ATG, IAI in strategic partnership for advanced jet trainer

Israel Aircraft Industries will invest equity and match funds with Aviation Technology Group.

Aviation Technology Group (ATG) and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) have signed a strategic cooperative agreement for the design, development, and manufacture of an advanced jet trainer (AJT).

The AJT concept based on ATG’s two-seat jet, the Javelin. It is optimally suited for a variety of advanced military training and support requirements. Integration of the Javelin prototype is in its final stages and handoff to flight operations is scheduled for this month.

The ATG and IAI partnership is a cooperative development process which also includes joint global marketing, engineering and co-production of the Javelin AJT.

Final assembly of the aircraft will take place in New Mexico and Israel, allowing greater logistical flexibility.

IAI will invest equity and matching funds in ATG for the advanced trainer derivative, and the aircraft will be the central element of an integrated system that includes flight simulators, ground-base training systems, and maintenance and logistics infrastructures.

“We evaluated options to develop a next-generation trainer aircraft and concluded that a strategic co-development partnership with ATG was most cost effective option," said IAI president and CEO Moshe Keret. “The AJT will incorporate low-risk design and technologies of great interest to air forces around the world seeking pilots' training solutions.”

ATG chairman and CEO George Bye stated, “We are committed to build upon our progress in the civil sector by entering the advanced training market with IAI. The Javelin AJT concept allows flight training units to improve training effectiveness while simultaneously reducing budgets.”

The dual-engine Javelin AJT will optimize aircraft performance during advanced and pre-operational training, allowing pilot trainees to better develop data analysis, information management, decision-making, and situational awareness skills.

The Javelin AJT will perform in the class of 0.90 Mach/500 knots. It is based on a light small dimension platform approximately 6,000 lbs, (2,700 kg). Maneuverability matches the requirements of advanced and pre-operational (“lead-in”) pilot training. In the Javelin AJT the cockpit and avionics will be compatible with the display and operation of systems in fourth and fifth generation fighters including the F-15, F-16, Mig-29, Sukhoi-30, Rafale, and Eurofighter. Systems will include embedded simulations of combat scenarios, sensors data, simulated operation of weapons and self-defense systems, and mission planning and debriefing capabilities.

ATG is headquartered at Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colorado. ATG is the developer and manufacturer of high performance military and civil aircraft for domestic and international customers. ATG offers highly competitive products by integrating new technology and off-the-shelf systems into modular platforms.

Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on Wednesday, October 13, 2004

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