Israel has found a U.S. partner to market a missile
warning and protection system for passenger jets.
Israel Aircraft Industries has signed an agreement with Aviation
Protection Systems to market the Flight Guard defense system, Middle East Newsline reported.
Executives said the agreement with Aviation Protection would grant the
U.S. company exclusive rights in the United States. They said Aviation
Protection has established an office in Miami and began marketing Flight
Guard to a range of companies.
Flight Guard employs Pulse-Doppler radar to detect incoming missiles.
When a missile is detected, the system fires dark flares to divert the
projectiles away from the aircraft. Dark flares have been deemed
environmentally safe with low visibility and were said to be an enhanced
model of those flares used to protect military aircraft.
Under the deal, Aviation Protection would market, install and maintain the Flight
Guard in the United States.
The Flight Guard has been developed by IAI subsidiary, Elta Electronic
Systems, as well as Israel Military Industries. Executives said the system,
employed by a dozen customers for commercial and military aircraft, protects
against man-portable surface-to-air missiles.
"Military aircraft have successfully used this technology in Israel and
around the world for many years," IMI chairman Arie Mizrachi said.
"Unfortunately, the rising tide of global terrorism today has thrust
commercial aviation into a combat environment."
Executives said Aviation Protection would provide U.S. customers with
Flight Guard installation, training, logistics and maintenance. The company
was also seeking certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
to enable marketing to U.S. airliners.
"We have a proven, reliable solution to the MANPADS threat available
today," Aviation Protection director Omar Regev, a former Israel Air Force
pilot, said. "We look forward to the opportunity to provide this valuable
solution to commercial and private aircraft in the United States."