Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Officials said the administration of President Barack Obama was not
expected to ship advanced GBU-28 bunker-busters to Israel.

The officials said Obama himself offered to transfer the GBU-28 as well as
the KC-135 refueling aircraft to Israel. They said the president, however,
demanded an Israeli commitment not to attack Iran in 2012.

The president’s offer was relayed during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on March 5. Officials said Netanyahu said Israel would welcome the advanced U.S. platforms but could not commit to allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

They said the advanced weapon was in short supply in U.S. military stocks amid threats in Asia.

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff as well as the Air Force command would be very strongly against removing any of its GBU-28s,” an official said.

Israel has long requested the 5,000-pound GBU-28 from the United States. Congress approved two GBU-28 sales to Israel — in 2005 and 2007 — and which amounted to 150 bunker-busters. Officials said some of the laser-guided weapons, manufactured by Raytheon, arrived in Israel by 2010.

Israel has already developed a smaller bunker-buster, called MPR-500,
which weighs 500 pounds. The weapon, produced by the state-owned Israel
Military Industries, was unveiled in March 2012 and designed to penetrate
double-reinforced concrete walls or floors.

Washington has also long denied Israel the strategic KC-135 fuel tanker,
manufactured by Boeing.

Over the last five years, the Israel Air Force has
overseen the modernization and expansion of its Boeing 707 aerial refueling
tanker fleet.

Israeli media reports said Obama raised the prospect of selling four
KC-135s to Israel. The Israel Air Force acquired three older KC-130 tankers
in 1976.

Israel was expected to renew requests for advanced weapons during the
visit by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz in late March. Gantz was
scheduled to meet Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Gen. Martin Dempsey,
chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“The fact is that even if the U.S. request is approved, it’ll take years
until these platforms are manufactured and delivered,” an official said.

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