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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israeli Cobras gifted to Jordan for 'border security' |
| 2015-07-26 |
| [Ynet] US source says about 16 decommissioned attack helicopters given to Jordan last year to fend off potential attacks from ISIS. Israel has given retired US-supplied Cobra combat helicopters to Jordan to help the Hashemite kingdom fend off Death Eater threats on the Syrian and Iraqi borders, a US official with knowledge of the deal said. The handover, initiated last year, was approved by Washington, which provided mechanical overhauls for the aircraft before they were incorporated free of charge in Jordan's existing Cobra fleet, the official said. "These choppers are for border security," the official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, told Rooters. Asked how many Cobras were transferred, the official said: "Around 16, though some may have been used by the Jordanians for spare parts" rather than kept intact. Jordanian and Israeli officials declined comment, as did the Pentagon. Israel and Jordan, as well as Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... and Iraq, this week hosted US Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who offered reassurances about the regional fight against Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not reallyMoslems.... and the July 14 international deal curbing Iran's nuclear program. Israel originally had two Cobra squadrons - each consisting of around 30 of the aircraft, which are designed to back ground troops with aerial surveillance as well as machine gun and rocket fire, and to be nimble enough to elude surface-to-air missiles. One of the squadrons was disbanded in the mid-2000s and the other in 2013, with Israel's air force preferring the more powerful, US-supplied Apache helicopters also in its fleet and an expanded role for its thrifty and versatile death droids. The Jordanian air force has 25 Cobras in service, according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. The Cobra's manufacturer is Bell Helicopter, a Textron company. Israel has pledged to step in should Amman be threatened by Islamic State or other bully boyz rampaging elsewhere in the Middle East. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #3 Jordan actually has a professional military and its equipment is kept up pretty well so those Cobras will be put to good use. Jordan is gonna need them. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2015-07-26 12:16 |
| #2 "retired" choppers and inshallah maintenance..... |
| Posted by: Richard Aubrey 2015-07-26 08:19 |
| #1 Nothing says friendship like a Cobra. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2015-07-26 07:38 |