Pentagon sees "significant interest" in F-35 from Gulf

[unhappycamper]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/06/lockheed-fighter-gulf-idUSL2N0JL29A20131206

Pentagon sees "significant interest" in F-35 from Gulf
By Andrea Shalal-Esa
WASHINGTON Fri Dec 6, 2013 6:55pm EST

Dec 6 (Reuters) - Strong demand from Gulf countries for Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet has prompted Washington to grapple with the thorny question about releasing the jet to the region sooner than expected, a senior U.S. defense official said.

Washington has already approved sales of the new stealth fighter to a range of allies, including Turkey, South Korea, Japan and Israel, but sales to the Gulf require a deeper review given U.S. policy guidelines that call for Israel to maintain a qualitative military edge in the Middle East.

Talk about selling the plane to the United Arab Emirates and other U.S. allies in the Gulf came into the open during the Dubai air show last month, with potential buyers weighing whether to buy existing planes or wait for the U.S. government to release the new radar-evading F-35.

Government officials and industry experts have said they do not expect Washington to allow the sale of the F-35 to Gulf countries until around 2020, just short of five years after Israel receives its first F-35 fighters in 2016.

[CFLDem]

1. Yes let's give m/e countries

the most advanced warbird ever developed.

More proof we are surrounded by morans.