According to the National Interest (NI), the Israeli army – with the most powerful potential in the Middle East – will be even more formidable if it has the following 5 US weapons.
Littoral combat ship (LCS)
For a long time, the Israeli Navy has been exploring the potential of warships larger than the corvettes that once dominated its force.
As Israel’s maritime security interests have grown (the need to maintain a blockade of the Gaza Strip and patrols of offshore energy fields), this need has become even more urgent.
Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Photo: Lockheed Martin
Over the past decade, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have extensively studied the possibility of purchasing a modified version of the LCS.
These ships will have significantly different features, mainly reducing the number of modules and increasing the ability to operate independently compared to the version that the US is using. However, those adjustments have increased their costs significantly.
F-22 Raptor
Previously, the US issued a ban on the export of the F-22 Raptor in part because of concerns about the risk of close allies such as Israel transferring high-tech equipment to Russia and China.
Because of Washington’s decision, currently, only the US Air Force can operate this fighter model.
F-22 Raptor fighter. Photo: MW
In the past, Israel wanted to acquire fighter-bombers capable of both air superiority and strike missions.
However, the IDF purchased the F-15 when it was still primarily an air superiority aircraft. After being put into service, they made the necessary adjustments to turn the F-15 into a fighter-bomber.
If present in the Israeli military, the F-22 would have gone through a similar process.
The Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B)
Although Israel’s F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, with their aerial refueling capabilities, can reach targets in Iran, the immense distances could put them at a disadvantage when trying to invade. enter the enemy’s protected airspace.
Graphics of the LRS-B bomber. Photo: SOFREP
In this case, the B-21 long-range bomber could be an attractive option for Israel.
Of course, Israel has not operated a strategic bomber since the elimination of the B-17 Flying Fortresses in the 1950s. However, there was a need for a weapon capable of penetrating defenses. Iran’s air force and then attacking could make the IDF rethink.
Bomb MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator)
Since the beginning of this decade, there has been a lot of speculation that Israel is very interested in the US 14,000kg precision-guided bomb.
The MOP bomb attracts Israel because of its ability to “break through bunkers”, allowing it to strike deep into Iran’s weapons facilities as well as many other parts of the world.
So far, the US has refused to provide MOP bombs to Israel because Israel does not have a suitable means of carrying it. The US administration is also concerned that providing Israel with the tools to attack Iran would disrupt the balance in the region.
However, in the future, strategic geopolitical upheavals in the region (or political changes in the United States) could influence that calculus.
Ballistic missile submarines
Israel already has Dolphin-class submarines, but diesel-electric cruise missile submarines cannot match nuclear submarines in operational capacity, cruise reserve or safety.
Ohio-class submarines. Photo: Military.com
According to NI, this does not mean that Israel needs or can equip submarines similar to the Ohio class. However, a model with a more modest size, carrying a smaller number of missiles could still be useful for Israel in establishing a powerful second nuclear strike (response) capability. A fleet of these four ships would give Israel an almost impregnable ability to retaliate.
