Israel Aerospace Industries

Israel Aerospace Industries develops military and commercial aerospace and defense products and systems.

Israel Aerospace Industries develops military and commercial aerospace and defense products and systems. IAI provides system-of-systems solutions for a broad spectrum of needs in space, air, land, sea and homeland defense. It provides space systems, including communication and observation satellites, launchers, ground stations and systems, and subsystems and components; and unmanned air systems comprising electro-optical payloads, inertial systems, maritime solutions, ground control and airborne systems, and data terminals. The company also offers defense systems; military aircraft and helicopters maintenance and upgrade services, including services for special mission aircraft, aero structures and wiring, training solutions and systems, operational support products and services, airborne systems, tactical mid-air collision avoidance system, defense self-protection communications, A/C and engine parts, telemetry and airborne instrumentation equipment, toolkits, and helicopter military seats. In addition, it provides naval systems, such as surveillance systems, patrol/attack crafts, training and simulation products, and ship combat suites, combat management systems, naval attack missiles, naval LAHAT and Barak systems, sea to sea missiles, weapon systems modernization and integration, radar systems, and skimmers. Further, the company offers maintenance, repair, overhaul, and conversion services for civil aircraft; integrated intelligence systems, air command control communication systems, radars, and defense and self-protection products; land systems comprising land based baraks, armored dozers, airborne systems for aerostats, mine blast resistant seats, land navigation systems, precision strike systems and guided munitions, loitering weapons, ground vehicles, field porters, and ground sigint systems. The company also offers cyber defense, maritime, border protection, defense surveillance systems, and crisis and emergency management systems; and business jets and aero assemblies. In 1953, the Ministry of Defense formed Bedek Aviation Company to maintain Israel Defense Forces (IDF) aircraft. Based at Lod Airport, the enterprise originally had 70 employees. American expatriate Al Schwimmer was the company's founder and first president.