Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)

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Israel Aerospace Industries (Hebrew: התעשייה האווירית לישראל ha-ta'asiya ha-avirit le-yisra'el) or IAI (תע"א ta`a') is Israel's prime aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial systems for both military and civilian usage. It has 16,000 employees as of 2007. In addition to local construction of fighter aircraft, IAI also designs and builds civil aircraft (including for Gulfstream with aircraft such as the G100/G150 and G200/G250 mid-sized business jets) and performs local maintenance and reconfiguration of foreign-built military and civilian aircraft. In addition, the company works on a number of missile, avionics, and space-based systems.

In 2003, Israel Aircraft Industries attempted to enter the VLJ (Very Light Jet) Market, by launching the Avocet ProJet, a 6-8 seat, high utilization air taxi, with a list price almost half the cost of the least expensive business jet available at that time.

In early 2006, the project stalled after a major undisclosed US OEM pulled out of the program due to unspecified reasons. Although IAI's main focus is aviation and high-tech electronics, it also manufactures military systems for ground and naval forces. Many of these products are specially suited for the Israel Defence Forces needs, while others are also marketed to foreign militaries.

On November 6, 2006, Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. ("IAI") officially changed its corporate name to Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. The purpose of the name change is to more accurately reflect the current scope of IAI's business activities, which today includes not just aircraft, but also systems, satellites and launchers, as well as maritime and ground systems.

The company is currently working with the Aviation Technology Group on a military trainer version of the ATG Javelin, a fighter style personal jet. The version being developed is expected to compete against a large field of jet trainers at a much lower cost of acquisition and maintenance.

www.iai.co.il/22031-en/homepage.aspx
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