Israel leads ME in approved arms purchases
Yaakov Katz, JPost (extracts)
For the first time in years, Israel surpassed Saudi Arabia in arms purchases in 2008, reaching just over $20b, the JPost has learned. Last year, the US DoD approved plans to sell Israel that amount of arms, including stealth fighter jets, transport aircraft, state-of-the-art missile ships and satellite-guided “smart bombs.” Total deals approved by the US to all countries surpassed $60b. The UAE finished a close second, after receiving Pentagon approval to buy advanced weapons systems for more than $18b. Saudi Arabia was third with approved sales of just over $12b, including a $9b contract for 72 Eurofighters signed last September. Iraq was also approved deals reaching just over $12b. Between 2001 and 2004, Saudi Arabia was the top arms buyer in the Middle East with arms deliveries totaling $19b. Israel did not sign any major deals in 2006, except for the purchase of two Dolphin class submarines from Germany. In 2007, the Pentagon announced plans to sell Israel military platforms valued at just $1.1b. The UAE led the region in missile defense deals, receiving approval from the Pentagon to buy Patriot 3 launchers and systems. It also became the first country outside the US to receive approval to purchase the THAAD system, designed to shoot down incoming missiles, in a deal valued at $7b. Saudi Arabia has also expressed interest in the system, and in December of last year Kuwait received approval to buy the system for just over $1b. Israel became the first country outside the US to receive Pentagon approval last month to buy the Joint Strike Fighter, also known as the F-35, and the new fifth-generation stealth fighter jet under development by Lockheed Martin. Israel asked for permission to buy 75 jets in a deal that could reach just over $15b.
Niqnaq 