Some of the same technologies that the U.S. military used to kill Abu Musab al-Zarqawi are playing a critical role in Israel’s new campaign against Hezbollah. The Israeli air force has brought to bear strike aircraft armed with laser– and satellite guided bombs and toting sophisticated targeting pods. The mission: sever communications links to Lebanon — depriving the terrorist network of foreign support — and to ensure that captured Israeli soldiers are not sneaked out of the country.
Since Wednesday, Israeli warplanes have systematically bombed roads, bridges, television and radio stations and the runways at the Beirut airport. These attacks have effectively isolated Lebanon at the price of around 100 Lebanese deaths plus many injuries (see picture). In light of the swift and devastating nature of the air campaign, that death toll is surprisingly low. But then, considering that Hezbollah has no air defenses to speak of — and that all the world is watching — in this conflict the Israeli air force’s greatest enemy is itself. It must achieve its operational goals with minimal civilian deaths to avoid turning world opinion against Israel.
That means accurate targeting and precision weapons. Most of the communications targets are static ones that Israel mapped out years ago, using aerial reconnaissance — as well as signals and human intelligence. So figuring out what to bomb isn’t hard. Hitting the targets accurately — without civilian casualties — is. And with airport terminals, bridges and highways teeming with local civilians and foreign tourists, the job is even tougher.
Fortunately for Israel, its air force is on the cutting edge of precision weapons technology. In the 1980s, Israeli firm Rafael pioneered small targeting pods for tactical warplanes. Today, the Rafael Litening family of pods — containing day and night sensors, a laser designator and tracker and GPS — equips Israeli F-16s and F-15s and U.S. aircraft such as Marine Corps F/A-18s.
Israeli aircrews probably approach from medium altitude, straight and level, using the cameras in their pods to zoom in on the target. They then designate it with a laser or determine its GPS coordinates — or both. At the optimal distance and angle, they pickle the weapon, either an Israeli Aircraft Industries laser-guided bomb or a Boeing Joint Direction Attack Munition (JDAM), which Israel has procured in quantity since 1999.
To deliver these weapons, the Israeli air force calls upon the most capable tactical jet fleet in the Middle East. The inventory includes:
25 F-15I Ra’am (essentially F-15Es)
11 F-15D Akef
17 F-15C Akef
8 F-15B Baz
27 F-15A Baz
102 F-16I Soufa (advanced F-16 Block 50s, some still in delivery)
75 F-16D Brakeet
52 F-16C Barak
20 F-16B Netz
90 F-16A Netz
The F-15Is and F-16Is are the most advanced strike aircraft in the Middle East, with the possible exception of the Emirates’ F-16E/Fs. But the only pictures of current air operations that I’ve seen have shown just F-16Cs and Ds, which makes sense. The early F-16s and F-15s are best suited for air-to-air missions and the F-15Is and F-16Is are long-range strike aircraft with conformal fuel tanks, likely being held in reserve for possible action against Iran, which reportedly has troops in Lebanon and supplied the drone that damaged an Israeli patrol boat and killed four sailors on Thursday.
–David Axe
UPDATE 6:59 PM: Stratfor says that “we are now in the period preceding major conventional operations. Israel is in the process of sealing the Lebanese coast. They have disrupted Lebanese telecommunications, although they have not completely collapsed the structure. Israeli aircraft are attacking Hezbollah’s infrastructure and road system. In the meantime, Hezbollah, aware it is going to be hit hard, is in a use-it or-lose-it scenario, firing what projectiles it can into Israel.”
The Israeli strategy appears to be designed to do two things. First, the Israelis are trying to prevent any supplies from entering Lebanon, including reinforcements. That is why they are attacking all coastal maritime facilities. Second, they are degrading the roads in Lebanon. That will keep reinforcements from reaching Hezbollah fighters engaged in the south. As important, it will prevent the withdrawal and redeployment of heavy equipment deployed by Hezbollah in the south, particularly their rockets, missiles and launchers. The Israelis are preparing the battlefield to prevent a Hezbollah retreat or maneuver.
Hezbollah’s strategy has been imposed on it. It seems committed to standing and fighting. The rate of fire they are maintaining into Israel is clearly based on an expectation that Israel will be attacking. The rocketry guarantees the Israelis will attack. Hezbollah has been reported to have anti-tank and anti-air weapons. The Israelis will use airmobile tactics to surround and isolate Hezbollah concentrations, but in the end, they will have to go in, engage and defeat Hezbollah tactically. Hezbollah obviously knows this, but there is no sign of disintegration on its part. At the very least, Hezbollah is projecting an appetite for combat. Sources in Beirut, who have been reliable to this point, say Hezbollah has weapons that have not yet been seen, such as anti-aircraft missiles, and that these will be used shortly.
UPDATE 7:20 PM: Be sure to check out Tom Barnett’s take on the crisis, too; this is Iran’s “form of a pre-emptive war — well-timed and well-placed,” he says.
Good Morning David,
I hope that U.S.A.F. Generals and U.S.N. Admirals are taking notes and that Syria and Iran are just a little bit uncomfortable right now. Israel once again is showing what can be done with equipment the U.S.A.F. and U.S.N. has deemed as obsolute and out of date.
The stars have once again lined up for Israel and they are taking full advantage of it. Arafat is dead, the Palestineians are leaderless, the U.S. has troops in the neighborhood and Iran is on everybody’s bad guy list and Hamas was dumb enough to provoke this waiting giant. Israel has waited over five years for this constillation to appear and they are making the best of it.
So far the application of both air and sea power has proven to work well for Israel, the next test will be the air defenses of Syria and Iran.
Oops there goes Iran’s nuclear program, just like Iraqs a generation ago.
Meanwhile back in Washington our President is a deer caught in the head lights and our Sec. of “state” Condoleezza Rice is as “Clueless” as ever.
It’s good that they can be in Moscow for the G-7 1/3 meeting. It gives both of them an excuess for their inactions, not that they would have done much good in the first place. Afterwards Bush can go to the Ranch and have another Cindy Sheehan summer and Sec. of “state” can head to Paris for a haircut and some shoe shopping.
Remember when the United States and our President had enough respectin the wrold to be considered a player in the middle east?
Ah, yes those were the days of Carter and Clinton, how the world now surly misses them.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
In all likelyhood, the harsh truth is actually this:
Israel and the Palestinians will never peacefully co-exist side by side.
’Radical’ groups that seem to represent the mainstream populations of Syria, Lebanon, and (especially) Iran have made it clear that they will not tolerate the “Zionist occupation.” The long term solution, or the best roadmap to peace is the elimination of either Israel, or the Arabs that hate her.
To vie for a peaceful co-existence is, quite frankly, not plausible.
Looks like war with Syria is on the horizon
One of the things I have always found interesting was how completely modifies its major weapon systems it buys from the US. Apache Longbow for instance looks sorta like a US Longbow, but most US pilots would have a tough time operating it. The software and their algorithms, the ASE and the comm is all unique. So while the previous commenter observes the weapon systems are viewed as archaic here in the US that is misnomer. The Israeli approach is that their systems are always first line. They usually have 2–3 ECP’s and PIPs for everyone the US system might have.
Hello all!
I don’t mean to insult anyone’s intelligence. Since you are reading such a blog as this, you have some knowledge of the defense world. Please consider, then, that military planning/operations are not always, nor even often, about telegraphing your moves to the enemy. It is imprudent to think that because you’re not hearing about it, it’s not happening.
Why is it that Israel’s collateral damage kills more civilians by accident than Hezbollah’s deliberate attacks on them?
And why does the rest of the world tolerate it?
Does the US really base foreign policy on old episodes of Star Trek?
Good Morning NOTR,
Good comment on the Apache Longbow and the IDF. It appears that they have been able to make the systems work, something the U.S. has not been able to do.
Last word out of Iraq and Afghanistan is that the Apache Battalions in country are removing the Lowgbow equipment. It appears that Longbow has become just another defense project that soaked up $Billin and didn’t live up to billing.
Perhaps we should look closer into what the IDE has done to make the Longbow System battle worthy.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
When Hezbollah starts targeting any countries major cities with medium range rockets they should expect the reaction they have gotten from Israel. If they targeted there sponsor in Terrorism (Iran) they would be dealt with just as harshly if not worse.
This can be seen by the reaction of the moderate Arab nations.
Yes, I remember well the halcyon days of Carter and Clinton.
I remember Carter allowing a mob of unwashed students to hold his citizens hostage for a year and a bit while he sat on his thumb. I remember Clinton forcing Israel to accept the Oslo accords while dining with the PLO’s leader, a professed terrorist and killer.
The democrats would have us out of everywhere while simaltaneously demanding that we become party to everything. Today being unilateral is bad, tomorrow being multilateral is bad, and the day after that getting involved at all is bad. Next week they will all get switched around, depending on how the dems perceive it could hurt President Bush politically.
Its time America let Israel know that we support them, and let Israels terrorist enemies know that we will not listen to their spiteful and double-dealing entreaties. Put Iran and Syria on notice; they can either move forward with the civilized world or we will push them back into the archaic days they so seem to desire.
Neil,
Israel has its Kfirs and its A-4s in reserve.
…the U.S. has troops in the neighborhood…
…Meanwhile back in Washington our President is a deer caught in the head lights
…It’s good that they can be in Moscow for the G-7 1/3 meeting
President Bush is in three places at once (Washington, Moscow, and St. Petersburg)?
Regardless, Israel knows we have it’s back and are a hop, skip, and a jump away because of that guy “caught in the headlights”.
For the Lebonese and the Israelis, I hope this is over quickly and that Israel does a throrough job cleaning house in southern Lebanon. And I hope Syria, Iran, Hamas, and whomever else learn a lesson.
Hi Tech, Low Tech, US and Israeli pilots are a bunch of Baby Killers! Who, when they are flying are tough guys but when they are shot down become Homos! Add to the list the Coward Hezbollah Missile and Rocket boys too.
Wundersch
Wundersch
Wundersch
Wundersch
Wundersch
Wundersch
I don’t mean to insult anyone’s intelligence. Since you are reading such a blog as this, you have some knowledge of the defense world. Please consider, then, that military planning/operations are not always, nor even often, about telegraphing your moves to the enemy. It is imprudent to think that because you’re not hearing about it, it’s not happening.
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