Israel Displaying Aerial Might at Paris Air Show

Over 20 Israeli industrial firms specializing in aircraft construction and defense equipment ranging from sophisticated missiles to electronic equipment are taking part in the Paris International Air Show which opened here today.

Foreign experts attending the show said that Israel’s aerospace industries are today among the world’s half dozen most advanced in the field of both research and production. The Israeli delegation to the air show, held at Le Bourget, will be headed by Defense Minister Moshe Arens who was invited by the French Defense Minister Charles Hernu, He is expected here next Wednesday.

HUNDREDS JAM ISRAEL PAVILLION

Hundreds of foreign experts crowded the Israeli pavillion this morning as the show opened. The use of highly sophisticated Israeli-made and designed electronic warfare equipment during last summer’s battles when 80 Syrian planes and 400 tanks were destroyed in a matter of days, helped spur interest. The pavillion had on display several types of missiles including the world famous Python-3, the third generation air-to-air Raphael missile based on the Shafrir-2 used in Israel’s previous wars and the SAR-2 advanced artillery location system which can simultaneously handle up to 50 different fire sources and was successfully used in Lebanon.

Israeli experts at the air show revealed that the Lavie prototype jet fighter will be airborne in February 1986 but refused to say when the multi-purpose warplane will go into production. The single-engine combat aircraft, now under development, is designed for short and medium range air-to-ground missions and is expected to become “the workhorse ” of the Israeli Air Force in the 1990s. The head of Israel Aircraft Industries research and development unit, Dr. Ben Zion Naveh, told a press conference yesterday that “we have by now all the American export licenses needed for the production of the plane. “

Naveh and other IAI experts stressed that Israel did not need and had not asked for a technology transfer but for manufactured parts. “We had no know-how problem but one of procurement, ” they said.

Asked about American restrictions on the sale of the Lavie abroad, IAI officials said “the plane is not subjected to any special restrictions but will have to comply with normal American restrictions applying to the sale of combat planes manufactured with American parts to third countries. It will be a case by case decision,” they said.

STRESS IS ON COMBAT AIRCRAFT

Though the Lavie will be equipped with an American-made Pratt and Whitney jet engine, most of its sophisticated equipment, will be Israeli manufactured and designed. Its electronic warfare self-protection system has been designed by an IAI subsidiary, Elta Electronics and will consist of a fully automatic and power managed computer network which will permit rapid threat identification and automatic response using various deception techniques.

Experts said that experience gained during the air battles in Lebanon has been used to ensure the Lavies’ future pilots ease of control, maximum survivability and 100 percent mission completion.

A new version of the Kfir , the C-7, destined to fill the gap between the Kfir-C-2 and the Lavie will be on display at Le Bourget and probably take part in several fly overs. The new version has a longer range, more powerful engine and greater operation potential.

Also on view will be the remote controlled pilotless Scout which was used intensively throughout the war in Lebanon. The Scout system consists of up to eight miniature aircraft, a launcher, recovery net and ground control station operated by a crew of 12. The system provides on the spot reconnaissance to both the field commander and command headquarters at the rear simultaneously. It is able to stay on station for periods of up to seven hours to observe the tactical area, battlefield or open sea, unseen and unheard. Several foreign countries have already ordered it.

The IAI is also developing two civilian models, the Arava and the Westwind Astra, based on former planes now brought up to date. IAI officials admitted, however, that Arava sales have been slow but hoped that orders for the two new models will pick up.

The show, considered the main aeronautical world fair, will be open until June 5 and will be visited by several presidents and dozens of foreign defense ministers and chiefs of staff.