“Defense News” reports in its latest issue that possible Israeli participation in the US Army’s Future Combat Systems (FCS) program is caught up in the sanctions imposed by the Bush administration against Israel, ostensibly because of arms sales to China.
In contrast to Israel’s participation in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, which was resumed following talks between Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz and US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld last week, procedures for Israel’s participation in the FCS program are still frozen, and are waiting for a decision by the Pentagon. “Defense News” says that Mofaz and Rumsfeld did not discuss the subject during their meeting.
As far as Israel is concerned, the difference lies in the fact that it will buy F-35s, but will be a potential vendor for the FCS. As a potential supplier to the US Army, FCS program managers would have to share advanced technological know-how with Israel.
US anger towards Israel over its arms sales to China kept Israel Air Force representatives away from the JSF program for over a year. In the case of the FCS program, the US withdrew from an August 2004 agreement with Israel, under which identified potential areas of cooperation in the program.
US and Israeli sources believe that, following the lifting of US sanctions against Israel and the resumption of Israeli participation in the JSF program, it will be possible to renew efforts for Israel to become an international partner in the FCS program. James Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), which is responsible for the FCS program, said a political solution to the problem would be the key to progress in the field.
At this stage, Britain’s BAE Systems (LSE:BA) is the only non-US partner in the FCS program with Boeing IDS and San Diego-based Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). The FCS program will develop a family of high-performance intercommunicating manned and unmanned air and land vehicles.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on November 8, 2005