American Notes Military

Since 1983, Honduran military officials have pressed Washington to provide them with sophisticated jet fighters. The Reagan Administration has now decided to honor that request, despite its previous refusals to supply Honduras with advanced warplanes. Instead of the U.S. F-5s that they originally requested, however, the Hondurans have opted to use U.S. military aid to buy 18 Israeli Kfir jets. "We saw problems from the American Congress in getting the F-5s," said a Honduran official.

The U.S. also agreed to help Honduras upgrade its existing squadron of a dozen French Super Mystere fighter jets, half of which are in disrepair. Even without the Kfir jets, Honduras enjoys air superiority over neighboring Nicaragua, and the U.S. decision is likely to make the Sandinistas more eager to obtain MiG-21s from the Soviet Union.