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Last update - 02:00 21/09/2004
U.S. to sell Israel 5,000 smart bombs
By Aluf Benn

The United States will sell Israel 5,000 smart bombs, for $319 million,
according to a report made to Congress a few weeks ago.

The funding will come from the U.S. military aid to Israel, and the bombs range
from airborne versions, guidance units, training bombs and detonators. The bombs
are guided by satellite, in a system already in the Israel Defense Forces
arsenal. The guidance unit receives a signal from a satellite, correcting the
bomb's course to the target.

The Pentagon told Congress that the bombs are meant to maintain Israel's
qualitative advantage, and advance U.S. strategic and tactical interests.

Among the bombs the air force will get are 500 one-ton bunker busters that can
penetrate two-meter-thick cement walls; 2,500 regular one-ton bombs; 1,000
half-ton bombs; and 500 quarter-ton bombs.

Government sources said the bomb deal, one of the largest weapons deals of
recent years, did not face any political difficulties, despite the use Israel
has made of U.S.-made F-16s in some of its assassinations in the territories.
The IDF used a one-ton bomb to kill a senior Hamas officer, Salah Shehadeh, in
July 2002, an assassination that also took the lives of 15 Palestinian
civilians, including children. In September 2003, the air force used a smaller,
quarter-ton bomb, to strike at Hamas leaders, but missed. In other cases,
half-ton bombs have been used.

The government sources said Israel will not be asking for any new weapons
systems or purchases until after the upcoming November elections. On October 12,
delegations from the two countries meet for their regular six month session for
strategic cooperation.

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