AMBASSADOR (RET.) YORAM ETTINGER: Here are the facts. Israel is marketing US arms and enriching the US economy. Here is a shortlist. Do the math!
The export reach of the US-manufactured C-130 transport plane has multiplied 4-5 times since Israel received its first 2 units in 1971. Since 2010, more than 2,700 C-130s have been ordered and/or delivered to 70 countries.
The total production volume of the initial C-130 program (A-H) reached 2,271 airframes, while the highly modernized C-130J Super Hercules variant has already surpassed 2,800 aircraft (48% operated by the US Air Force and 52% exported). The cost of 1 C-130J Hercules is $85mn-$100mn.
As is the case with the US-made F-35, F-16 and F-15 combat aircraft and Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, Israel has performed as a Triple-A Store on behalf of the US aerospace industry. It operates Lockheed-Martin’s C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft at high intensity, providing the US manufacturer and Air Force with free, high-stakes operational testing and capabilities-validation, invaluable structural wear data, and unmatched marketing prestige.