Posted on 01/15/2014 6:47:45 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Israel is advancing with its plans to field the Bell Boeing V-22 tiltrotor transport, with its acquisition of a six-strong fleet to be worth more than $1 billion.
New details of the planned purchase were disclosed by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 13 January, in a notification to Congress.
The government of Israel's request includes six aircraft in a "V-22B Block C" configuration, with these to be optimised for search and rescue and special operations duties, the DSCA says. Also counting related aircraft equipment, support services and personnel training, "the estimated cost is $1.13 billion", it adds.
"The proposed sale of V-22B aircraft will enhance and increase the Israel Defense Forces' search and rescue and special operations capabilities. The V-22B provides the capability to move personnel and equipment to areas not accessible to fixed-wing lift assets," the DSCA notes.
Israel began evaluating the V-22 in 2011, with some of its air force personnel having flown the aircraft from US Marine Corps facilities as part of the process. A final report produced following this work recommended that the service acquire "a number" of the aircraft to meet special operations requirements.
Doesn’t seem like the most practical use of money.
"Government" and "practical use of money" do not belong in the same sentence.
About the right strike package size (with air cover) if you wanted to go hands on at an unfriendly nuclear facility? :)
Israel will need these, and all weapons, for the coming 2014 - 2015 war. The US will abandon her then.
“About the right strike package size (with air cover) if you wanted to go hands on at an unfriendly nuclear facility? :)”
Well, it’s real close. It’s about 1,000 miles between Jerusalem and Tehran. I read on wikipedia that the “ferry range” of the Osprey is 2,230 miles with auxiliary tanks. So, guess it could theoretically make a round trip.I don’t know what ferry range means or how much cargo capacity is diminished by auxiliary tanks. But, I’m pretty sure that once the Israelis get their hands on these birds they’ll start reconfiguring and improving them asap to meet their needs.
Ferry range is “stripped down, and packed with fuel” for a one-way flight (as opposed to round-trip). In the case of the V-22 that might mean an internal fuel bladder in the cargo bay as well as external tanks.
Probably not enough remaining capacity for troops & equipment, though.
They have their own 707-ish refueling aircraft of which the total number is a mystery built under the code name project green salad. V22’s can be refueled in the air, what am I missing about this being a win-win....
Do you think that the Israelis would push an aerial refueling operation into hostile airspace? Kind of gives the game away if you’re attempting a deep troop insertion unless they can use a 3rd country’s airspace...
I heard that they might have a jet tanker, too. But I think that they also have KC-130’s. Might be a better match for the VC-22.
The Navy is already looking at making the VC22 a refueler itself.
>>>>Well, it’s real close. It’s about 1,000 miles between Jerusalem and Tehran. I read on wikipedia that the “ferry range” of the Osprey is 2,230 miles with auxiliary tanks. So, guess it could theoretically make a round trip.I don’t know what ferry range means or how much cargo capacity is diminished by auxiliary tanks. But, I’m pretty sure that once the Israelis get their hands on these birds they’ll start reconfiguring and improving them asap to meet their needs.<<<<
Unfortunately, Iran is not a banana republic. A fleet of 6 Ospreys won’t make it anyway.
“Unfortunately, Iran is not a banana republic. A fleet of 6 Ospreys won’t make it anyway.”
Well, I don’t know if they would or not. But, I think should Israelis want to insert boots on the ground in Iran they would have a higher probability of success by utilizing C-130’s, maybe land on remote roads near the objective. But, I’m confident that the Israelis have some very smart people working on all sorts of contingencies for this sort of action....
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