Russia to sell surface-to-air missiles to Iran

[Ohioguy]

Re: Russia to sell surface-to-air missiles to Iran

@Das Reich

that is not totally clear depends on which version you want to believe in

from globalsecurity

There are conflicting reports concerning the F-16I combat radius, but the most reliable source reports a combat radius of 2,100 km, on par with the F-15I. The Israeli military would not disclose the exact range of the jet, but one senior air force officer said, “it can reach the capitals of all the countries in the region.” One report says that “it has an 820 km non-refueling radius of operation, sufficient to reach both Libya and Iran” – but a glance at a map reveals that 820 kilometers from Israel is short of Baghdad, and far short of the 1,500 kilometers need to reach Tehran. One report suggest that the F-16I has an unrefueled combat strike radius of 1,640 kilometers without refueling. Another report relates that the external fuel capacity in conformal fuel tanks increases the aircraft range to 800 miles (1,500 km). One published reports states that the external fuel tanks above the central fuselage, extend the range of the jet and the reach of the Israeli air force by 25 percent

First, what makes you think that Isreal cannot refuel these planes in flight?

Second, the easiest way to approach Iran would be to sling some cruise missles under the wings. The cruise missles could be fired from hundreds of miles away, penetrating the airspace at very low levels, while the fighters return to Isreal.

The Isrealis are capable of thinking out of the box, and they have the technological abilities to adapt the aircraft and weapons already in their arsenal.