US embassy cable - 03AMMAN7820

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 007820 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2013 
TAGS: MAP 
SUBJECT: COUNTRY TEAM ASSESSMENT OF F-16 UPGRADES FOR 
WEAPONS COMPATABILITY (C) 
 
REF: A. A. JORDANIAN FAX WITH LOR APPENDIX CHANGES 21 
        AUG 2003. 
     B. B. EMAIL FROM SAF/IARM DATED 14 OCT 2003 
 
Classified By: COMLOR 
 
 1.  (U) PER REFERENCE B ABOVE, THE US EMBASSY ) AMMAN IS 
PROVIDING A COUNTRY TEAM ASSESSMENT (CTA) IN SUPPORT OF THE 
GOJ,S REQUEST THAT F-16 UPGRADES BE COMPATIBLE WITH MULTIPLE 
WEAPONS SYSTEMS IDENTIFIED IN REFERENCE A. 
 
2.  (C) THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN HAS REQUESTED IN 
REFERENCE A, AS PART OF ITS F-16 MODIFICATIONS, THAT THE F-16 
CONFIGURATION BE COMPATIBLE WITH SEVERAL WEAPONS SYSTEMS 
JORDAN MAY DESIRE TO PROCURE IN THE FUTURE.  THE LIST IS: 
AIM-120 (AMRAAM) 
GBU-24 LASER GUIDED BOMB (LGBS) 
JDAM (GBU-31) 
AGM-65D/G MAVERICK 
PGU-27 AND PGU 28 BULLETS 
CBU-87/89/97 CLUSTER MUNITIONS 
AIM-9X SIDEWINDER (ASRAAM) 
AGM-88 HARM & ASQ-213 HARM TARGETING SYSTEM POD 
AGM-84 HARPOON 
BSU-49 BALOOT (500 LB) 
BSU-50 BALOOT (500 LB) 
LGBS (GBU-10,12) 
CURRENTLY, A FEW OF THESE ITEMS ARE IN QUESTION: AIM-9X, 
AGM-88 HARM & HARM TARGETING PODS, CBU-97, CBU-89, AGM-84 
BLOCK II, AND THE GBU-31.  THE AIM 9-X, CBU-89, AND AGM-88 
HARM & HARM TARGETING PODS ARE NOT CURRENTLY RELEASABLE TO 
JORDAN. THE CBU-97 AND AGM-84 BLOCK II CAN BOTH BE WORKED VIA 
ENDP AND THE GBU-31 CAN BE HANDLED VIA A TOPLINE FROM SAF/IA. 
 
EVEN WITH SOME WEAPONS CURRENTLY AT ISSUE, THIS CTA REQUESTS 
THAT ALL THESE ITEMS REMAIN AS FUTURE OPTIONS TO THE 
JORDANIANS.  JORDAN HAS BEEN A STAUNCH SUPPORTER OF U.S. 
EFFORTS AND MAY RECEIVE FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION ON MANY OF 
THESE ITEMS AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE.  ADDITIONALLY, IT MAY 
BE YEARS BEFORE THE ACTUAL ITEMS ARE REQUESTED AND FUNDED. 
THE F-16 MODIFICATIONS WILL NOT BE COMPLETE UNTIL SOMETIME IN 
THE MIDDLE OF 2008 (KIT MANUFACTURE WILL TAKE 2 YEARS 
FOLLOWED BY 2.5 YEARS FOR INSTALLATION IN 17 AIRCRAFT). 
BARRING ANY MAJOR FUNDING INCREASE TO THE ROYAL JORDANIAN AIR 
FORCE OR CHANGE IN THE JORDAN,S AIR FORCE MODERNIZATION 
PLAN, IT IS LIKELY THAT SIGNIFICANT WEAPONS BUYS WILL BE TOO 
COSTLY IN THE NEAR TERM.  THUS KEEPING THE OPTION OPEN OFFERS 
JORDAN THE POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE CAPABILITIES WITH MINIMAL 
RISK. 
 
3.  (U) RECOMMEND U.S. GOVERNMENT APPROVAL FOR RETAINING ALL 
THESE ITEMS AS FUTURE OPTIONS FOR JORDAN,S AIR FORCES WITH 
EACH ITEM AT ISSUE TO BE EVALUATED AT THE TIME OF AN OFFICIAL 
LETTER OF REQUEST FROM JORDAN.  THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF 
JORDAN PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE FUTURE PEACE OF THE REGION 
AND MERITS FURTHER U.S. ASSISTANCE IN THIS KEY AREA OF 
DEFENSE. 
 
4.  (U) THE US EMBASSY AMMAN COUNTRY TEAM HAS CONFIRMED WITH 
THE JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT THEIR INTENT TO PROVIDE THESE ITEMS 
WITH THE SAME DEGREE OF SECURITY AS THE U.S. WOULD PROVIDE. 
JORDAN HAS IN THE PAST BEEN A TRUSTWORTHY CUSTODIAN OF OTHER 
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY. THE COUNTRY TEAM STRONGLY 
BELIEVES THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. 
 
5.  (C) WE ANTICIPATE THERE MAY BE A NEGATIVE REACTION FROM 
ISRAEL AND SYRIA IF JORDAN ACQUIRES THE AIM-9X AND HARM 
SYSTEMS.  HOWEVER, SINCE THIS IS NOT A REQUEST TO ACQUIRE THE 
AIM-9X AND HARM SYSTEMS, WE EXPECT THE REACTION TO BE 
MINIMAL.  WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE 
REACTION FROM SAUDI ARABIA AND/OR OTHER REGIONAL STATES FOR 
THIS ACQUISITION. 
 
6.  (U) WE ARE UNAWARE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS OF GROSS VIOLATIONS 
OF HUMAN RIGHTS BY THE RJAF THAT WOULD PROHIBIT RELEASE OF 
THIS ITEM. 
 
7.  (U) POC THIS ACTION IS MAJ CJ OMLOR, USAF, AT 
011-962-6-592-0101, EXT 2549 OR AT COMLOR@SAN.OSD.MIL 
HALE