Special to WorldTribune.com

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said the United States has an “iron clad” commitment to ensure Israel’s military edge in the Middle East.

Cyber defense and air superiority were the focus of that commitment as Carter hosted Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon on Oct. 28 at U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade Maryland, followed by a visit to U.S. Naval Air Station at Patuxent River for a demonstration of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s capabilities. Israel is the lone Middle East country that will receive the F-35.

In remarks at the Pentagon on Oct. 27, Carter called the so-called qualitative military edge (QME) of Israel “a cornerstone of our strategy in the Middle East.”

“Our defense relationship spans the entire spectrum from tunnels and terrorists right up through the high-end,” Carter said. “That’s one of the reasons why we’ll be with the F-35 tomorrow. We work on all of the techniques, tactics and procedures regarding high-end warfare, in this case warfare from the air, right down to tunnels.”

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, however, has said, if elected, his administration would dump the fifth-generation fighter.

Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that the F-35 has “big problems.”

“I do hear that it’s not very good. I’m hearing that our existing planes are better. And one of the pilots came out of the plane, one of the test pilots, and said this isn’t as good as what we already have,” Trump said. “And to spend billions and billions of dollars on something that maybe isn’t as good …

“They’re saying it doesn’t perform as well as our existing equipment, which is much less expensive. So when I hear that, immediately I say we have to do something, because you know, they’re spending billions. This is a plane, there’s never been anything like it in terms of cost. And how about, you know, we’re retooling with planes that aren’t as good as the ones we have, and the test pilots are amazing people. They know better than anybody, okay, and I think you would accept that.”

Meanwhile, in his meeting with Ya’alon, Carter said the threat of Hamas using tunnels to carry out terror attacks became “painfully evident” during last summer’s Gaza war, and vowed that the U.S. would share some of its anti-tunnel techniques developed due to the threat from North Korea.

Carter pledged continued U.S. support for Israel in cyber defense, intelligence sharing and missile defense assets such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow.

“This is one of the most trusted relationships we have in the world and so when we discover something that is critical to both of us, we share it, and we do that from electronic warfare to cyber to all kinds of … tremendous intelligence sharing,” Carter said.

The strength of U.S.-Israel relations will be put to the test early next month when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Washington to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama.

  Ashton Carter, Ashton Carter: Commitment to Israel’s military edge ‘cornerstone’ of U.S. policy, Donald Trump, F-35, Moshe Ya’alon, WorldTribune.com