TEL AVIV — The Israeli air force is continuously flying in munitions from the United States to replenish stockpiles depleted from the war in Lebanon.
Military sources said C-130 air transports and state-owned airliners have been shuttling between Israel and the United States to load up with munitions and related equipment. The effort began following the 33-day Israel-Hizbullah war in Lebanon, which ended on Aug. 14.
"It's a non-stop shuttle," a military source said. "Flights are taking place nearly every day and we're taking whatever they're willing to give or sell us."
The source said the air force plans to replace its stockpile of air munitions, particularly standard general-purpose air bombs. During the war, he said, the air force used so-called dumb bombs stored for more than 30 years.
"They were rusty but they worked," the source said. "Now, we want new munitions for our stockpile."
The source said the U.S. supplies were being delivered from the Dover Air Force base in Dover, Del. He said the Israel air force has been obtaining U.S. Air Force surplus bombs and related equipment to prepare for any near-term conflict with Hizbullah or its allies, Iran and Syria.
During the war, Israel conducted 15,000 sorties in Lebanon, more than any other conflict in Israel's history. The source said the air force depleted its supply of Joint Direct Attack Munitions, which converts general-purpose bombs to guided munitions.
The source said the General Staff was expected to discuss a proposal to renew a strategic production line of air and ground munitions to avoid dependency on the United States during any war. He said such a line had operated until the 1990s, when the Defense Ministry and military agreed that a conventional war was unlikely. The state-owned Israel Military Industries had operated the munitions line.
