Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced that it signed a contract worth more than USD 200 million on the provision of a special mission aircraft to a European NATO member.

According to the company, the contract is part of a larger deal, without providing further details regarding the aircraft except with regard to its development by IAI’s subsidiary Elta.

IAI-Elta partnership offers four types of special-mission aircraft for airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), air-to-ground surveillance (AGS), maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), and specialized signals intelligence (SIGINT).

Specifically, each IAI-ELTA special-mission aircraft features:

• AEW&C: Fitted with AESA-type radar, IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) system, SIGINT system, and advanced communication systems, but also with CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) as well as Air Battle Management and Strike Aircraft Guidance systems.
• AGS: Equipped with AESA-type radar with Ground moving target indication (GMTI) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capabilities, SIGINT, EO/IR sensors, and Intelligence Management System to cover large areas in all weather and visibility conditions. 
• MPA: Equipped with AESA radar, SIGINT, EO/IR sensors specially configured for anti-submarine missions and for operations against surface targets.
• SIGINT aircraft: Electromagnetic spectrum surveillance aircraft, cooperating with friendly fighters.

Also read: IAI | Unveiling the Scorpius Electronic Warfare System

To date, IAI has supplied the Israeli Air Force with the Eitam AEW&C and Shavit SIGINT aircraft and is working on the new Oron intelligence-gathering platform. All the aircraft use configured variants of the Gulfstream G550 jet, but the company also offers special mission aircraft based on the Bombardier and Embraer platforms.

Gulfstream G-V Nachshon Shavit

The company also notes IAI-Elta’s focus on developing systems that can be carried by civil-type jets, rather than passenger or transport aircraft, making them more affordable.

In fact, IAI claims to be one of the few in the world having the know-how to build such aircraft “due to miniaturized sensor technologies alongside the development of algorithms and software applications based on artificial intelligence, on the basis of which the highly advanced intelligence systems are integrated on business jets.”

Also read: Eurosatory 2022 | IAI unveils “Green Lotus” Multi-Sensor System