After Iran election, Israel beefs up air force
Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:24:31 GMT

Israel has moved to upgrade its air force fleet after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected.

The Israeli Air Force has launched an upgrade of its F-15 fleet, equipping the jets with complex systems that would enable them to carry out long-distance attacks.

Both the Israeli F-15s and F-15Is -- another version of the F-15 developed by an American manufacturer for the IAF -- are currently being equipped with two advanced weapons systems.

The IDF journal BaMahaneh described the two new systems as Barad Pelada (Steel Hail), and Lightning.

A source in the IAF familiar with the Barad Pelada system explained that the advanced Israeli armament operates like a smart bomb.

"The system is unique in that it is able to plan the bombing in an accurate way by identifying the target from above," said the source. "After the identification, the system carries out guidance to the target and only then is impact made."

A source in the IAF's Weapons Department said the need for an upgrade of the F-15I jets, which previously relied on the less advanced Inbar system, "led to an accelerated procedure of development of advanced means."

Earlier on Thursday, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi αѕнкenαzι cited the re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the reason behind the latest efforts in the Israeli army to speed up military upgrades.

"The reelection of Iran's president, his grave utterances regarding his will to harm the state of Israel and Iran's continual effort to achieve unconventional weapons require us to maintain an army that is coiled and ready to spring into action, and an Air Force that is skilled and sharp as a razor, that will stand up to any enemy and remove any threat from our citizens and residents," Lt. Gen. αѕнкenαzι told a crowd of IAF pilots.

Tel Aviv accuses Tehran -- a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) -- of pursuing a nuclear program with military objectives and argues that the use of military force is a legitimate option in halting Iran's nuclear progress.

Iran denies the Israeli claim, insisting that its nuclear enrichment program is solely directed at the civilian applications of the technology.