Administration sources said the White House has drafted measures that could prevent Israel and other non-NATO allies from procuring U.S. fighter-jets, including the F-35. They said the administration would require that Israel obtain special permission from the Defense Department and State Department to acquire the Joint Strike Fighter.

The administration has also been resisting Israeli requests for technical data on the new F-15SE fighter-jet.

Under the proposals, the Pentagon would order modifications of JSF to provide the aircraft with nuclear strike capabilities. The sources said such a capability would provide the Pentagon with access to government budgets to maintain and develop the U.S. nuclear arsenal

“Once JSF obtains nuclear strike capability, there becomes a problem with exports,” the source said. “NATO countries would have less of a problem; non-NATO countries would need special exemptions.”

The sources said Lockheed Martin would not be instructed to develop both nuclear- and non-nuclear models of the F-35 for the first stage of production. Israel has sought to become among the first export clients of JSF.

Over the last few months, the administration has rejected a series of Israeli requests regarding modifications of the F-35. They included Israeli electronic warfare systems and acquisition of U.S. software codes that would allow Israel to repair the aircraft’s central computer. The U.S. refusal meant that the Israel Air Force would be forced to send the F-35 to the United States for any repairs, a process that could take months.

The sources said the State Department has been delaying Israeli requests for pre-export licenses required for an examination of the new generation F-15.

The sources said the administration has not approved the new F-15 for the Foreign Military Sales program. They said this could prevent Israel from using U.S. military aid to purchase the aircraft from Boeing.

“This is a legal issue,” a source said. “The F-15SE might not qualify for FMS.”

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The fighter’s two-man crew ejected around 70km (130nm) south-east of Jaisalmer at around 10:30 local time during a routine training sortie, the air force says. “Wg Cdr S V Munje survived the crash, [but] Wg Cdr P S Nara succumbed to his injuries,” it adds.

India signed an almost $1.5 billion contract with Russia in 1996 for an initial batch of Su-30MKIs, and later brokered an agreement for state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics to licence-produce another 140.

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The air force says a court of inquiry will investigate the cause of the accident, but has not grounded its remaining Su-30MKIs, the first of which entered use around 12 years ago.

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