contents ISRAEL DEFENCE INDUSTRY Profile 04 n INTERVIEW WITH ITAMAR GRAFF PRINCIPAL DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SIBAT At the end of their long visit to Israel the authors were very kindly received by Itamar Graff. The interview lasted somewhat longer than planned. The following are extracts of some of the most important points made, and answers given, by Mr Graff, particularly regarding Israel’s export policy. 06 44 n AIRCRAFT AND UPGRADES n DRONES & ROBOTICS Israel’s first true industrial inroads into One can argue for hours on who defence aviation date back to the made the first drones – to use their original late 1950s with the manufacture of the name – but there is no question about Fouga Magister by Bedek. Israel is now not the true, practical modern-era only a World-level expert in fighter, types: they had an Israeli origin – and cargo, tanker and AEW&C adaptations, that was over 40 years ago. but also an airborne weapons producer that has to be reckoned with. 52 12 n ELECTRONICS n AIR DEFENCE By developing its own electronics industrial capability, Israel has de facto While companies like IAI and Elta are reduced the number of systems that would be heavily involved in Israel’s air defence denied to the nation by foreign nations’ programmes, the latter notably for what embargoes. This explains Israel’s high regards its radars, Rafael remains the command of almost any sophisticated kingpin of the discipline with a number of electronic system sector. programmes of international repute. Produced by 56 INTERNATIONAL 18 n STABILISED ELECTRO-OPTICS based on information n provided by the companies LAND SYSTEMS This domain is largely shared between Elbit, described. Merkava, Galil and Uzi typically spring to IAI, Controp, Top I Vision and Esc Baz with mind, but many other vehicles, weapons numerous systems, although Rafael has its 1st Edition — and systems have since owed their efficiency own turret known as the Toplite which has, September 2013 to those who returned straight to the according to the company, the unique record Printed by: drawing boards from the battlefield. of being “on every ship of the US Navy”. MEdia TranSaSia LTd. CoPyrighT 2013 40 61 by Media Transasia Ltd. Publishing office: n n NAVAL WARFARE SPACE Media Transasia Ltd, Israel’s naval activities, via Israel Shipyards, As well as producing satellites, Israel now room no. 1205-1206, originates from the 1967 embargo by not only builds launch vehicles in the form of hollywood Centre 233, France that followed the Six-Day War and the Shavit series of rockets, but has also hollywood road, affected the delivery of the last five of the become the world’s first nation to launch Central, hong Kong. 12 Saar 3-class missile boats. The lesson westwards to avoid overflying its Tel: (852) 2815 9111, was well, very well, learned. neighbouring countries. Fax: (852) 2815 1933 Interview With ITAMAR GRAFF Principal Deputy Director, Sibat At the end of their long visit to other countries} provide political support Robotics: We {Israel} are not a big Israel the authors were very kindly because there are countries that prefer work platform producer. There is the Merkava, received by Itamar Graff. The under a low profile with Israel. We are there is the Namer APC, but these are not the interview lasted somewhat longer geographical Experts. We are supported by main items {of exportable technologies}. Our than planned. The following are the MoD abroad and part of the Military expertise is in some niches, the technologies extracts of some of the most Attachés’ role is to support us. We have that give the quality advantages {to our important points made, and almost 30 people {working} abroad. products}. I’ll mention here robotics, UAVs, answers given, by Mr Graff, The Defence sector in Israel gets huge USVs, UGV, all that is flying or driving or particularly regarding the policy support from the Government. There are cruising with nobody inside, and Israel is a of the Israeli Ministry of Defence very close relationships amongst the world leader in that field. {…} We started towards the export market. people and the military. with UAVs forty years ago. And today if you go with our units you’ll see that no operation Origin of Sibat:Sibat is an organisation Export risks: Answering our questions is carried out without anything in the sky. It’s within the MoD. It is not a company, it is a about security and condition of sales with part of our doctrine to use UAVs all the time, governmental organisation. It was created in certain countries to avoid dissemination of 24/7. Mentioning other robotics for the 1970s when exports amounted to a few post-export items, Mr. Graff explained guarding pipelines and so forth, Mr Graff dozens of million dollars probably {per year} that Israel had to be even more careful than continued saying: it’s been going on for years. and now reach $6 to 7 billion per year. Since, others in that respect. We have had some So our contribution is operational things have changed dramatically. Exports of bad experiences, take for example experience. the Israel defence industry represents 70 to 75 Venezuela. Venezuela was a very good ally percent of the total defence production in before Chaves, and Israeli companies even Other fortes: Another activity is active Israel. I don’t know what the numbers are had the ability to sell classified equipment. protection. It starts with the Trophy, {now} now in the US, it probably is the opposite. So And after that things changed, and Chaves protecting one unit of tanks, and I think it’s in Israel we are very dependent on finding became the best friend of Ahmadinejad and the only operational system in the world, and partners overseas. The role of Sibat is to {…} from intelligence the result is not good, it stopped an RPG two years ago or so. In coordinate all the governmental efforts, but it’s part of the risk you take. Export terms of ballistic missile protection we already mainly of the MoD, to support the defence requires a risk management and this have three systems, one is the Iron Dome, industries to find partners – we don’t call is a role fulfilled by Sibat, and Sibat is again the only one {of its kind} existing in the them customers, but partners – to share new controlled by Parliament. world and it is fully operational with 86, 87 technologies {…}. So to summarise, Sibat’s percent of success during the last activity from main focus is to find new technological co- Africa: A few decades ago, Israel was very Gaza. Then there is the David’s Sling that is operations, and {…} here to help find these involved in Africa, but no longer {that much} under development. We already have the opportunities for our companies. Because we in the last decade, but now we have a Arrow II, and in a few years we’ll also are MoD, we have the ability to open doors national interest to be there, to co-operate have the Arrow III. {…} and we understand the needs of other with the good regimes mainly because of the countries. While until a few years ago penetration of Al Qaeda. What we can see Towards the end of the exports aspect attentions was focussed on the “Big Guys” now in Africa is that many countries are covered by Mr. Graff during this interview, (Mr Graff here refers to the Rafael and Elbit asking for our support. Sibat is now looking one of his statements provides a perfect groups in particular), we now help at ways of providing consultation, not conclusion: So it is something really unique the SMEs and the hundreds of smaller necessarily to achieve sale opportunities, but for such a small country to have such companies in Israel. more to advise on how to cope with terrorism. capabilities. We are working with a few countries in Africa Geographical markets: We are a that think that it is important to fight fanatic small organisation, with less than 100 Islamism. We support them and sometimes people all together, and we have three main even train them. divisions, {...} one for North America, Canada and Europe, the other large division is for the Pacific region, mainly Australia, and then Asia, the Far East and also Africa. The {third} smaller division is for Latin America. We cannot {unlike AND UPGRADES AND AIRBORNE DEFENCE AIR SYSTEMS LAND The purpose of WARFARE the present survey is to NAVAL provide a condensed portrait of the leading exporting Israeli companies recently visited by Armada’s three senior editors specialising in air, land, sea ROBOTICS AND and electronics matters who DRONES have been able to examine and discuss the most significant products they manufacture, and thereby provide a profile of their ELECTRONICS general technical capabilities. This survey should not be regarded as a register of the Israeli defence industry – for this purpose Sibat produces an excellent directory – but ELECTRO-OPTICS rather more as a bird’s STABILISED view of Israel’s footprint in the defence world. Eric H. Biass, Paolo Valpolini, Tom Withington SPACE ISRAEL DEFENCE INDUSTRY Profile 05 In its Block 60 guise, the Colombian Kfir was deemed fit enough to be invited to the 2012 Red Flag exercise during which it scored quite few kills against more recently built aircraft. The Colombian Air Force took delivery of its last of 24 in 2011. (IAI) Aircraft, Upgrades, Air-launched Weapons Israel’s first true industrial inroads into defence aviation date back to the late 1950s with the manufacture of the Tzukit, the Fouga Magister built by Bedek.