[Al Arabiya Latest] Israel dropped out of a multi-billion dollar joint venture with a Swedish firm to develop new fighter jets for India because of U.S. pressure, according to Monday press reports.
Israel Aerospace Industries was planning to develop a new model of the Swedish-made Gripen fighter jet with its manufacturer, Saab, to compete in a tender to sell the planes to India's armed forces, the Jerusalem Post said.
But the state-owned firm backed out on the orders of the Israeli defense ministry "after the Pentagon expressed concern that American technology, used by Israel, would be integrated into the Gripen," the newspaper said.
It said Washington had likely pressured its close ally because two major U.S. aircraft manufacturers -- Boeing and Lockheed Martin -- are also participating in the tender for more than 120 aircraft estimated at 12 billion dollars. |