Colombia buys 24 Israeli fighter jets

**Ironduke** · 02-11-2008, 13:52 PM

Quote:

Colombia buys 24 Israeli fighter jets

Amid mounting tensions between Colombia and Venezuela, Colombian defense minister announces the purchase of 24 Israeli fighter jets.

Colombia's Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos made the announcement after meeting with Israeli War Minister, Ehud Barak.

"There is an agreement to buy 24 renovated Kfir fighter planes from Israel, whose construction has already started. And the planes will be delivered at the start of next year," Santos said.

In his visit to Israel the Colombian minister also held meetings with senior military officials as well as Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert.

Kfir aircraft is a multi-purpose all-weather fighter jet, mainly used by the United States Navy.

NA/MMN

Source: Press TV - Colombia buys 24 Israeli fighter jets

VarSity · 02-11-2008, 15:47 PM

Is the Kfir not getting quite old now? Would there not be better planes available? or would they fall out of the desired price range?

MrFirst · 02-11-2008, 17:22 PM

??? US Navy uses Kfir? This scrap? What for?

**Officer of Engineers** · 02-11-2008, 17:40 PM

Idiot reporter

Wiki has this to say

Quote:

Twenty-five modified Kfir-C1s were leased to the US Navy and the US Marine Corps from 1985 to 1989, to act as aggressors in advanced air combat training. These aircraft, designated F-21A Lion, had narrow-span canard foreplanes and a single small rectangular strake on either side of the nose, which improved to a considerable degree the aircraft's manoeuvrability, as well as its handling at low speeds.

The 12 F-21 aircraft leased to the US Navy, painted in a three-tone blue-gray "ghost" scheme, were operated by VF-43, based at NAS Oceana. In 1988 they were returned and replaced by the F-16N. The 13 aircraft leased to the United States Marine Corps were operated by VMFT-401 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. In addition to the blue-gray painted aircraft, the USMC also had some F-21s painted in Israeli colors and desert "flogger" schemes. These aircraft were replaced by F-5Es when the F-21s were returned in 1989.

GAU-8 · 02-12-2008, 14:33 PM

If you look at their force structure, The Kafirs fit in at the top of their food chain. Reference the order of battle link on the left side of each of these two pages:

Fuerza Aérea Colombiana, Colombian Air Force

Versus:
Fuerza Aérea Venezolana, Venezuela Air Force

Feanor · 02-12-2008, 19:09 PM

The Kfir seems like a early 3rd gen flying coffin. How are they the top of the food chain?

GAU-8 · 02-12-2008, 19:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feanor

The Kfir seems like a early 3rd gen flying coffin. How are they the top of the food chain?

Sorry for not being clear Feanor. I should have said, "The Kfir is the best the Colombians have."

VarSity · 02-12-2008, 19:21 PM

What does a Kfir retail at these days?

GAU-8 · 02-12-2008, 19:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VarSity

What does a Kfir retail at these days?

When the Colombians first started negotiating with IAI/Israel for the 24 upgraded Kfirs, news reports stated the deal to be 200 million U.S. Not sure what they settled on or what was included in the whole package. But that should give you a ballpark figure.

Maxor · 02-12-2008, 21:14 PM

Kfir isn't a good countermeasure to the SU-30.... I'd say that they can expect about a 1-3 kill loss ratio all else equal. The f-5's they've got if updated are about the same. I understand cost and wanting to keep a complentary force structure and supply chain however I'd be looking to get my hands on something a bit newer if I was columbia.

outofshdw · 02-13-2008, 08:55 AM

Unless the United States is willing to supply some sort of military aid, Columbia will have to accept what they can afford.

I agree that they probably need additional resources to counter Venezuela's Su-30 fleet - although the supply of Python 4 missiles should help to even the odds.

Stan187 · 02-13-2008, 19:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outofshdw

Unless the United States is willing to supply some sort of military aid, Columbia will have to accept what they can afford.

The United States does supply military aid to Columbia, about $300 million of it annually.

Maxor · 02-13-2008, 22:41 PM

Does anyone know what the Kfir has for an electronics package and what the Ven SU-30's do? That makes a huge difference as to the capabilites of each.

outofshdw · 02-14-2008, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan187

The United States does supply military aid to Columbia, about $300 million of it annually.

Yes . . . and No . . .

The vast majority of US aid to Colombia is supplied through the "Andean Counterdrug Initiative", which by mandate is targeted purely on counter-drug initiatives (funding helicopters, small arms, training, uniforms, and so forth).

Less than $90 million in military aid was made available in 2007, for example, through the Foreign Military Financing program, to buy other military hardware for the Colombian armed forces. To make the procurement of a squadron of F-16s realistic, for example, the US would need to roughly triple this segment of the Columbian aid package over a period of several years.

The website below provides a good summary of US aid to Columbia:
U.S. Aid to Colombia Since 1997: Summary Tables
Also note that not all of this aid is military assistance. Much of it is in the form of economic assistance, or pay-offs to encourage Columbian farmers to grow other, non-drug related crops.

As for the possible future sale of American jet fighters to Columbia, it could very well happen. The US is also growing more anxious regarding the intentions of Venezuela's government. I just don't see it happening quite yet.

02-12-2008, 14:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
GAU-8 Old Cold Warrior *Military Professional* Join Date: 02-14-07 Location: Grapevine, Texas Posts: 453 Country:	If you look at their force structure, The Kafirs fit in at the top of their food chain. Reference the order of battle link on the left side of each of these two pages: Fuerza Aérea Colombiana, Colombian Air Force Versus: Fuerza Aérea Venezolana, Venezuela Air Force __________________ *When a prang seems inevitable, endeavor to strike the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity, as slowly as possible. --WW II RAF Instructor Pilot* Last edited by GAU-8 : 02-12-2008 at 14:39 PM.

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02-11-2008, 15:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
VarSity Contributor Join Date: 06-11-07 Location: Leicester Posts: 465 Country:	Is the Kfir not getting quite old now? Would there not be better planes available? or would they fall out of the desired price range?

02-11-2008, 17:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
MrFirst Contributor Join Date: 01-02-07 Location: Empire of Evil Posts: 576	??? US Navy uses Kfir? This scrap? What for?

02-12-2008, 19:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
Feanor Banished Join Date: 06-12-07 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,385 Country:	The Kfir seems like a early 3rd gen flying coffin. How are they the top of the food chain?

02-12-2008, 19:21 PM	#8 (permalink)
VarSity Contributor Join Date: 06-11-07 Location: Leicester Posts: 465 Country:	What does a Kfir retail at these days?

02-12-2008, 21:14 PM	#10 (permalink)
Maxor *Military Professional* Join Date: 11-18-05 Posts: 325	Kfir isn't a good countermeasure to the SU-30.... I'd say that they can expect about a 1-3 kill loss ratio all else equal. The f-5's they've got if updated are about the same. I understand cost and wanting to keep a complentary force structure and supply chain however I'd be looking to get my hands on something a bit newer if I was columbia.

02-13-2008, 08:55 AM	#11 (permalink)
outofshdw Regular Join Date: 06-03-06 Posts: 53	Unless the United States is willing to supply some sort of military aid, Columbia will have to accept what they can afford. I agree that they probably need additional resources to counter Venezuela's Su-30 fleet - although the supply of Python 4 missiles should help to even the odds.

02-13-2008, 22:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
Maxor *Military Professional* Join Date: 11-18-05 Posts: 325	Does anyone know what the Kfir has for an electronics package and what the Ven SU-30's do? That makes a huge difference as to the capabilites of each.

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