If Iran is indeed seeking a fighter aircraft upgrade of epic scale, as recent reports suggest, be prepared to see a US-sponsored arms race wash over the Middle East, with fifth-generation fighters and advanced early warning and control aircraft sales leading the charge.
Until now, Tehran's chief threats to its closest neighbours have been twofold - ballistic missiles and suspicions of nuclear weapons, with neither being an immediate issue.
But the concept of a rebuilt Iranian air force, flush with the latest fighter technology from Russia - the Su-30 and MiG-31 - augmented by airborne refuellers, changes the picture entirely. Such an arms deal, reportedly in talks between Iran, Syria and Russia, would present Iran with its first convincing first-strike capability for conventional warfare since the early 1980s.
Iran's strategy, if true, should help the Bush administration persuade its opponents in power on Capitol Hill that its proposal to spread a 10-year, $63 billion arms package to allies in the Middle East, including a $30 billion fund for Israel, is an appropriate response. The proposals also may open the door for new flexibility when it comes to releasing fifth-generation fighter technology into the region.
Israel is already signed on as a customer for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, but could the United Arab Emirates be next?
Source: Flight International
