The U.S. has given its approval to several American manufacturers to help Israel produce three systems essential to the development of its second generation jet fighter plane, the Lavie.
U.S. Ambassador, Samuel Lewis, conveyed a message from Secretary of State George Shultz to Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Arens today that the Administration has lifted its earlier restrictions on American assistance in building the aircraft. This was apparently in response to a telephone call from Arens to Shultz last Friday urging approval of the transfer of technology because any further delay would be damaging.
The American help is expected to speed up the development and production of the Lavie which will replace the first Israel-made jet fighter, the Kfir. The three systems are related to materials needed to produce the aircraft’s wings and flight control mechanisms.
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