UNITED KINGDOM: Israel displays its eye-in-sky reconnaissance jet at Farnborough amid heightened tensions with Iran

Record ID: 396687

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Israel displays its eye-in-sky reconnaissance jet at Farnborough amid heightened tensions with Iran
  • Date: 16th July 2008
  • Summary: (BN13) FARNBOROUGH, SURREY, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 15, 2008) (REUTERS) TWIN ENGINE GULFSTREAM CONVERTED G550 BUSINESS JET ON TARMAC AT FARNBOROUGH AIRFIELD TAIL OF PLANE/ FUSELAGE "ISRAEL AIR FORCE" WRITTEN IN BLUE ON FUSELAGE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER OF ELTA AEW DEVISION, AVISHI IZHAKIAN, WALKING PAST AIRCRAFT (SOUNDBITE) (English) , AVISHI IZHAKIAN, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER O
  • Embargoed: 31st July 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA8G2Y2M25578FDA1ST4KG88F2X
  • Story Text: A modified business jet that could be key to any Israeli air strike on Iran went on display on Tuesday (July 15) at the world's largest air show in Farnborough, south of London.
    The Israeli Air Force has already taken delivery of three of the Gulfstream G550 business jets, converted by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and a subsidiary, ELTA, to function as Conformal Airborne Early Warning and Control planes.

    "With this aircraft that became operational beginning of this year 2008, the airforce have a very wide range of capability like very long endurance, this aircraft can fly in very high altitude and can cover and perform mission even in a radius up to 2000 miles from Israel," said the Deputy General Manager of ELTA, Avishi Izhakian.
    Such planes, crammed with sophisticated electronic gear, provide intelligence and communications assistance to strike aircraft and would likely play a central role in directing any Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear installations.
    The twin-engine Gulfstream first went on display for Israel-based journalists last Thursday (July 10) at IAI's plant near Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport. It went on display at Farnborough with bearing the words "Israel Air Force" on its blue-and-white fuselage.

    "Clearly, an airborne early warning is a very strategic asset. It is very important especially after 9/11. It is very clear that it is very important to control your airspace and this (plane) provides an uncompromised solution to control your airspace," said Izhakian.
    The Gulfstream G550 has a range of 6,750 nautical miles (12,500 kilometres), which would enable it to stay on station for hours above Iran and elsewhere in the region.
    Speculation that Israel, which fears Iran is seeking to build atomic weapons, could bomb Iranian nuclear installations has mounted since a big Israeli air drill in June.
    Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in a speech in Washington last month that the Iranian threat must be "stopped by all possible means."
    Iran tested medium and long-range missiles in the Gulf last week, further stoking tensions and the fear of war sent global oil prices to record highs.
    An aide to Iran's Supreme Leader has been quoted as saying that his country would hit Tel Aviv, U.S. shipping in the Gulf and U.S. interests in reply to any military strike.
    Aerospace and Defence Analyst Howard Wheeldon said there was a big international market for the aircraft.

    "Reconnisance is the name of the game. Israel and other countries need to ensure their security. The will spend heavily on new technology -- the best technology -- in the air to ensure they know when they are likely to be attacked. It is very important and this is the technology that the defence industries offer. We will see more of these aircraft being acquired," he said.
    Iran denies it is secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian atomic programme.
    Israel, widely believed to possess the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal, has sworn to prevent Iran from attaining atomic weapons. United States has also refused to rule out military action if diplomacy fails to stop Iran's atomic enrichment.
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