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subsidiary BlueBird Aero Structures and Mini greater collaboration to meet the expectations of our customers
Harpy advanced tactical loitering munitions. in the region.”

Ready for Growth He stressed that IAI is keen to bring this innovation to partner
Speaking to Asian Defence Technology, Levy nations . “I believe that this collaboration will bring us to the next
said IAI’s expectations from its participation at level. And what you see today is the beginning of the new era,” he [ INTERVIEW IAI ]
the airshow had been exceeded with the a large said. Levy said that IAI is continuing to invest in many areas, and
number of meetings and visiting delegations. working on Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) UAVs and is also
viewing emerging opportunities from which current generation sys-
tems can benefit much more from. For this he said, IAI is working
“DUE TO COVID-19 IT HAS BEEN on utilising specific data analytics, Artificial Intelligence (IAI) and big
DIFFICULT TO VISIT MANY OF data capability, which he says will usher in a new era in capabliity.
OUR PARTNER COUNTRIES IAI also has its own innovation centre that it putting a lot of effort
AND AT SHOWS SUCH AS THE into. The center will develop AI, machine learning and big data
SINGAPORE AIRSHOW, WE HAD A solutions to be integrated into IAI’s satellite and space systems. It
LOT OF DELEGATIONS FOR MANY will also focus on AI-driven solutions for automated target detection
COUNTRIES AND HAD MANY on the future battlefield. IAI is also benefiting from Israel’s vibrant
start-up ecosystem, “when dealing with cutting-edge technology,
DISCUSSIONS IN PARALLEL WITH we have been using the capabilities of start-ups to leapfrog chal-
SEVERAL DELEGATIONS FROM ALL lenges, thereby allowing us to implement these technologies, earlier
OVER THE WORLD, INCLUDING he said.
SINGAPORE, INDIA AND OTHERS.”
New Initiatives
IAI is entering 2022 in a strong position and in its Q3 financial
results announced in November last year, continued its profitable
IAI is now entering into a growing number of streak for the 12th consecutive quarter. IAI’s net income in the quar-
partnerships with countries to develop defence ter increased by 17 percent to US$131 million and its gross profit
equipment and in addition to its partnership had increased by 7.5 percent to approximately US$500 million.
with Singapore to develop the Blue Spear,
which is an advanced precision high sub-sonic IAI recently reopened a line producing wings for Lockheed Martin’s
speed missile. IAI also entered into an MoU with F-16 fighter jets due to increased demand. The first wing for the
South Korea's Hanwha Systems at the airshow F-16 Block 70/72 was delivered by IAI to Lockheed Martin’s final
to market combat suites for naval platforms assembly line in Greenville, South Carolina in February. IAI also has
specifically across Asia. other aerostructure assembly lines for F-15 and T-38 wings and
offers a dedicated line for making F-35 outer wing boxes and their
The Blue Spear missile shares its heritage with skins. Manufacture of F-16 wing and vertical fin assembly lines were
IAI’s Gabriel missile family system and can the first of IAI and Lockheed Martin's collaborations and started
engage mobile and stationary targets at sea, in the eighties.
out to a maximum range of 290km. Estonia
has already emerged as a customer for Blue IAI also has a strong business related to commercial aviation and
Spear, which employs an active radar-homing its aeronautical capabilities in the commercial domain include
seeker and has INS-based navigation capa- Passenger to Freighter (P2F) conversions and IAI is the world
bilities making it immune to GPS disruptions. leader in conversion of B767-300 aircraft. IAI recently completed
the conversion of its 100th B767-300 aircraft. IAI began operating
Strong Partner the B767-300 conversion line in Israel in 2007 and In 2017, opened
While IAI is a Government owned company, an additional B767-300 conversion facility in Mexico.
based out of Israel, it has had the stature of a
global defence company for many years now IAI will also convert Emirates’ B777-300ER aircraft into cargo
with nearly 80 percent of its activities taking configuration, at a new cargo conversion center that IAI is jointly
place outside Israel and the company has built developing with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In October last year,
strong relationships in the countries that it oper- IAI announced its latest cargo conversion milestone in which the
ates in. Levy stressed that innovation remains cargo door was cut open on the first B777-300ER prototype. The
at the bedrock of IAI, with the company proud placement of the cargo door which is seven meters long and 1/3
of its legacy of emerging as first in class with the aircraft’s circumference is an important step in IAI’s conversion
concepts such as UAVs and its Arrow Ballistic to freighter configuration. The whole process will take approxi-
Missile Defence (BMD) system. “IAI has proved mately 130 days. IAI will open new cargo conversion facilities for
over the years that we can continuously deliver B777-300 aircraft in Ethiopia, Italy, UAE, South Korea, and China,
new products. We will continue to do so with in partnership with local companies.

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