince Iran to end all nuclear activity, but Tehran has steadfastly maintained it has a right to develop its nuclear potential for civilian use.

On Tuesday, Tehran announced that it had started converting raw uranium into the gas needed for enrichment, a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons.

If Iran cannot be convinced to forgo its nuclear program, there are concerns that either the US or Israel may attempt to destroy its nuclear sites.

The BLU-109 (Bomb Live Unit) ?bunker-buster? ? 500 of which will be delivered to Israel - is well suited for such a purpose, as it can penetrate five meters of fortifications.

The bombs are mounted on satellite-guided missiles and can be fired from F-15 or F-16 jets.

Earlier this year, under the US government's Peace Marble V defense assistance program, Israel had received the first of 102 F-16Is configured for long-range strikes.

As the bombs can be guided by Israel?s own military surveillance satellites that monitor Iran, Tel Aviv would not need to rely on US satellites.

The precision-guided munitions, or ?smart? bombs, are self-guiding weapons intended to maximize damage to the target but minimize collateral damage. However, if their guidance systems fail, they could cause greater collateral damage than an ordinary bomb.

Israeli military officials have not made any statements about whether the bombs could be used against Iran, but they ruled out the possibility that they would be used against Palestinian targets.

In July 2002, Israel used a ?smart? bomb against a senior Palestinian militant, but the blast also killed 15 civilians, drawing international condemnation.

The Pentagon announced last June that it was considering the sale to Israel in a package meant to ?contribute significantly to US strategic and tactical objectives?.

Funding for the deal will come from US military aid to Israel.
(By Ustina Markus in Washington, DC)

I wonder how Iran, and their newly U.S. minted ally, The Islamic Republic of Iraq, feel about this?

Israel probably obtained these as a direct response to Iran's nuclear program.

And Iran want nuke because Israel have nuclear weapons, and the US name them as one of the axis of evil.

Even if Iran never nukes anyone, it will be able to increase it's terror activities in the ME and in other locations over the world because of her status as a nuclear power. Israel obtained nukes because of the FACT that Arab countries around it refused to accept it's existence. You have to remember that Israel is a tiny nation; If IDF failes to stop an Arab state from invading Israel, then it's doomed. The nukes are there to protect it from such a scenario and at the same time deter anyone from even thinking about conquering it...

 

[Gnarly]

What a bunch of crap. As usual the media folks don't do their homework. The Blu 109 is a slightly hardened version of the MK84 bomb body. The unit itself sells to the US government for about $1200. The guidance kit being referred to is the Joint Direct Attack Munitions kit otherwise known as GBU-31, GBU-32 and GBU-33 sells for about $20-30K a piece. These are tail kits that can fitted onto regular MK82, MK83 and MK84 bomb bodies. As the MK84 and Blu 109 are the same bomb body the kit is interchangeable. The Blu 109 does have better penetration ability but is not in the class of GU-24, GBU-27, or GBU-28. Not to mention that JDAM kits are not as accurate (GPS Guidance) as the aforementioned laser guided kits. To call them bunker busters is ludicrous. Not to mention that bunker busters are hardly required for Iranian NU-CU-LAR facilities. Oh by the way it would take fewer than ten 109's with JDAM to get the job done, which leaves a few hundred left over. Could it be just another weapons buy? No No it's got to be something sinister. No one has mentioned that half the countries in Europe have ordered or want to order the JDAM kits because they lower costs considerably, eliminating the need to strike targets numerous times to achieve the percentage of destruction desired.

 

[BBond]

Originally posted by: Gnarly
What a bunch of crap. As usual the media folks don't do their homework. The Blu 109 is a slightly hardened version of the MK84 bomb body. The unit itself sells to the US government for about $1200. The guidance kit being referred to is the Joint Direct Attack Munitions kit otherwise known as GBU-31, GBU-32 and GBU-33 sells for about $20-30K a piece. These are tail kits that can fitted onto regular MK82, MK83 and MK84 bomb bodies. As the MK84 and Blu 109 are the same bomb body the kit is interchangeable. The Blu 109 does have better penetration ability but is not in the class of GU-24, GBU-27, or GBU-28. Not to mention that JDAM kits are not as accurate (GPS Guidance) as the aforementioned laser guided kits. To call them bunker busters is ludicrous. Not to mention that bunker busters are hardly required for Iranian NU-CU-LAR facilities. Oh by the way it would take fewer than ten 109's with JDAM to get the job done, which leaves a few hundred left over. Could it be just another weapons buy? No No it's got to be something sinister. No one has mentioned that half the countries in Europe have ordered or want to order the JDAM kits because they lower costs considerably, eliminating the need to strike targets numerous times to achieve the percentage of destruction desired.

Gnarly,

You should send a letter to the editor.

Are these bombs capable of destroying Iran's nuclear facility or is this all just wild speculation?

If Iran cannot be convinced to forgo its nuclear program, there are concerns that either the US or Israel may attempt to destroy its nuclear sites.

The BLU-109 (Bomb Live Unit) ?bunker-buster? ? 500 of which will be delivered to Israel - is well suited for such a purpose, as it can penetrate five meters of fortifications.

The bombs are mounted on satellite-guided missiles and can be fired from F-15 or F-16 jets.

Earlier this year, under the US government's Peace Marble V defense assistance program, Israel had received the first of 102 F-16Is configured for long-range strikes.

 

[judasmachine]

w00t! A weiney roast! I do love a picnic.
Yeah this will help bring peace and stability to this troubled region. /sarcasm

 

[Gnarly]

Sure, these bombs can seal the deal, but so can half the IAF arsenal. That's really the point here. This is just a standard weapons buy. They're upgrading to the next best thing, something every military does. I don't think this can be construed as anything sinister. Now if they start buying JASSM (AGM-158?) and SLAM-ER (AGM-84), then I say we should all do a collective hmmm.