The United States operated an airlift between Israel and Saudi Arabia on the eve of the start of the Persian Gulf War, if is disclosed in a new book about to be published here.
A dozen Israeli-made bridges were flown into the war theater for the U.S. Marine Corps, according to Yosef Evron, author of “Shield and Spear: The Story of Israel Military Industries.”
The portable bridges provided by Israel were used by allied troops to cross canals and tank traps set by the Iraqi army.
Israel also provided the U.S. armed forces with Tomahawk cruise missile launchers, writes Evron, a spokesman for Israel Military Industries for 22 years.
The equipment was built by Israel Military Industries in Haifa.
Evron says the bridges were custom-made for the Marines. U.S. Air Force Galaxy transports flew them from Israel to Saudi Arabia between Jan. 10 and 12, 1991.
The bridges performed satisfactorily, the Marine Corps reported.
Evron wrote that the Israeli military conglomerate got the U.S. Navy contract for the missile launchers in January 1987.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
