The IAF enters the Fifth Generation Era
While the Israeli Air Force receives its first two F-35 'Adir' stealth fighters, battles are being waged over the IDF Cyber Command and IMOD's massive computer tender. Amir Rapaport's weekly column
Amir Rapaport
| 15/12/2016
The F-35 has landed (Photo: IDF)
At last, it happened: after nightfall last Monday, the two F-35 'Adir' stealth fighters, the newest weapon system joining the ranks of IAF, finally landed at Nevatim airbase.
The American pilots climbed down the ladders attached to their cockpits, thereby handing over the aircraft for airborne testing by Israeli pilots in the sky over Israel, as of last Tuesday. This series of tests will only last a few more days, but it will take more than a year before the first 'Adir' squadron (out of two, for the time being – a total of 50 aircraft) is up to full complement.
As we have written before, the importance of the F-35 as an aircraft is second to the importance of the state-of-the-art systems fitted to it – some of which are made in Israel.
IAF Commandant Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel voiced this in his address following the delayed ceremony: "A new era is beginning at Nevatim," said Eshel without hesitation. "This is not a normal development but a quantum leap. This aircraft provides inconceivable capabilities and is expected to evolve further in the future. With the Israeli capabilities incorporated in it, it is unlike any other F-35 worldwide. The new aircraft constitutes a milestone in Israel's national security for decades to come."
Now, let's address some of the issues that have not received so much PR. The arrival of the new F-35 fighters at Nevatim airbase has completed the shifting of the IAF's center of gravity to the Negev. It is hard to believe, but only 15 years ago the Nevatim airbase was to be closed down. Now it is the largest airbase of IDF.
The reason for Nevatim airbase having evolved into the primary airbase of IAF is the fact that it is located a maximum distance away from the missile launchers of Hezbollah in the north and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Those rockets currently constitute a serious nuisance as far as IAF is concerned – especially the GPS-guided missiles already available to Hezbollah, which might interfere with the operations of Ramat-David airbase, the IAF's northern base.
The acquisition of the F-35 'Adir' fighters is yet another demonstration of the fact that IDF, and IAF in particular, are the most important organization with regard to decision-making within the Israeli defense establishment. IAF had decided many years ago that they wanted two squadrons of the F-35 future fighter (in the future, IAF plans to establish a third F-35 squadron), and all of the discussions conducted since then by the defense cabinet along the way to the realization of the procurement deal were nothing more than a waste of time, as far as IDF were concerned.
Fact: when the cabinet decided, about eighteen months ago, to settle for a decision to acquire 14 aircraft only out of the second squadron, in view of objection to the aircraft led by Minister Yuval Steinitz, it was obvious to everyone involved that sooner or later the original quota IAF had wanted would be filled – not a single aircraft less. Indeed, two weeks ago the cabinet ordered that the acquisition be completed, with the full consent of Minister Steinitz.
The reason why IDF can have any decision they want passed by the government, be it with regard to operational matters or with regard to procurement, is the structural weakness of the Ministry of Defense, which regards itself, first and foremost, as an organization charged with providing services to IDF rather than as a policy-making organ. The attempt by former defense minister Shaul Mofaz to establish, in the previous decade, a planning division within the Ministry, as a counterweight to IDF, failed miserably and was defeated owing to the adamant objection of the IDF Chief of Staff at the time, Lt. Gen. Moshe Ya'alon.
Not just with regard to procurement transactions, but with regard to the budget as a whole: the IDF Planning Directorate has recently presented to the government ministers, as always, the IDF's budget needs for the year 2017. Neither the Minister of Defense nor the government as a whole possess the means to deal with the data and demands presented by IDF – not even the National Security Council, which does not normally deal with any aspect of defense procurement (with the exception of the German submarine and surface vessel affair currently being investigated by the Israel Police, over which thousands of words have been written and spoken in the last few weeks). Is Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman better qualified than his predecessors to influence the position of IDF regarding major defense issues? It does not appear so. The IDF officers shower Lieberman with respect at the internal defense discussions, but they all know that the Minister of Defense is not equipped, professionally, to deal with the "Staff Work" – the magic catchphrase of IDF. The Minister – any minister of defense for that matter – followed by the entire government, will almost always endorse the recommendations placed on his desk in the office overlooking the roofs of Tel-Aviv from the 14th floor of the IMOD building at the Quirya in Tel-Aviv.
IDF Cyber Command: the Final Decision
The Minister of Defense has no say even with regard to the issue that has blown up a storm within IDF recently. The IDF Chief of Staff will have to decide very soon who will take charge of the IDF's new Cyber Command – either the Intelligence Directorate or the C4I Directorate.
A titanic struggle is currently raging between the two IDF directorates with regard to that decision. The results of this struggle will be clarified very soon.
Meanwhile, in the civilian market, the cyber technology field continues to develop and grow. The Prime Minister has recently ordered that export restrictions be lifted with regard to civilian cyber technology systems whose technology had not originated from the Israeli defense establishment, thereby providing another push to the Israeli cyber technology industry which, in 2016, attracted not less than 20% of all global investments in this industry worldwide (according to preliminary estimates).
Next Thursday, the Prime Minister will inaugurate, in Beersheba, the national cyber center – a world first. The center is a major project of the national cyber bureau headed by Dr. Eviatar Matania, which is already being studied by countries around the world that tend to emulate Israel's moves in the field of cyber technology – with regard to national security as well as with regard to the development of the cyber technology industry and research activities.
The Computer Tender
In the Israeli industrial sector, a raging battle broke out over IMOD's intention to select Cisco Systems as the winner of the tender worth hundreds of millions of ILS for the supply of computer servers to IDF for a period of three years with an option of a two-year extension.
The IDF and IMOD are disputed over this issue – a rare occurrence – and the HP Company, which provided the servers until recently, is fighting until the last moment over the tender whose results have not been finalized officially. Once again, the smoke screen obscuring the outcome of this massive tender will clear within the next few days.
While the Israeli Air Force receives its first two F-35 'Adir' stealth fighters, battles are being waged over the IDF Cyber Command and IMOD's massive computer tender. Amir Rapaport's weekly column
The F-35 has landed (Photo: IDF)
At last, it happened: after nightfall last Monday, the two F-35 'Adir' stealth fighters, the newest weapon system joining the ranks of IAF, finally landed at Nevatim airbase.
The American pilots climbed down the ladders attached to their cockpits, thereby handing over the aircraft for airborne testing by Israeli pilots in the sky over Israel, as of last Tuesday. This series of tests will only last a few more days, but it will take more than a year before the first 'Adir' squadron (out of two, for the time being – a total of 50 aircraft) is up to full complement.
As we have written before, the importance of the F-35 as an aircraft is second to the importance of the state-of-the-art systems fitted to it – some of which are made in Israel.
IAF Commandant Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel voiced this in his address following the delayed ceremony: "A new era is beginning at Nevatim," said Eshel without hesitation. "This is not a normal development but a quantum leap. This aircraft provides inconceivable capabilities and is expected to evolve further in the future. With the Israeli capabilities incorporated in it, it is unlike any other F-35 worldwide. The new aircraft constitutes a milestone in Israel's national security for decades to come."
Now, let's address some of the issues that have not received so much PR. The arrival of the new F-35 fighters at Nevatim airbase has completed the shifting of the IAF's center of gravity to the Negev. It is hard to believe, but only 15 years ago the Nevatim airbase was to be closed down. Now it is the largest airbase of IDF.
The reason for Nevatim airbase having evolved into the primary airbase of IAF is the fact that it is located a maximum distance away from the missile launchers of Hezbollah in the north and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Those rockets currently constitute a serious nuisance as far as IAF is concerned – especially the GPS-guided missiles already available to Hezbollah, which might interfere with the operations of Ramat-David airbase, the IAF's northern base.
The acquisition of the F-35 'Adir' fighters is yet another demonstration of the fact that IDF, and IAF in particular, are the most important organization with regard to decision-making within the Israeli defense establishment. IAF had decided many years ago that they wanted two squadrons of the F-35 future fighter (in the future, IAF plans to establish a third F-35 squadron), and all of the discussions conducted since then by the defense cabinet along the way to the realization of the procurement deal were nothing more than a waste of time, as far as IDF were concerned.
Fact: when the cabinet decided, about eighteen months ago, to settle for a decision to acquire 14 aircraft only out of the second squadron, in view of objection to the aircraft led by Minister Yuval Steinitz, it was obvious to everyone involved that sooner or later the original quota IAF had wanted would be filled – not a single aircraft less. Indeed, two weeks ago the cabinet ordered that the acquisition be completed, with the full consent of Minister Steinitz.
The reason why IDF can have any decision they want passed by the government, be it with regard to operational matters or with regard to procurement, is the structural weakness of the Ministry of Defense, which regards itself, first and foremost, as an organization charged with providing services to IDF rather than as a policy-making organ. The attempt by former defense minister Shaul Mofaz to establish, in the previous decade, a planning division within the Ministry, as a counterweight to IDF, failed miserably and was defeated owing to the adamant objection of the IDF Chief of Staff at the time, Lt. Gen. Moshe Ya'alon.
Not just with regard to procurement transactions, but with regard to the budget as a whole: the IDF Planning Directorate has recently presented to the government ministers, as always, the IDF's budget needs for the year 2017. Neither the Minister of Defense nor the government as a whole possess the means to deal with the data and demands presented by IDF – not even the National Security Council, which does not normally deal with any aspect of defense procurement (with the exception of the German submarine and surface vessel affair currently being investigated by the Israel Police, over which thousands of words have been written and spoken in the last few weeks). Is Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman better qualified than his predecessors to influence the position of IDF regarding major defense issues? It does not appear so. The IDF officers shower Lieberman with respect at the internal defense discussions, but they all know that the Minister of Defense is not equipped, professionally, to deal with the "Staff Work" – the magic catchphrase of IDF. The Minister – any minister of defense for that matter – followed by the entire government, will almost always endorse the recommendations placed on his desk in the office overlooking the roofs of Tel-Aviv from the 14th floor of the IMOD building at the Quirya in Tel-Aviv.
IDF Cyber Command: the Final Decision
The Minister of Defense has no say even with regard to the issue that has blown up a storm within IDF recently. The IDF Chief of Staff will have to decide very soon who will take charge of the IDF's new Cyber Command – either the Intelligence Directorate or the C4I Directorate.
A titanic struggle is currently raging between the two IDF directorates with regard to that decision. The results of this struggle will be clarified very soon.
Meanwhile, in the civilian market, the cyber technology field continues to develop and grow. The Prime Minister has recently ordered that export restrictions be lifted with regard to civilian cyber technology systems whose technology had not originated from the Israeli defense establishment, thereby providing another push to the Israeli cyber technology industry which, in 2016, attracted not less than 20% of all global investments in this industry worldwide (according to preliminary estimates).
Next Thursday, the Prime Minister will inaugurate, in Beersheba, the national cyber center – a world first. The center is a major project of the national cyber bureau headed by Dr. Eviatar Matania, which is already being studied by countries around the world that tend to emulate Israel's moves in the field of cyber technology – with regard to national security as well as with regard to the development of the cyber technology industry and research activities.
The Computer Tender
In the Israeli industrial sector, a raging battle broke out over IMOD's intention to select Cisco Systems as the winner of the tender worth hundreds of millions of ILS for the supply of computer servers to IDF for a period of three years with an option of a two-year extension.
The IDF and IMOD are disputed over this issue – a rare occurrence – and the HP Company, which provided the servers until recently, is fighting until the last moment over the tender whose results have not been finalized officially. Once again, the smoke screen obscuring the outcome of this massive tender will clear within the next few days.
