Joseph Ma’ayan, Director General of the Defense Ministry, will go to Washington later this week to begin discussions with American officials on the next generation of Israel-made combat aircraft to replace the Kfir jet interceptor. The U.S. is involved mainly because the new plane, like the Kfir, will be equipped with an American-made engine.
Israel therefore will require American permission to market the plane abroad. If this is denied, the unit cost of producing the aircraft will be much higher than otherwise. That problem is expected to be discussed by Malayan with the Americans. Israel will also try to obtain permission to produce many of the American-made engine components at home on a license arrangement. There were indications as well that Israel will ask for American financial assistance to manufacture the new plant.
According to Ma’ayan, the second generation, Kfir will be a good aircraft but will not be competitive with American combat planes while will continue to be the backbone of Israel’s Air Force. The Defense Ministry’s recommendation to design and produce the new plane in Israel was adopted by the government because Israel wants to be as independent as possible in military hardware.
Other factors were the jobs the new plane will create, the maintenance of high technological skills and the desire to keep the country’s best designing talent from seeking employment abroad. The government has already invested some IL I billion in planning and research for the new plane which will be built by Israel Aircraft Industries.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
