Israel will export half a billion dollars worth of aircraft missiles and arms systems this year, Al Schwimmer, president of Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) said here today. He said that as far as Kfir sales abroad were concerned “we have not yet received a reply from the United States government” to which a list of prospective client states has been sent.” Israel sent the list some three weeks ago after the U.S. opposed the sale of the Kfir to Latin American countries. The Kfir is an Israeli-made fighter-bomber equipped with American General Electric engines.
IAI is one of the 14 Israeli companies attending the International Air Show opening here tomorrow at Le Bourget Airfield. Israel is showing its new supersonic Kfir jet, a new model of the short take-off-and-landing (STOL) Arava commercial jet and a large display of missiles and arms systems. Schwimmer told a press conference today that Israeli exports have soared from $230 million in 1975 to $500 million expected during the current fiscal year. He said half the production is sold abroad and half to Israeli forces.
The IAI president said the Israeli government is a “tough customer” but “selling abroad, in the cold outside world is even harder. It is all a question of facts, figures and credibility.” He added that Israel’s export growth shows that “our products are highly competitive in quality and cost.”
ISRAEL MISSILE BOAT ON DISPLAY
Schwimmer revealed that Israel is currently working on a combat helicopter with anti-armor possibilities. He said IAI and its affiliated firms were also working on a follow-up to the “Gabriel” missile. He refused to comment on whether Israel will need both Kfirs and American-made F-16s should their sale be approved by the White House. Schwimmer said “It seems obvious that Israel will not give up its aircraft industry and the two planes might be complementary.” Two Kfirs are on display at the Air Show and will make demonstration flights. Also on display is the new 1124 Arava STOL with the newly developed wings and the executive jet “West wind” of which 30 will be produced this year. A model of the new Israeli-made missile
Israel is showing an airborne digital computer for navigation and multimode weapon delivery, a new attack indicator and warning system and a complete weapon delivery simulator that trains pilots in various attack methods. Foreign experts are showing a keen interest in the “Shafrir air-to-air missile system known for its kill ratio of some 60 percent, possibly the highest in the world. The “David,” a field artillery computer designed to perform all calculations at battery level, is also a big attraction at the Air Show which is attended by viewers from 100 countries including most of the big aeronautical manufacturers.
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