The Carter Administration’s projected billion dollar sale of 60 F-15 warplanes and related equipment to Saudi Arabia drew a strong protest to the President today from two Congressmen who said the transfer of this “most advanced jet fighter” would threaten the “fragile balance of power” in the Middle East.
The planes, manufactured by McDonnell-Douglas, cost $14.6 million each. They are twin-engine planes that carry four missiles. Israel is to get 25 of the aircraft, Congressional sources said, and Canada, Australia, Japan and West Germany are also seeking to buy them.
Reps. Robert F. Drinan (D.Mass.) and Benjamin S. Rosenthal (D. NY) said in their letter to President Carter that the “Eagles,” as the aircraft are called, “can only serve to de-stabilize the military balance, escalate the regional arms race and violate the principles of the President’s new policy to restrain arms sales.
“We fear that should another round of fighting occur in the Middle East, ” the Congressmen wrote the President, ” Saudi Arabia might not be able to resist the pressure to become involved. We are aware Saudi Arabia has not violated transfer agreements on U.S. purchased arms during previous Arab-Israeli wars, but it is important to point out that it did not have such a formidable arsenal in the past. There today exists, as never before, the distinct possibility Saudi Arabia could use its sophisticated weapons directly against Israel or loan them to another Arab power.”
NO OPPOSITION SEEN TO EGYPT DEAL
In another Middle East arms project, Congressional sources said they did not expect opposition to the Carter Administration’s intention to sell Egypt 12 pilot less reconnaissance aircraft for about $30 million. The Administration has notified Congress that the planes, known as “Drones,” will be equipped with cameras that Egypt could use to photograph Israeli military deployment.
A question the Congressional committees may ask is whether these Egyptian ” Drones” could be turned into cruise missiles by putting explosives rather than photographic equipment in them. The Drones are built by Teledyne Ryan of San Diego, Calif. They can fly a pre-set pattern guided by radio signals from the ground or from a piloted airplane.
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