In a move to deepen its penetration of the US defense market, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) (TASE: ARSP.B1) subsidiary Stark Aerospace yesterday inaugurated is new facility at the Golden Triangle Airport in Columbus, Mississippi.
IAI established Stark in 2006. It is a US-registered company and all its employees are Americans. The company's unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) division makes Hunter MQ-5B UAVs, which IAI developed in Israel for the US Army. Hunter UAVs have accumulated hundreds of operational combat hours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At the opening ceremony, IAI chairman Yair Shamir said, "We established Stark Aerospace to advance IAI technologies, products, and systems to enhance the security of the US," stated Shamir. "Our goal for Stark Aerospace is to become a leading regional aerospace and defense company benefiting its customers, community, owners, and employees."
At the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) annual meeting and exhibition in October, IAI North America president and CEO Uzi Rosen told "Globes" that Stark's activity would be expanded to include the manufacture of tactical ground radar for perimeter defense. He said that the goal was to transfer most of IAI's activity to Stark, except for items that only be produced in Israel.
Stark has 100 employees at its two facilities; the facility opened yesterday is the third, and a fourth is due to begin operating in 2010.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 17, 2009
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