Israel is preparing to buy a range of new weapons in preparation for a possible attack on Iran should that country appear to restart efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.
Israel has reportedly already invested more than $2 billion preparing for a possible attack against Iran.
On Israel’s shopping list: a new aerial refueling aircraft and new weapons such as the IAI/IMI Rampage missile just unveiled by Israeli Military Industries Systems (IMI Systems) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) This long-range assault missile was developed jointly by the two Israeli companies.
The Rampage would be used by Israel’s F-35s in a strike against Iranian forces but can be used on most other Israeli strike aircraft. The companies say the Rampage is designed to destroy targets such as command and control centers, air force bases, maintenance centers, infrastructures and valuable targets protected by sophisticated anti-air systems.
IAI and IMI say the Rampage offers simplified operation, with no need for a “man in the loop.” The total weight of the missile is 570 kg and it is 4.7 meters long. Range is estimated at 150 km.
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said after the U.S decision to pull out of the JCPOA that, despite Iran’s threats, he thinks they will remain in the nuclear agreement.
“The Iranians here are walking on the thin line and trying to signal, trying to blackmail, threaten, but I doubt if they end up going to go out of the deal because they understand that, at that moment, it will strike very hard even in the markets inside Iran and in all parameters of the Iranian economy,” he said in a closed meeting early last week.
