The Jerusalem Post reports that Israel is looking into evidence that Russia plans to sell 250 Sukhoi-30 fighters to Iran in an "unprecedented billion-dollar deal." The deal also appears to include compatable aerial refueling tankers.
This report comes in the wake of the U.S. signing a deal to supply Saudi Arabia with thousands of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, a move that Iran has called destabilizing to the region. (Israel didn't care much for the deal either, by the way.)
The U.S. also recently made a big show of destroying its mothballed fleet of F-14s in order to prevent Iran from refurbishing its own Tomcats with Black Market parts.
For its part, Russia is unflinching in its foreign military sales strategy. Moscow said it reserved the right to sell Iran weapons, such as the antiaircraft system supplied a few months ago, that were of a defensive nature. However, at a glance strike aircraft afforded long-range capability courtesy of tankers would appear to be of an offensive nature.
So is Iran to this Cold War what India was to the last one?
(Gouge: NC)
(Photo: Indian Su-30)
-- Ward
