An Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT) and Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) joint venture has won a contract for to develop a next-generation unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
The development phase, led by the Israeli Ministry of Defense's Administration for the Development of Weapons and the Technological Industry (MAFAT) and the Israeli Ground Forces, is to be completed by 2011.
The next generation "Nahshon" UGV is based on experience gained with the G-NIUS UGV Guardium, which the IDF has used since 2008.
The new UGV will allow increased payload weight, in order to offer better situational awareness and independent decision making. The features of the new UGV will give it more operational flexibility in various combat scenarios. These advanced capabilities will also allow the vehicle to provide combat support, along with the Guardium which operates mainly in security missions. G-NIUS CEO Erez Peled noted that the decision of the IDF to develop a next-generation UGV reflects the necessity for such a system and its major contribution to security missions in the modern combat arena. Peled added that the IDF is one of the most advanced armies worldwide in the unmanned systems field.
Elbit Systems shares closed down 1.55% yesterday at $64.24.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 3, 2009
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