Israel Aerospace Industries

Israel Aerospace Industries(Hebrew:התעשייה האווירית לישראל,romanized:ha-ta'asiya ha-avirit le-yisra'el), isIsrael's majoraerospaceandaviationmanufacturer, producing aerial and astronautic systems for bothmilitaryand civilian usage. It has 14,000 employees as of 2021. IAI is state-owned by the government of Israel.

Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.

Company type	Government-owned corporation
Traded as	TASE:ARSP.B1
Industry	Aviation,Defense
Predecessor	Bedek Aviation Company
Founded	1953(1953)
Founder	Al Schwimmer Shimon Peres
Headquarters	Lod , Israel
Key people	Boaz Levy(CEO)
Products	Military weapons and equipment
Services	Aircraft maintenance Aircraft upgrade
Revenue	US$4.973 billion(2022)
Operating income	US$797 million(2022)
Net income	US$213 million(2022)
Number of employees	15,000
Divisions	Bedek Aviation Group Commercial Aircraft Group Military Aircraft Group Systems, Missiles & Space Group
Subsidiaries	ELTA Systems
Website	www.iai.co.il

IAI designs, develops, produces and maintains civil aircraft,drones,fighter aircraft,missile,avionics,andspace-basedsystems.

IAI's main focus is engineering,aviationandhigh-techelectronics, though it also manufactures military systems for ground andnavalforces. Many of these products are centered on the core needs of theIsrael Defense Forces(IDF). Other offerings are marketed to numerous foreign militaries.

History

Israel Aerospace Industries was founded in 1953 as Bedek Aviation Company under the initiative ofShimon Peres,then director general of the Ministry of Defense, in order to maintain Israel Defense Forces aircraft.The company originally had 70 employees and recruited American born aviation expertAl Schwimmeras the company's founder and first president.

First aircraft manufacturing

IAI Tzukit of theIAF Aerobatic Team(2007)

In 1959 Bedek began manufacturing its first aircraft, aV-tailedtwinjet trainer of French design, theFouga CM.170 Magister,locally calledTzukit(monticola). TheTzukitbecame theIsraeli Air Forceprincipal trainer for 50 years. The IAITzukitwas also used in the 1967Six-Day Warby147 Squadronas a close support aircraft, attacking targets on the Egyptian front during the first day of the war, when Israel's more capable combat aircraft were deployed against Arab air bases and aircraft.They were then deployed againstJordanianforces, including armour, on theWest Bank.The Magister proved effective at the close-support mission albeit with heavy casualties, with six being lost.

The first aircraft to be fully designed and built by IAI, theIAI Aravashort take-off and landing transport aircraft, first flew in 1969 after three years of development.

The French embargo impact

IAI Kfir

In response to theFrench embargo,IAI began developing its own fighter aircraft, a derivative of theMirage 5called theIAI Nesher( "hawk" ), in 1968. The Nesher entered service in 1971, in time for theYom Kippur War.The Nesher was followed by theIAI Kfir( "lion cub" ), which was developed as a result of Israel's need for adapting theDassault Mirage IIIto the specific requirements of the Israeli Air Force. TheKfirentered service with the IAF in 1975, the first units being assigned to the101st "First Fighter" Squadron.Over the following years, several other squadrons were also equipped with the new aircraft. The Kfir's first recorded combat action took place on 9 November 1977, during an Israeli air strike on a training camp at Tel Azia, inLebanon.The only air victory claimed by a Kfir during its service with the IAF occurred on 27 June 1979 when a Kfir C.2 shot down a SyrianMiG-21.

The IAI Kfir has been exported toColombia,Ecuador,Sri Lankaand was leased to theUS Navyand theUS Marine Corpsfrom 1985 to 1989, to act as adversary aircraft indissimilar air combat training.

Diversification

IAI Gabriel

In 1969 IAI acquiredNorth American Rockwell'sJet Commanderseries of business aircraft. This became the basis for theIAI Westwindline. Work on an improved Westwind – named the Astra – began in the late 1970sby stretching the fuselage and designing a new swept wing, with the first prototype flight occurring on 19 March 1984.The first production Astra flew on 20 March 1985,FAAcertification came on 29 August 1985 and customer deliveries started in 1986.

In the 1960s, IAI developed theGabriel anti-ship missileand theElta Electronics Industriessubsidiary developed an inexpensive aircraft radar which would become a successful export item. In the 1970s IAI developed theDabur class patrol boat.

In the 1970s IAI also entered theUnmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) market with the development of theIAI Scout.In 1984, IAI formed ajoint venturewith rival Israeli companyTadiranto market both companies' UAV's, theTadiran Mastiffand theIAI Scout.

Developing the maintenance, repair and overhaul business

By 1980s the original Bedek maintenance business was conducting extensive overhauls on dozens of different aircraft types, working on engines as well as airframes and interiors, IAI could provide more comprehensive refurbishments than even the aircraft manufacturers themselves. The unit had 4,000 employees by the mid-1980s and overhauled a huge range of aircraft, from propeller-driven trainers to airliners; including big civil aviation programs, such as conversion ofBoeing 747sto freighters.

The Lavi program

IAI Lavi

In 1980 the Government of Israel decided to use the experience IAI had accumulated to develop and manufacture a modern fighter plane to be the mainstay of theIsrael Air Force.The aircraft, called theIAI Lavi,was to be a superior attack aircraft with advanced weapons systems. It had its rollout in July 1986 and successful maiden flight in December 1986.

In August 1987, after extensive government deliberations, the decision was made (by one vote) to cancel the Lavi program, due to the questioning of Israel's economic ability to support the cost of such an extensive program.This led to a serious crisis at IAI which necessitated a major reorganization of the company's structure and business strategy; the company's work force of more than 22,000 people was cut by 5,500 in 1988. However, the Lavi program was credited with developing a number of advanced technologies that IAI was able to market.

1990s onwards—export led growth

AnOfeqsurveillance satellite launch utilising theShavitspace vehicle

Model of an AMOS-5 satellite during "Semana de Espacio", in IFEMA, Madrid

Arrow 3missile

The Avocet ProJet with IAI Logo

TheIAI Haroploitering anti-radiation drone

LAHATlaser-guided anti-tank missile system

LORA tactical ballistic missile system

The Guardium unmanned ground vehicle

By 1989 IAI posted a profit of $11.8 million on sales of $1.28 billion. The company had four divisions—Aircraft, Aviation, Electronics, and Technologies—and 17 factories. IAI was established as a world leader in upgrading aircraft. Planes such as the Vietnam-eraMcDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIwere modernized with advanced avionics and weaponry.

In the 1990s IAI entered the space race with theAMOS communications satellites,Ofeq observation satellitesand theShavitspace launcher.

In December 1997, theIAI Galaxy,a business jet with an intercontinental range developed as ajoint ventureGalaxy Aerospace with theHyatt Corporation,made its first flight and entered service in 2000. In May 2001, General Dynamics'Gulfstream Aerospacebought IAI's Galaxy Aerospace Co. L.P. unit for $330 million, although IAI continues to perform most of the assembly and development of the jets which are marketed by Gulfstream.

In 2003, Israel Aircraft Industries attempted to enter the VLJ (very light jet) Market by launching theAvocet ProJet,a 6–8 seat high utilization air taxi with a list price almost half the cost of the least expensive business jet available at that time. In early 2006, ProJet development stalled after a major undisclosed USOEMpulled out of the program due to unspecified reasons.

The company was working with theAviation Technology Groupon a military trainer version of theATG Javelin,a fighter style personal jet. The version being developed would have competed against a large field of jet trainers at a much lower cost of acquisition and maintenance. ATG halted development of the Javelin in 2008 due to a lack of funds.

In March 2004 IAI signed a $1.1 billion contract withIndiato install threeEL/W-2090AWACSsystems on Russian-madeIlyushin Il-76transports, which are based in part on IAI's earlierEL/M-2075 Phalconplatform which was developed in the 1990s.In the late 2000s IAI developed the follow-onEL/W-2085system which is installed on heavily modified Gulfstream G550 aircraft and which besides serving in the IAF were also sold to Singapore and Italy.

On 6 November 2006, IAI changed its corporate name from "Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd." to "Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd."; to more accurately reflect the current scope of the firm's business activities, which includes not just aircraft, but also systems, satellites and launchers, as well as maritime and ground systems.

On 13 April 2009, theMoscow Timesreported that the RussianDefense Ministryhad signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace to purchase $50 million in pilotless drone aircraft. The contract reportedly includes three types of UAVs manufactured by the company.

In January 2012, IAI announced a sale of $1.1 billion of defense systems to an Asian country. The deal has been signed but the company did not name the buyer. It was reported that the sale will include IAI aircraft, missiles and intelligence technologies.

On 4 September 2012, theGulfstream G280,a new twin-engine business jet built by IAI, received full certification from theFederal Aviation Administration(FAA).

IAI is a member of the prestigious Trace International and Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) organizations and recognized in theTransparency InternationalApril 2015 report to be in the top third of worldwide defense companies for its ethics and anti-corruption programs.

In April 2018, IAI systems were observed in a film made by theAzerbaijan Army,specifically theIAI Haroploitering munition system, resulting in criticism from theArmenian governmentconcerning the supply of Israeli arms to the Azeri army.In 2019, IAI sells drone defense systems to governments to be placed in sensitive areas such as borders, army bases, or power plans, and provides equipment to shoot down military drones as well. It also sells to clients such as airports looking to protect against consumer drones.IAI in 2019 is Israel’s major aerospace and defense manufacturer. It released its Popstar system in September 2019, which "can detect and track drones up to 4 km away in day or night".IAI advised customers in December 2019 not to fly some Boeing 737 freighters it had converted, after IAI said it detected an "apparent irregularity" in the production process. IAI's converted 737s had come into service in 2003.

In July 2021, IAI Aviation Group has agreed to establish a passenger to freighter conversion site to convert the B737-700/800 with Atitech (Italy) inNaples.

Products

Barak 8surface to air missile

Civilian aircraft produced

Source:

• IAI Westwind(1965–1987):
  • 1121Jet Commander,Certification: November 1964, Line relocated in Israël in 1969
  • 1123Commodore Jet,Certification: December 1971, stretched, GE‐CJ610‐9 turbojets, thrust reversers, wing-tip tanks, APU
  • 1124Westwind I,Certification: March 1976,TFE731‐3 turbofans, updated systems and avionics
  • 1124AWestwind II,Certification: April 1980, winglets, wing refinements, additional tank, upgraded avionics
• Gulfstream G100(1985–2016)
  • 1125Astra,Certification: August 1985, new wing, modified fuselage, updated systems and avionics
  • 1125Astra SP,Certification: May 1990, digital avionics
  • G100 (Astra SPX),Certification: January 1996, improved engines, upgraded avionics
  • G150,Certification: November 2005, fuselage stretched and widened, new nose, new avionics, uprated engines
• Gulfstream G200(Galaxy, 1997–2011), Certification: December 1998, new fuselage, improved engines, winglets, modified wing, upgraded avionics
• Gulfstream G280,(in production) Certification and EIS: 2011: All new fuselage, T-Tail, Wings, engines, systems and avionics
• Arava:medium-sizedSTOLtransport aircraft (no longer in production)
• IAI Avocet ProJet:very light jet(program cancelled in 2005)

Civilian air systems

• Conversion of passenger aircraft to cargo aircraft
  • A330-300
  • B737-300
  • B737-400
  • B737-700
  • B737-800
  • B767-200
  • B767-300
  • B747-200
  • B747-400
  • B777-300
• Flight Guardinfrared countermeasuressystem againstMANPADanti-aircraft missiles

Military aircraft

• 377M Anak– conversions done to several ex-Pan American World AirwaysBoeing 377 Stratocruiser airliners into heavy lift military cargo aircraft after the United States refused the sale of theC-130to theIsraeli Air Force.
• Lavi– an Israeli fighter jet, abandoned when the United States refused to fund anF-16competitor.
• Kfir– fighter jet, developed from the Nesher.
• Nammer– fighter jet, updated version of the Kfir.
• Nesher– fighter jet, derivative of the French Mirage 5.
• ELTA-ELI-3001 – AISIS – Airborne Integrated SIGINT System.
• CAEW Conformal Airborne Early Warning Aircraft – based on the G550 and equipped with the phalcon radar.

Unmanned aerial vehicles

• UAVs– unmanned aerial vehicles, manufactured by IAI's MALAT division:
  • Pioneer(with the USA)
  • RQ-5 Hunter(with the USA)
  • Heronfamily of long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
  • Harpy
  • Eitan
  • I-View
  • Harop
  • Ranger
  • Scout
  • Searcher
  • Bird-Eyefamily of mini-UAV
  • Panther
  • Ghost

Military air systems

• Rafael Python 5air-to-air missile (together withRafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.)
• Upgrades toF-16andF-15,andMiG-21jet fighters
• Upgrades toSikorskyCH-53Yas'ur in project "Yas'ur 2000"
• Avionics upgrades for theKa-50-2 Erdogangunshipin collaboration withKamov
• Phalconair surveillance system
• Eitam– adaptations of aGulfstream G550forairborne early warning and control
• Griffin LGB– a system for converting unguided bombs intoprecision-guided munitions
• SkySniperair to surface missile

Ground defense systems

IDF Caterpillar D9armored bulldozer.

• IDF Caterpillar D9R'sarmorkit
• IAI JUMPER(See alsoXM501 Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System)
• Unmannedskid steer loader"Front Runner"
• UnmannedIDF Caterpillar D9remote-controlledbulldozer
• AMMAD
• TopGun (artillery)
• Scorpius Electronic Warfare System

Ground transportation

• Assembly ofIC3diesel multiple unittrainsanddouble-decker railway coachesunder license fromBombardier Transportation
• Taxibot,semi-robotic towbarlesspushbacktractor.
• RBY MK 1
• RAM MK3

Unmanned ground vehicles

• Guardium
• Sahar– roboticengineeringscout
• Robattle
• D9T Panda– unmanned version of theIDF Caterpillar D9Tarmored bulldozer

Naval systems

• Super Dvora Mk III class patrol boat
• Super Dvora Mk II class patrol boat
• Dvora class fast patrol boat
• Dabur class patrol boat

Missile systems

• Arrow– Anti-ballistic missile system
• Arrow 3– Anti-ballistic missile system
• Barak 1– Surface-to-air missile
• Barak 8– Surface-to-air missile (jointly developed withDRDOofIndia)
• Gabriel– Air-to-surface, surface-to-surface anti-ship missile
• Iron Dome– mobile all-weather air-defence system
• Jericho I- Short-range ballistic missile
• Jericho II & III- Long-range ballistic missile
• LAHAT– Anti-tank missile
• LORA- Tactical ballistic missile
• Nimrod– Air-to-surface, surface-to-surface missile
• Wind Demon– Air-to-surface, low cost cruise missile

Space hardware

• AMOS (satellite bus)
  • Intelsat 24
  • AMOS-2
  • AMOS-3
  • AMOS-4
  • AMOS-6
• EROS (satellite)
  • EROS A
  • EROS B
• OfeqSatelliteseries
  • Ofek-7
  • Ofek-9
  • Ofek-10
• RISAT-2satellite
• SHALOM (satellite)
• Shavitspace launcher
• Middle East Newsline has reported that IAI will launch one or moreCubeSatsby the end of 2008.
• TecSARreconnaissance satellite, launched on 21 January 2008
• VENμSsatellite

Manufacturing plants

ManyIsrael RailwaysIC3trains (one shown at Beit Shemesh, August 2006) were assembled by RAMTA fromknock-down kitsimported from Denmark.

• Systems, Missiles & Space Group
  • Malam – integration
  • Mabat – missiles and satellites
  • Tamam –inertial guidanceandelectro-opticsystems
• Military Aircraft Group
  • Lahav – aircraft upgrades
  • Mata – helicopter upgrades
  • Golan Industries – crash survival seats and other aircraft parts
  • Malat –Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Elta–Radars,electronic warfareandELINT
• Bedek Aviation Group –MRO
  • Aircraft Division – Conversion of passenger aircraft to cargo aircraft, heavy aircraft maintenance, Fleet Maintenance
  • Engines Division – Repair and overhaul of civil and military aircraft engines (P&W,GE)
  • Components Division – Repair and overhaul of civil and military aircraft components (APU,Landing Gear,CSD etc.).
• Commercial Aircraft Group
  • Ramta –railcars,patrol boats,armorkits forengineering vehiclesetc.
  • Aerostructures
    • Shahal –landing gearand other aircraft parts
  • Technologies
  • Business Jets
• Engineering Division – aircraft manufacturing and integration
  • Maman – IT Services. mainly implementing and maintaining ERP/SAP Package.

See also

• Aeronautics Defense Systems
• Elta Systems
• Military equipment of Israel

Bibliography

• Aloni, Shlomo (September–October 2003). "Golden Heritage: Israeli Aircraft Industries at 50".Air Enthusiast.No. 107. pp. 15–30.ISSN0143-5450.
• Aloni, Shlomo. "Trainers in Combat: Valour and Sacrifice in the Six Day War".Air Enthusiast,No. 94, July/August 2001. pp. 42–55. ISSN 0143-5450
• Relman, Paul (December 1993). "IAI Astra: Israel's star-struck biz jet".Air International.Vol. 45, no. 6. pp. 313–319.ISSN0306-5634.

External links

• Israel Aerospace Industries– official site.
• IAI Space Systems
• IAI Space Division
• Official org-chart (2 January 2007)