The license will enable Israel Aircraft Industries-Elta to supply the systems for thousands of US passenger airliners.
The licensing process for the Israeli systems for countering missile threats to passenger airliners is slated for completion in the first quarter of 2004. Achieving this target will enable Israel Aircraft Industries subsidiary Elta Electronic Industries to commence sales and deliveries of its systems to hundreds of US airlines, operating 7,000 airliners.
Elta has signed a business agreement with US aerospace and missile manufacturer Raytheon (NSYE: RTN), which will be its strategic partner in the US.
Elta managing director Israel Livnat predicted that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would approve the system, called Safe Flight, within six months. Elta will supply the means of detecting missile threats to airliners, while Raytheon will supply the systems for disrupting missiles, which will probably use flares as diversions.
The system will be priced at $1.5 million. Elta said that the system would operate automatically when installed on airliners, without intervention by the airliner crew , and would not require training for the pilots.
Published by Globes [online] -l www.globes.co.il - on October 29, 2003