Brig. Gen. Nir Barkan, Israeli Air Force Chief of the Air Staff and Vice Commander, seen during a December visit to the US. (U.S. Air Force/Skyler Combs)
TEL AVIV: Israel’s air force has asked the US to allow greater access to the core avionics of the F-35 joint strike fighters, with the goal of installing new Israeli-developed systems onto the stealth fighter, according to a top Israeli officer.
“The effort is to find the right balance between the US restrictions and the Israeli operational demands,” Brig. Gen. Nir Barkan, Israeli Air Force Chief of the Air Staff and the number two officer for the IAF, said in an exclusive interview with Breaking Defense.
Barkan, who is in charge of building the future capabilities of the IAF, said that a special F-35 test aircraft has been used extensively to test more Israeli made systems on the stealth jet.
While he would not go into details about what Israeli-made technologies the IAF would want to add to the F-35, sources here say they include a new electronic warfare system, a new communication system that will allow a two-way flow of real time data, and the addition of highly-classified weapon systems to be loaded into the weapons bay when operating stealthily.
Israel has a program of record for 50 of the conventional take-off and landing F-35A models. Israeli officials have started that its F-35 fleet has been used in different combat operations in “close and far away arenas,” and the country is known for being more willing to use the jets in combat situations than some other F-35 operators.
Asked to respond to Barkan’s comments, Brandi Schiff, a spokesperson for the F-35 joint program office, said “The F-35 JPO will continue to meet all of Israeli sovereign requirements within the United States Government’s security and release policy, and will strive to balance U.S. restrictions with Israel’s requests.”
Israel is also in discussions with the US about procuring a new tranche of advanced F-15s, with the request having been carried to the White House during Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s August visit to Washington. Asked why Israel needs more F-15s given its large F-35 buy, Barkan noted the F-15s ability to serve as more of a weapons truck compliments the F-35, and that the “special connectivity systems we use” allows the two jets to operate “together very closely.”
During the interview, Barkan also raised concerns about Iran’s ballistic missile program, and gave insight into what a joint Israeli-US response might look like.
Israeli F-35Is in action. (file)
“Recent joint ballistic missiles defense exercises of the US and Israeli air forces may, under certain circumstances, become an operational reality part of the regional plan to defend Israel from ballistic threats,” he said. “The US and Israel are further strengthening their ballistic missile defense capability.”
Barkan says a recent joint exercise between the two countries played out how quickly the US could respond if an Iranian ballistic missile was launched at Israel and intercepted by the country’s missile defenses. In that scenario, it would take roughly 24 hours before the US would land C-17s at Israeli military bases and offload defensive systems — likely to include the THAAD missile defense system, first deployed in Israel in 2019 as part of a joint exercise — and prepare for a potential counter-attack.
The following is a translated, edited, and condensed Q&A from the interview.
After signing contracts for 50 F-35 fighters, what is the reason for seeking a new tranche of advanced F-15s?
We build our aerial force according to a future scenario, based on different assumptions. We try to foresee our operational needs in five to ten years ahead, in such a way that it will answer the potential needs in different fighting arenas. Saying that, we understand that an aerial platform purchased now may be in service in the next 40 to 50 years. But things may change, and therefore when we select a platform we look at its capability to operate with other aerial platforms. We think that the mix of F-35 and advanced F-15 will answer our future requirements and will enable us to trim the capabilities of these two aircraft to changing challenges.
Time and again, the foreign media reports on Israeli armed UAV’s used in different arenas. Officially the IAF never confirmed the use of armed UAV. But surprisingly, last month the IAF announced the formation of a “UAV weapon systems department.” No details were added to the short official announcement. Can you please explain the need for this department?
The vector of an increasing use of UAV’s continues, and that requires certain adaptations. I cannot go into details, but like we continuously enhance the capabilities of our manned platforms, we have to do the same with our UAVs. (Barkan refused to give more details.)
The IAF has been firm from the beginning that it will not perform heavy maintenance of its F-35 outside Israel. Is that still your policy?
Yes. This is our firm decision to perform all levels of the F-35 maintenance in Israel, and we are building this capability in our 22 main maintenance unit.
The IAF has made a decision to purchase up to 8 KC-46A aerial refueling aircraft. This to replace the old 707’s that are currently used. Are you trying to get at least some as early as possible, by getting US Air Force approval to use some of its production slots of this aircraft ?
Yes, we make every effort to shorten the time until we can get these advanced aerial refueling aircraft and gradually phase out the old 707’s.
The IAF has selected the Lockheed Martin CH-53K as the replacement for its old CH-53’s. This, after a fierce competition with the Boeing CH-47, which carries a much lower price tag. What is the basis for this selection?
The selection was made with the Israeli defense forces ground forces command. We made the final decision based on the overall operational requirements, together with operational costs and other factors. I fully support the selection.
The Israeli navy decided to use Seahawk helicopters on its new SAAR 6 corvettes. Is that program moving forward?
These used helicopters that we will get from the U.S will replace the currently used Eurocopter AS-565 helicopters. They will be equipped with systems that will enable them to serve the very big operational needs of the Israeli navy. They will be operational in the coming years. They will enhance the capability of the Israeli navy to get a more detailed picture of its operational arena.
The plan to form an IDF ground-ground missiles unit has been delayed again and again. Has the IAF objected to the plan, assuming that it will affect the IAF’s procurement budget?
We are not against this program. We see a dedicated ground–ground missile unit as a complementary capability that, with the IDF’s high level of operational connectivity, may be very useful.
In recent years, the Israeli Ministry of Defense, with some of the defense industries, are working on laser systems that will be capable of intercepting aerial threats. Does the IAF see such a capability as one that will work in conjunction with systems like Iron Dome and David’s Sling?
This capability will become operational in the five to ten years’ time frame. Some progress that can be considered as “breakthrough” has been made, but I cannot go into details.
In the recent meeting between the Israeli prime minister and the US president, an Israeli request for an extra procurement budget on top of the annual FMF grants was submitted. Is this to replenish the Israeli Air Force stock of munitions that was heavily used in the recent Guardian Of The Walls operation in Gaza?
The IAF’s munitions stocks are at the required levels. In the framework of the IDF’s multiyear “Swing ” growth program, it is clear that while we increase to number of our aircraft, in parallel, we have to acquire more weapon systems as the rate of locating targets is increasing continuously. This is a routine adaptation and does not stem from a shortage.
The IAF is a heavy user of different types of UAV’s. These unmanned systems perform up to 80% of the total flight hours in the force. Does that mean that manned combat aircraft will be replaced by UAV’s?
In recent years we have transferred different missions from manned to unmanned platforms. But I don’t see a situation where UAV’s will fully replace manned aircraft. Such technology of enabling UAV’s to fully replace manned aircraft is very expensive. The world is looking this way, but I don’t see it happening in the foreseeable future.
