[pnews-news] Iran's Air Force

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From: David Bier <techadvisor@xxxxxxxxx>

"The Iranian air force is not a threat to the IAF," the officer told
the Post. "None of our neighbors pose an aerial threat that the air
force would not be able to deal with."
"The Iranian Air Force is comprised of MiG 29 squadrons and other
warplanes, some 30 years old. Their air defense systems, which are
currently heavily deployed near the various nuclear sites, also
feature Russian SA-2, SA-5, SA-6 and shoulder-launched SA-7 missiles,
according to the Military Balance prepared by Tel Aviv University's
Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies. The Iranians also have aged
USmade Hawk missiles and have been seeking to purchase the
sophisticated S-300P from Russia."


Iranian AF not the problem, it's their missiles which just might have
nuclear or chemical warheads. Still using Bush41's Hawks Ollie delivered.

David Bier

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1139395675542&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Iran's air force not a threat to IAF

Yaakov Katz, THE JERUSALEM POST

Mar. 26, 2006

Iran's air force does not pose a threat to the Israeli Air Force, a 
high-ranking IDF officer has told The Jerusalem Post. IAF warplanes, he 
said, were capable of overcoming the air defense systems of all of 
Israel's neighbors.

"The Iranian air force is not a threat to the IAF," the officer told the 
Post. "None of our neighbors pose an aerial threat that the air force 
would not be able to deal with."

The officer stressed, however, that Teheran's race for nuclear weapons was 
not exclusively Israel's problem but was a threat to the entire Western 
world.

"Israel's greatest threat these days comes from Iran and their efforts to 
obtain nuclear power," he said. "But this is not just our problem and is a 
threat to the entire free world."

The Iranian Air Force is comprised of MiG 29 squadrons and other 
warplanes, some 30 years old. Their air defense systems, which are 
currently heavily deployed near the various nuclear sites, also feature 
Russian SA-2, SA-5, SA-6 and shoulder-launched SA-7 missiles, according to 
the Military Balance prepared by Tel Aviv University's Jaffee Center for 
Strategic Studies. The Iranians also have aged USmade Hawk missiles and 
have been seeking to purchase the sophisticated S-300P from Russia.

The United States, the officer said, was the preferable choice for 
launching a military strike against Iran. "America is a world superpower," 
he said. "And they could do it the best." But the officer said, Israel was 
closely following diplomatic developments on the Iranian issue at the 
United Nations Security Council. "At this stage we believe that the US and 
Europeans will stop Iran and its crazy leader [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]," he 
said.

Similar remarks were made two weeks ago by former IDF chief of staff 
Lt.-Gen. (res.) Moshe Ya'alon who said that the IAF was capable of 
carrying out air strikes against several dozen sites. At the beginning of 
the month, the Post reported that Israel's Arrow 2 missile defense system 
was capable of intercepting Iranian Shihab and Scud missiles.

The air force, the officer said, was continuously purchasing new aircraft 
and developing new capabilities to ensure it maintained superiority over 
Israel's enemies and deterred them from even thinking of launching an 
attack against the Jewish state. Syria, he brought as an example, recently 
abandoned attempts to build up a strong air force and has begun investing 
most of its defense allocated funds in ground-to-ground missiles.

But while Israel has clearly not ruled out military action against Iran, 
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told the Post last week that he believed 
diplomatic efforts could succeed in stopping Teheran's race for the bomb. 
If sanctions expected to be imposed on Iran by the Security Council were 
"extensive and decisive" they could be effective in stopping the nuclear 
program.

"If the sanctions - and the Iranians are afraid of them - will be 
extensive and decisive they can influence the Iranians," he said. As to 
the possibility of an Israeli military strike against Iran, Mofaz said, 
"Israel will defend itself."



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