Tower factory Israel that produces. The military-industrial complex of the State of Israel. Artillery and air defense missile systems for the ground forces, navy and air force

The purpose of this review is to provide a concise portrait of Israel's leading defense companies and their products. This review should not be considered as an official registry of the Israeli defense industry (organizations like SIPRI exist for this purpose), rather it is a general assessment of Israel's influence on the global defense industry.

Aviation, modernization, aircraft armament

In its Block 60 variant, the Colombian Kfir fighter was considered technically advanced enough to be invited to the Red Flag 2012 exercise, during which it won several mock battles against newer aircraft. The Colombian Air Force received the last of 24 vehicles in 2011, but is currently looking to acquire a few more from the Israeli Air Force.

The very first Israeli "forays" into the field of military aviation date back to the late 50s, when the Bedek company began production of the Tzukit aircraft (based on the French two-seat combat training aircraft Fouga Magister). However, the first aircraft entirely designed and manufactured by the local industry appeared in the mid-60s in the form of a short takeoff and landing Arava transport aircraft.

At the time, it was manufactured by Israel Aircraft Industries, whose name was later changed to Israel Aerospace Industries, reflecting the company's space activities since 1988, when an Israeli satellite was launched into orbit.

Today the firm occupies a large complex in Tel Aviv. international airport Ben Gurion. It specializes in upgrades and overhauls of civil and military aircraft. To this end, it converted several civilian airliners into transport aircraft and specialized military aircraft such as reconnaissance platforms, early warning aircraft and tankers. In addition to aircraft conversion work, the Israel Aerospace Industries division of Bedek performs maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft hulls and engines.

The only purely military aircraft of completely Israeli origin was the Lavi fighter. The project was developed by Israel in the 80s, but was stopped under pressure from the United States, because although they participated in its financing, they were developing the F-16 fighter at the same time and therefore saw it as a competitor in the export market. Two of the three prototypes have survived and are on display in military museums. Lavi, by the way, means "Lion", while the name of his fighter predecessor Kfir means "Lion cub".

KFIR–LAHAV

The Kfir fighter, built by Lahav (a division of IAI), is essentially a deeply redesigned French Mirage 5, which was originally intended for sale to Israel, but fell victim to an arms embargo. To shorten the history of the Kfir, we can only say that it was equipped with a more powerful J79 engine from General Electric, also installed on the F-4 Phantom. Kfir fighters were in service with the Israeli Air Force for just over 20 years, but were also exported to Colombia, Ecuador and Sri Lanka. In addition, several fighters have been bought by the US Air Force and Marine Corps to use as enemy aircraft during exercises and maneuvers.

Over the years, Lahav has repeatedly upgraded Kfir fighters, but recently developed a new set of electronics and weapons in order to bring the aircraft up to modern standards. According to the company, for example, new computer more powerful than the on-board computer found on the F-16 Block 60 fighter jet. The upgrade proposals are intended not only for its current operators, but also for potential foreign customers, since Israel has a substantial stock of aircraft with low flying time. These aircraft could offer an interesting alternative to some countries that need to arm themselves with a reasonably cost effective fighter. The Kfir Advanced Multirole Fighter variant, for example, was proposed to Bulgaria as a response to that country's request for proposals issued in 2011. But in some cases, the presence of the J79 engine can reduce its export potential. At the end of 2015, information appeared that Argentina decided to buy 18 Kfir Block 60 fighters from the presence of the Israeli Air Force.

SKIMMER-LAHAV

The company's experience is not limited to military aircraft. The Skimmer functional kit from IAI Lahav is an upgrade package for transforming "simple" helicopters into sea support helicopters. Traditionally, sea-based helicopters are not cheap, and the Skimmer kit is a means by which countries, with an existing fleet of military helicopters, can convert some of their machines to these tasks. The Skimmer upgrade includes the installation of a multi-mode long-range maritime patrol sensor, in this case the EL/L-2022M Maritime Patrol Radar, manufactured by IAI's subsidiary Elta Systems. Along with the radar, the Skimmer upgrade adds self-defense equipment, which includes a missile attack warning system, chaff, IR traps, and radar warning system receivers. Other specialized equipment includes submersible sonar, optoelectronics, anti-ship missiles and aircraft torpedoes. All of these components can be combined through a mission planning and management system. The company emphasizes close cooperation with the marine helicopter crews, as they were actively involved in the creation of the Skimmer kit, which guarantees an optimal configuration for maritime support tasks. This project may include alteration of the hull and complete "sealing" of the helicopter.

Tankers – BEDEK

Previously, the Bedek company and its Tzukit training aircraft (Drozd, was in service in 1982-210, 52 aircraft were produced) were already mentioned. Since then, this division of IAI has switched to maintaining and modifying larger aircraft, both civil and military. Bedek specialized in converting airliners into tankers and specialized aircraft; the latter category includes early warning, radio reconnaissance, electronic reconnaissance, maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.

Bedek is responsible for servicing all Israeli Air Force transport aircraft, which consists of a fleet of Gulfstream, Hercule and B-707 tankers. From 1969, Bedek began converting B-767s into next-generation tankers, one already sold to Colombia and two to Brazil. The second Colombian tanker will be equipped with a filling boom. To be precise, these B-767 aircraft received the designation Multi Mission Tanker Transport (multi-task transport refueling aircraft). This suggests that these aircraft can be used not only for aerial refueling, but through the installation of various modules, they can transport cargo, people, perform medical evacuations and even covert reconnaissance missions. Bedek also specializes in so-called small tactical tankers based on the G550, C5000 and B-737 models.

EITAM - IAI ELTA

IAI's latest airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft is the Gulfstream G550-based Eitam, which has replaced the B-707-based Phalcon. It is also known by the designation CAEW, in which the letter C (conformal - consistent) means that this aircraft has a more streamlined sensor layout compared to the Phalcon. The Phalcon AWACS aircraft, on which Elta EL / M-2075 radars were installed from the very beginning, is no longer in Israeli service. There are only systems officially sold abroad, for example in Chile, where it is known under the designation Condor.

Based on the G550, the Eitam AWACS aircraft has greater operational flexibility with a significant reduction in operating costs compared to its predecessor, as well as a maximum patrol duration of 9 hours at a range of 100 nautical miles from the base. The Eitam has an EL/M-2085 active phased array radar from Elta. Israel operates five aircraft, and it has also been sold overseas (currently believed to be four) to Singapore and Italy (two). In Israel, at least, the maintenance of Eitam aircraft is entrusted to Bedek.

Air-to-ground missiles

The Israeli company Rafael is primarily associated with guided and unguided missiles, and has developed numerous weapons systems since its founding in 1948, although Israel Military Industries, whose main business is ground systems, was also a supplier and exporter of air-to-ground missiles.

One system that has gained a lot of notoriety is undoubtedly the large 1,360 kg aircraft-guided Popeye missile with tele- and infrared guidance, which entered service in 1985. It is also known in the United States as the Have Nap AGM-142. Since then, Rafael has focused on the development of numerous new systems adapted to today's needs.

SPICE 2000-RAFAEL

Based on the guidance kit, Rafael has developed a family of autonomous air-to-ground weapons launched outside the range of enemy air defense systems and designated Spice (Smart, Precise Impact and Cost-Effective - intelligent, accurate, inexpensive). After launch, the guided glide bomb with the Spice kit flies to the designated area using inertial/GPS guidance. At the pointing stage, the system determines the location of the target using scene comparison technology (images stored in memory with reference to the terrain) and then relies on its tracking device before hitting the target, while the azimuth and meeting angles with the target are set in advance in order to hit it maximum damage.

The Spice 2000 kit (compatible with 2000 lb warheads such as MK-84, RAP2000 or BLU-109) comes in a front and rear section and allows the warhead to be delivered to a range of 60 km with a declared circular probable deviation (CEP) of less than three meters . Designed for combat units such as the MK-83, RAP1000 or BLU-110, the Spice 1000 Wing Kit further increases range to "previously unattainable values."

The newest member of the Spice 250 family has an optoelectronic homing head (GOS) developed for previous versions of the family. The new guided bomb is launched from the Smart Quad Rack quad launcher. Each pylon can thus carry up to four missiles, and one F-16 fighter can carry up to 16 bombs. The launcher has a data link for receiving navigation data after launch, as well as demonstrating combat defeat due to last picture before hitting the target. The "250" model, also equipped with a set of wings, has a range of 100 km. All Spice variants are in service or on order, and some already have successful combat experience.

DELILAH AL - IMI

The Delilah AL air-to-ground turbojet, developed by the Advanced Systems Division, is currently only in service with the Israeli army. Specifically designed to deal with moving targets, this missile is 2.71 meters long, with a wingspan of 1.15 meters and weighs 187 kg and has a maximum range of 250 km. The missile flies to the target area and then patrols there for more than 20 minutes in order to determine the priority target using the optoelectronic seeker, after which it hits it with great accuracy. The Delilah missile can climb, go around and re-attack its target and can communicate with the operator until the last stage of the attack. This weapon system has been used as a basis for developing helicopter, ship and ground launch options. At the same time, an accelerating engine is added, which increases the starting weight to 230 kg and the length to 3.2 meters, but the technical characteristics are preserved. Delilah AL is currently part of the Israeli Air Force's two-seat attack aircraft armament complex.

MARS and WHIPSHOT - IMI

IMI has recently completed the development of the Mars supersonic rocket (Multi-Purpose, Air-launched Rocket System) for its fighter. A self-guided missile with a length of 4.4 meters, a range of 100 km and a mass of 500 kg (120 kg is assigned to the warhead) is equipped with a GPS navigation system. For light attack aircraft, IMI has developed an “affordable” 15 kg Whip Shot system, which is guided from an aircraft via a wireless data link; the optoelectronic capture system of this missile accompanies the target until the moment of impact.

air defense

Although other companies, such as IAI and Elta, are actively involved in Israeli air defense programs (the latter is known for its radars), Rafael remains an important actor in a number of projects that have received international recognition, despite being limited only to Israeli territory.

IRON DOME – RAFAEL

The Iron Dome complex gained worldwide notoriety in November 2012, when it intercepted rockets launched from the Gaza Strip by the Hamas paramilitary organization with great success. The need for a project like Iron Dome was first raised in the 1990s after the Lebanese Hezbollah group launched rocket attacks in northern Israel. Ideas for anti-missile system, which hovered in the air for some time, in 2004 eventually embodied in what was called the Iron Dome (Iron Dome). The appearance of this system is due in no small part to the then head of the Israeli Army Research and Development Directorate, General Daniel Gold, a former ardent supporter of the surface-to-air missile system. Two years later, during the second Lebanon war in 2006, the need for such a system increased significantly. Hezbollah then fired some 4,000 rockets into northern Israel, killing 44 Israelis; in addition, 250,000 people were evacuated during the conflict. However, northern Israel was not the only area affected by the brutal rocket attacks. Between 2000 and 2008, Hamas frequently fired rockets and mines from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel, with about 12,000 such attacks. Finally, in February 2007, the Iron Dome complex was selected as a short-range unguided missile combat platform, thus giving the green light to Rafael's development.

The development and purchase of the Iron Dome was jointly funded by Israel and the United States. Israel provided funds to purchase the first two systems, while the next eight were funded by the United States. A few years later, Washington made a series of financial commitments to support the Iron Dome complex. In May 2010, Congress voted to allocate $205 million to purchase Iron Dome batteries. In May 2012, another $680 million was made available. And in June 2012, the US Senate Armed Services Committee included an additional $210 million in the complex's funding plan.

And what are all these huge funds paid for? According to Rafael, the Iron Dome complex can intercept missiles at ranges up to 70 km. In addition, during the tests of the system, mortar mines were also intercepted. The effectiveness of Iron Dome was clearly demonstrated in late 2012, when he managed to shoot down three of the four missiles over Tel Aviv. It is important to note that the architecture of the Iron Dome is designed so that the complex avoids the interception of missiles that are expected to fly into uninhabited areas, and, among other things, it is effective in combating both serial missile launches and single projectiles. For example, out of 1,500 rockets fired in November 2012, 500 rockets were intercepted, while the rest fell without causing damage in the desert or at sea.

The Iron Dome complex includes the Tamir interceptor missile, the center combat control, launcher and surveillance, tracking and guidance radar EL / M-2084 from Israel Aerospace Industries Elta Systems (described below). One radar and one control center can serve two missile launchers. The radar gives the Tamir missile the coordinates of the target and provides data updates during the flight, although the anti-missile has its own radar and independently intercepts the target at the final stage.

The Israeli Air Force currently operates nine Iron Dome batteries. Financing (as already noted, a significant part is allocated by the United States) provides for the purchase of total 15 systems.

The last one is about the Iron Dome complex. On May 18, 2016, information appeared about the successful tests of the sea-based Iron Dome missile defense system, which received the designation C-Dome. The tests were carried out in February 2016. The C-Dome sea-based missile defense system was first presented in October 2014 at the Euronaval naval arms exhibition in Paris.

DAVID'S SLING - RAFAEL

As an addition to the Iron Dome is the David's Sling missile defense system, also developed by Rafael. According to a company representative, it is designed to intercept short-range ballistic missiles, traditional airborne threats and "everything that flies in the atmosphere and that is not intercepted by the Iron Dome complex." The David's Sling complex, developed with the assistance of the American company Raytheon, includes the EL / M-2084 radar from IAI Elta Systems, the Stunner anti-missile, the corresponding launchers and the fire control center. The Stunner is a direct-to-air missile with a bi-directional data link. The Stunner anti-missile has a radar and optoelectronic guidance system and has an effective range of 70 to 250 km. This means that the Stunner can intercept threats that the Tamir anti-missile (see above) cannot intercept. Rafael won a contract to develop the David's Sling complex in 2006, and the American Raytheon, according to some reports, provided invaluable assistance in the development of the launcher. If the Iron Dome complex has proven itself in the fight against short-range threats, then the task of the David's Sling complex is to intercept high-altitude targets at a greater range, such as, for example, ballistic missiles developed as part of Iran's secret mass destruction program. According to the manufacturer, the deployment of the David's Sling complex will be completed in 2016.

BARAK-8-IAI

Thanks to the work on the David’s Sling and Iron Dome missile defense systems, Israel has become one of the few developers of rocket technology and entered the club of the technologically advanced in this regard in the United States, Europe and Russia. While both of the systems described above are designed for ground-based air defense, Israeli companies also produce maritime air defense systems. For example, Israel Aerospace Industries has teamed up with the Indian defense development organization DRDO to develop the Barak-8 shipborne anti-aircraft missile.

The development of the anti-aircraft missile system began in 2007 after the signing of a $330 million joint development contract with equal funding from the two countries. Barak-8 comes in two versions: land-based and ship-based. The ship version has a range of 70 km and a ceiling of 16,000 meters, while the ground-launched missile has a range of 120 km. The missile can reach speeds up to Mach 4.5 and destroy its target using a high-explosive fragmentation pre-fragmented warhead weighing 60 kg with a laser fuse. In the Indian Navy, the missile could be deployed on the Kolkata missile destroyers, where it will be combined with the Barak-1 longer-range surface-to-air missile and the IAI Elta EL/M-2248 MF-STAR aerial surveillance, tracking and guidance radar. in the ship's weapons complex.

ARROW-II/III-IAI

Israeli program for missile defense Arrow began in the 80s with the aim of combating ballistic threats that at that time came from Iraq. The Arrow complex was put on operational duty in 2000. The main contractor for the entire Arrow program was IAI (as in some programs of the already mentioned missile systems), and the American side, in particular Boeing, provided assistance in the development. Cooperation began in 1986 after Israel and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the sharing of financial risks between the two countries.

The Arrow initiative has gone through several stages: the original Arrow-1 went through several flight tests in the 90s, where it reportedly achieved a range of 50 km. Development continued and the Arrow-1 variant further evolved into the next Arrow-II variant. Tests of this missile showed its ability to hit a target missile at a distance of 100 km. The development process ended with the production of the first Arrow-II division, the readiness of which was announced at the turn of the century. Since then, Arrow-II has gone through several improvements (or "Block" in foreign terminology), including the Arrow-II Block-II variant, which could already shoot down targets at an altitude of 60 km, and the Arrow-II Block-III variant, the tests of which demonstrated the ability to work as a dispersed weapon system with individual Arrow launchers working to destroy a common target. Later, after refinement, the system received the designation Arrow-II Block-IV, after which it became capable of shooting down Iranian medium-range ballistic missiles (1930 km) Shahab-3. Finally, the Arrow-II Block-V variant combined the capabilities of the Arrow-II and Arrow-III variants (see below). Currently, the Arrow complex includes the Arrow-II anti-missile, which is capable of intercepting targets in the atmospheric and extra-atmospheric sections of the trajectory. The Arrow missile defense system includes four mobile launchers of 6 missiles each, a launch control center, a command post, an early warning and fire control radar EL-2080 Green Pine from IAI Elta.

Since 2006, during atmospheric and extra-atmospheric tests, the Arrow-II interceptor has shot down 100% of typical ballistic missile targets. The development of the Arrow-III extra-atmospheric anti-missile is currently ongoing. To date, the only test launch of the Arrow-III anti-missile has been carried out, which took place in February 2013. If Arrow-II can provide protection at the theater level, then the complex in the Arrow-III variant can provide strategic protection at the national level. The theory of the combat use of Arrow-III provides for loitering of the anti-missile after launching for some time in space, after which, when the missile is detected, the anti-missile strikes directly at the target. Arrow-III can use the launchers and control center of the previous Arrow-II variant; the Arrow-III missile will enter service in 2018.

RADAR-ELTA

The main manufacturer of radar stations in Israel is a division of Israel Aerospace Industries, Elta Systems, abbreviated as IAI Elta. This firm supplies the EL/M-2084 multi-role radar for the Iron Dome and David's Sling missile defense systems. This 3D Active Phased Array Radar (APAA) performs either a 120° scan per sector or a full 360° sweep at 30 revolutions per minute. When operating in the air surveillance mode, the radar can detect targets at ranges up to 474 km and at altitudes up to 30.5 km. When operating in the mode of determining the location of weapon systems, it detects targets at a distance of 100 km. The radar can detect and track up to 1200 targets in air defense mode and up to 200 targets per minute when determining the location of weapons.

The Elta EL/M-2080 Green Pine airspace surveillance radar is relatively larger than the EL/M-2084 model. This low-frequency AFAR radar has a range of up to 500 km. It is used in the Arrow family of complexes, and in addition to Israel, it was sold to India. Elta, along with the production of ground-based radars, also produces the MFSTAR family of maritime surveillance radars. It includes a three-dimensional radar with AFAR EL / M-2258 Alpha (Advanced Lightweight Phased Array Radar), which can detect low-flying missiles at a range of 25 km and traditional threats at high altitudes at a range of up to 120 km. The Alpha radar, weighing 700 kg, installed on ships, covers 360 ° in azimuth and 70 ° in elevation. The Alpha is complemented by the Elta EL/M-2248 fixed shipborne radar, also part of the MFSTAR family. This flat-panel radar with AFAR with an electronically steerable beam is installed on the Sa'ar project corvettes of the Israeli Navy. The integration of the new radar on board the ship takes several months. Reduced antenna pattern side lobes and frequency agility protect these radars from electronic countermeasures.

RADAR – RADA ELECTRONICS

Although IAI Elta is the largest manufacturer of radar systems in the country, there are other companies that produce high-performance equipment. These include Rada Electronics, which offers CHR and MHR radars. These are programmable multi-task surveillance radars using AFAR antennas. The radars can track and scan targets in any direction within the +/-40° sector in azimuth. Multiple radars can be used to provide 360° coverage. The MHR family includes variants of the RPS-40 (detection of enemy fire), RPS-42 (tactical aerial reconnaissance) and RHS-44 (violation of ground and air borders). CHR radar is part of the complex active protection Iron Fist by Israel Military Industries. The radar in time division mode can generate pulse streams in parallel and observe several targets, for example, it is the detection of mortar fire, and then the detection of drones with switching within a few milliseconds.

SPARROWS-RAFAEL

Although not related to air-to-ground weapons, the Sparrow family of air-launched target missiles is worth mentioning here, since they are used to test missile defense systems not only by Israel, but also by other countries. The Black, Blue and Silver Sparrow models simulate short-range ballistic missiles, respectively Scud-B, Scud-C/D and Shibab. Sparrow missiles have a length of 4.85 to 8.39 meters and a launch weight of 1275 to 3130 kg. They were used, for example, in testing the Samp / T missile system (based on Aster) from MBDA.

Close air defense and IMI company

Although IMI does not produce surface-to-air weapons, its portfolio includes a passive system under the designation Red Sky-2, which can significantly increase the effectiveness of man-portable air defense systems, thanks to an infrared sensor that performs surveillance and detection functions. Scanner has maximum range under ideal conditions (IR systems are affected by weather and the targets themselves) over 15 km, fields of view in azimuth 8.3 ° and in elevation 11 °. At a scan rate of 36°/s, the system's field of view is 360° in azimuth and ±25° in elevation, but the scanning sectors can be programmed from 30° to 180° in azimuth and from 11° to 22° in elevation. The scanner is mounted on a tripod and provides target data to the target tracking device and launcher, which has an instant zoom thermal imaging camera and a laser rangefinder. The launcher with two missiles is mounted on a tripod providing angles in azimuth of 360° and in elevation of -10°/+70°. A typical layout for forward base defense includes three launchers and one scanner, each launcher covers approximately 150°-160°, thereby guaranteeing overlap. The control unit for one operator ensures the detection of the target within the range of the missile and its launch. The control unit can be connected to the upper echelon operational control network.

To be continued

Features of the Israeli economy

Israel is a developed industrial and agricultural country with a highly developed market economy with significant state participation.

This country is dependent on the import of oil, grain crops, military equipment and raw materials. Israel is limited in natural resources, but in the last twenty years has managed to achieve great success in the intensive development of agriculture.

Israel imports a large amount of wheat, but at the same time it is able to independently meet its needs in other types of agricultural products.

Remark 1

The development of the Israeli economy was facilitated by financial assistance received from European countries and the United States. In the middle of the 20th century, it was necessary to provide about two million immigrants with food, housing and clothing, as well as education and health services.

Israel is included in the top ten richest countries in the world, in accordance with per capita income.

Released in Israel:

• foodstuffs,
• clothes and fabrics,
• tobacco products,
• electronic equipment,
• electronic equipment for military and medical purposes.

Israel is a diamond producer, the world's largest diamond processing and polishing center.

Metallurgy and mechanical engineering, including aircraft building, shipbuilding, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, and the production of computers and robots, have been widely developed in the country.

Agriculture is widely developed in Israel, a significant share of the products of which is exported. The main crops grown in the country are peanuts, cotton, sunflower.

Vegetables include peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and potatoes. The advanced crops in the country are bananas, apples and pears, kiwi, olives, mangoes and peaches, as well as some grape varieties.

In Israel, there is a breeding of cattle, goats and sheep, some types of poultry.

The state occupies the 18th place in terms of gross domestic product per capita. High growth rates are represented by high-tech industries.

Remark 2

The absence of most natural resources the state compensates with the development of labor-intensive industries that require the involvement of work force high qualifications, the creation of scientific centers and a new education system.

Most of the industry is focused on the production of high-quality products using the latest technical means of medical instrumentation, agricultural technology, telecommunications, food production, the development of computers and solar energy systems, as well as chemicals. About 50% of all Israeli industrial production is provided by high-tech industries.

Features of the Israeli industry

After the declaration of independence of Israel in the first decade, the main forces of the state focused on the development of agriculture and the creation of an energy, transport and water infrastructure.

Remark 3

Israel has a large skilled workforce, but lacks basic raw materials. In this case, the Israeli industry is concentrated on the production of scientific goods based on scientific and technological progress and its own scientific developments.

Over the past decade, Israel's industry has reached world-class levels in medical electronics, telecommunications, and diamond processing. The diamond industry in Israel produces about 80% of the world's supply in small polished stones, the bulk of which are diamonds used for jewelry.

The polishing of 40% of all diamonds takes place in Israel, which makes it a major trading manufacturing center in this industry.

The greatest growth can be observed in industries with high technology and the use of new equipment, as well as attracting investment in research and development.

Among the traditional industries of Israel, production can be distinguished:

• food products,
• clothing,
• technology,
• fertilizers,
• furniture,
• rubber, metal and plastic products.

Israel's manufacturing industry generates 20% of the gross national income, concentrating about 20% of all employed. Tel Aviv and nearby cities, which host about 4,000 large and small factories, account for more than 1/2 of industrial jobs.

Nearly a third of jobs are in the Haifa area, with the remaining jobs concentrated in the South and Jerusalem areas.

The country produces food products, textile products, clothing, leather products, electronic and electrical equipment for the needs of the communications and medicine sectors.

The chemical industry is represented by raw materials for the production of medical and veterinary drugs, medicines, anti-corrosion materials, phosphates and nitrogen, sodium chlorine hydroxide, pesticides for agricultural products, aromatic additives and growth regulators.

mining industry

The mining industry in Israel is mainly represented by large deposits of phosphorites, which are located in Niger. From there, mining products are transported to Haifa by rail.

From Dead Sea in the mining industry, salts of potassium, magnesium and bromine are extracted, which are widely used in agriculture. Also, these elements are used in pharmaceuticals, microelectronics, photography.

There are copper mines that were opened for exploitation in 1955 in Mihrot-Timna, but in 1976, when world copper prices fell, this deposit was mothballed.

In the Negev, clay is mined for the production of bricks and tiles, sand for the glass industry.

The quarries develop materials for the manufacture of concrete and cement, as well as the preparation of marble and building stone for Jerusalem. Local authorities require the use of only natural materials for the cladding of buildings in Jerusalem.

The country has small reserves of oil and natural gas.

Israel is a developed industrial and agricultural country. Israel has a technologically advanced, market economy with significant state participation. It depends on the import of oil, grain, raw materials and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel over the past 20 years has managed to achieve significant success in the intensive development of industry and agriculture. Israel imports a significant amount of wheat, but provides for its own needs for other types of agricultural products.

The creation of the Israeli economy was also facilitated by funds received mainly from European countries and the United States. In the 1950s and 60s, nearly 2 million immigrants needed to be provided with food, clothing, housing and other services in the areas of health, education, hospitals, factories, roads, educational institutions and new homes. Israel is one of the ten richest countries in the world in terms of per capita income. It produces food products, fabrics, clothing, tobacco products, electronic equipment, including for military purposes and medicine, as well as diamonds (Israel is one of the world's largest centers for processing and polishing diamonds).

The country also has developed metallurgy and mechanical engineering, including aircraft and shipbuilding, the pharmaceutical industry, microelectronics, the production of computers and robots, including for the military industry.

Agriculture is well developed in the country, a significant share of production is exported. The main crops grown are peanuts, cotton, wheat, sunflower. From vegetables - tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes and onions. Fruit crops - bananas, plums, pears, dates, apples, kiwi, mangoes, peaches, olives, some varieties of grapes, etc. In Israel, they are bred and cattle, sheep, goats, some types of poultry. The milk yield in the country is one of the highest in the world. Carp, striped mullet and other fish are bred in ponds, and sardines are fished in the Mediterranean Sea. The main sources of state income are duties, taxes (about 25% of GDP) and foreign tourism.

Israel ranks 18th in the world in terms of GDP per capita. In 2007, this figure increased by $4,079 to $31,767. The share in world GDP in 2006 was 0.43%. Israel's GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2008 reached an annualized rate of 5.4% - even slightly higher than in the record-breaking 2007, when the country's GDP grew by 5.3%.

Fantastically high growth rates are maintained by high-tech industries. In the first quarter of this year, production in these industries grew at a rate of 12.6% per annum. Such performance of Israeli hi-tech is especially impressive in a situation of a sharp fall in the dollar, the strengthening of the shekel and the economic crisis in the United States. Economically active population 2499 thousand people. Its main part is employed in industry (17.3%), in wholesale and retail trade, car and household appliance repair shops (13.2%), in real estate, rent and business (12.3%), in healthcare and social services (9.9%). Branch structure of JVD: agriculture - 3%, industry - 30%, services - 67%.

Lacking most of its natural resources, Israel made up for it by developing labour-intensive industries that require highly skilled labor, as well as by establishing research centers and a modern education system. Thus, a significant part of the industry is focused on the creation of high-quality products using the latest technical means in such areas as medical instrumentation, agricultural technology, telecommunications, food production, chemicals, computer development and solar energy systems.

Statistical indicators of Israel
(as of 2012)

High-tech industries provide about 50% of the total industrial production in Israel. The growth rate of industrial production in the first quarter of 2008 was significantly higher than in 2007 and reached 9% year on year.

Organizational structure of the Israeli economy

Israel has a mixed economy. The sale of state-owned companies led to the restructuring of the economic structure of Israel, to the redistribution of economic forces and levers of influence. For almost half a century, the centers of economic influence were concentrated in the hands of the government, trade unions and the Recanati family. Now the economy was under the control of about twenty groups. "Economic power" during the 90s passed from large banks, concerns to a number of competing investment and industrial groups-families. Among other things, the transition of economic structures into private hands led to an increase in the level of management, which confirmed the higher efficiency of private sector management compared to the public sector.

Non-agricultural activities are controlled by private capital, the Histadrut trade union organization and the state. Members of the Histadrut own shares in the Hevrat haovdim (Workers' Corporation) holding company, which functions like an ordinary capitalist corporation, although it was founded under the slogan of the socialist ideal of collective farming, which assumed the absence of a management layer and workers' self-management. The Histadrut grew into a powerful economic force, extending its influence to almost every area of ​​the economy in the country; he owns the multinational Bank HaPoalim, the design firm Solel Boneh, and the industrial company Koors with 280 subsidiaries.

In the public sector, the main proprietors, along with the state itself, are also the Jewish Agency and local authorities. Among the public joint-stock companies stand out Israel's largest company "Israel Aircraft", the airline "El-Al", as well as "Israel Chemicals" (extraction and enrichment of minerals). This sector also has a shipping company, shipyards, oil refineries, a water supply system and power plants at its disposal.

Foreign economic relations of Israel

With limited economic potential and a relatively small domestic potential and market, Israel can achieve an increase in economic growth only through the expansion of exports.

In Israel, the cost of importing goods has always exceeded the income from exports. Important import items are weapons, oil, machinery and equipment, spare parts for them, chemical products and metals, vehicles, food (wheat, raw materials for the production of vegetable oil, meat, coffee, cocoa, sugar), household appliances, rough diamonds for subsequent cutting and re-export. Exports include diamonds, machinery and equipment, fruits and canned food, fabrics and clothing, mineral fertilizers and other chemical products, and weapons. The negative balance is covered primarily by donations and loans from the US government.

Since Israel's trade with neighboring countries is hindered by the political situation and the weak development of their economies, Israel sets itself the goal of penetrating into more distant markets. Now Israel can freely export goods to the US and EEC countries. In order to achieve maximum success, Israeli enterprises seek to join the branches of international trade that are most relevant to them in their specifics. Establishing joint ventures with foreign firms often makes it possible to combine the innovative potential with the wide opportunities of foreign firms.

Israel's current liberalization course foreign trade subjected to rigorous testing. Domestic producers complain about the economic stagnation and demand higher customs duties to create a barrier to cheap imports from third world countries. A particularly difficult situation has developed in the textile industry, which is not able to compete with imports from countries Far East.

Israeli industry

In the first decade after Israel's independence, the main conditions of the country were focused on the development of agriculture and the creation of water, transport, and energy infrastructure. Since the country has an impressive potential of qualified specialists, while experiencing a shortage in the main types of raw materials, the Israeli industry is focused on the production of scientific goods based on its own scientific developments and technical innovations.

Over the past few decades, Israeli industry has reached world-class levels in medical electronics, agricultural technology, telecommunications, industrial chemistry and diamond processing. The Israeli diamond industry, which exported more than $3,000,000,000 in 1990, produces about 80% of the world's supply of small polished stones, most of which are diamonds used for jewelry. 40% of all diamonds are polished in Israel, making it the largest trading and manufacturing center in this industry. The greatest growth is observed in those industries where there is high technology, the most advanced machinery is used, and investments are also attracted in research and development, traditional Israeli industries are: food processing, machinery, clothing, furniture, fertilizers, chemicals, rubber products , plastic and metal.

20% of the national income is created in the manufacturing industry and a little less than 20% of all employed people are concentrated. Tel Aviv and nearby cities, home to nearly 4,000 large and small businesses, account for more than half of Israel's industrial jobs, the Haifa area for nearly a third, the South area for 12%, and the Jerusalem area for 6%.

The country produces food products, drinks, tobacco products, fabrics, clothing and leather goods, electrical and electronic equipment, especially for military purposes, the needs of the communications and medicine sectors; diamonds (Israel is the most important world center for polishing and cutting diamonds). Metallurgy and mechanical engineering are developed, including aircraft and shipbuilding, incl. military. Although the main sectors of Israeli industry are agriculture, and livestock, it is the goods of these industries that are exported.

Chemical industry: raw materials for the production of medical and veterinary drugs, drugs, anti-corrosion materials, nitrogen, phosphates, chlorine, sodium hydroxide, polyester resins, pest control agents for agricultural products, growth regulators, aromatic additives, etc.

The main source of energy is mainly imported oil, due to which almost 80% of the country's energy needs are met, and the rest is covered by coal purchases abroad. Solar energy is used (Israel ranks first in the world in the operation of solar boilers in homes) and wind energy.

Mining industry. Large deposits of phosphorites are located in the Negev, from where the products are delivered by rail to Haifa. From waters of the dead The seas extract potassium, bromine and magnesium salts, which are used in agriculture, as well as in photography and the pharmaceutical industry. Copper mines in Mihrot-Timna, on the site of the legendary mines of King Solomon, were opened for operation in 1955, but in 1976, after the fall in world copper prices, they were mothballed. In the Negev, clay is mined for the production of bricks and tiles, as well as quartz sand for the glass industry. Many quarries are developing materials for the manufacture of cement and concrete. Marble and building stone are also harvested for Jerusalem (where local law requires the use of natural materials for building cladding). The country has small reserves of oil (production is 9-16.5 million tons per year) and natural gas.

Agriculture in Israel

Since Israel's independence, the total area of ​​cultivated land has increased 2.6 times to approximately 445,170 hectares today, and the area of ​​irrigated fields has increased 8 times to 220,816 hectares. During the same period, the number of agricultural settlements increased from 400 to 750, but due to the high rate of urbanization, the share of the population living outside the cities decreased by 6%.

At present, Israel mainly satisfies its food needs through its own production, supplementing it with imports, which mainly include: wheat, raw materials for the production of vegetable oil, coffee, etc. The secret of Israel's agricultural success lies in the close cooperation between farmers and scientists.

The most important cultivated crops are cotton, peanuts, sunflowers, and wheat. The most common fruits are apples, kiwis, mangoes, avocados, bananas, peaches, dates, olives, pears, plums, wine and table grapes, persimmons, pecans and almonds. The main vegetable crops are potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and onions. Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, lemons) are exported, and some of them are sent for processing. Flowers are cultivated - carnations, roses, gladioli, etc.

The country has accumulated rich experience in winter cultivation of vegetables under film, which makes it possible to harvest several crops per year. As a result, each Israeli farmer can feed 52 people. Own agricultural production satisfies the country's needs for food by 92%. A significant share of agricultural production is exported, an increase in annual volume that has been achieved, in particular, thanks to the widespread use of the most modern agricultural methods.

Agricultural production - one of the main items of Israeli exports - fully provides agricultural products. At the same time, the share of agriculture in the country's gross product is only 5% against 25% of industry and more than 30% of the contributions of such industries as trade, tourism and finance.

Israel transport and communications

The car is the main means of transportation in Israel. The length of motor roads is over 13 thousand km. The fleet of trucks has 174 thousand, and cars - 845 thousand units. Highways run mainly along the coast from north to south, the most important highway connecting Jerusalem with Tel Aviv. The railway network with a total length of 890 km links the Negev, Gaza and Jerusalem with Tel Aviv, Haifa and the north of the country. Its basis is formed by lines laid during the Turkish and British domination, when Palestine was at the crossroads of the railways of the Middle East. Currently, the rail transport system is being modified. Main seaports Israel - Haifa, Ashdod and Eilat. International passenger transportation is carried out mainly through the Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, as well as through the Eilat Airport. Two small airports near Tel Aviv and Jerusalem serve domestic flights.

14.07.2014 - 17:09

The beginning of the history of the modern metallurgical industry in Israel is considered to be the 60s, when the first steel and metalworking enterprises began to appear in the country, the products of which were used in the implementation of large construction projects. Of course, Israel's metallurgy is hardly able to compete with the world's leading metal producers, but the quality of Israeli steel is beyond doubt.

important player

According to the World Steel Association (WSA), over the past 15 years, Israel has been steadily smelting from 280,000 to 300,000 tons of steel per year, and in 2013, about 300,000 tons of metal were produced. Approximately the same amount is planned to be smelted this year. According to experts from the British publication Metal Bulletin, the Israeli economy has actually recovered from the crisis: last year, national GDP increased by 3.6% (against 3.1% in 2012), and this year, as predicted, it will increase by almost 4%. %.

Economic growth in the country is stimulated, first of all, by the service industry, the pharmaceutical sector and the high-tech industry, but the construction industry and metallurgy play an important role in this matter. The Israeli steel industry is an important player in the production of military and defense products, supplying the Israeli defense industry with high-quality metal for the production of modern weapons and military equipment.

In the national construction industry, there has also been a trend towards expanding demand for steel products due to increased activity in the residential and commercial real estate market, as well as the construction of new infrastructure facilities, including in the tourism sector. According to the analytical and consulting company Business Monitor International, the growth rate of the Israeli construction sector in 2014 will be at least 3.1%, and in the period from 2015 to 2019 - an average of 4.2% per year.

Steel in Israel is smelted in electric arc furnaces (EAF) from local scrap metal: iron ore and reduced iron (DRI/HBI) are not used as raw materials because there is no production capacity for these materials in the country. In addition to consuming scrap in local EAFs, Israel also exports it, mainly to Turkey, being a net exporter today. According to Metal Bulletin experts, Israel exported 300 thousand tons of this raw material last year. In the future, this figure is predicted to grow and by 2019 may reach 340-350 thousand tons. The consumption of scrap in Israel itself over the next four years will remain at the level of about 400-410 thousand tons per year.

Meanwhile, the issue of scrap metal recycling has acquired the status of a national problem in Israel in recent years. We are talking about the fact that about 800 thousand tons of scrap are formed in the country every year with a market value of about 1 billion shekels (about $300 million). Israeli scrap sellers today have two options: sell it to local steel companies for 750-900 shekels per ton, or load it onto a Turkish ship at 550-650 shekels per ton (it's easier and faster). It should be noted that most scrap sellers prefer the latter option. As a result, many thousands of tons of metal leave Israel every year for Turkey, where they are melted down and then returned to Israel again.

Such a scheme, according to Israeli experts, causes enormous harm to the state. Scrap metal sellers prefer to sell their goods to the Turks one and a half times cheaper than to their compatriots, if only because it gives them the opportunity to avoid paying taxes and get cash. Today, as a result of the outflow of scrap metal from the country and the import of cheap rolled products from Turkey, many Israeli steel plants are facing serious problems, and some of them are on the verge of bankruptcy.

Capacity shortage

If we talk about the Israeli market for steel products, then the demand for long products prevails here, not least because it is mainly produced by Israeli metallurgical companies. According to Metal Bulletin estimates, in the post-crisis years, the demand growth rate for these products has been consistently high (about 10-12%), and last year they reached 1.4 million tons against 800 thousand tons in 2009.

In general, the capacities of Israeli enterprises for the production of rebar and wire rod are currently not able to meet the demand for these products, so it is covered by additional supplies from abroad. In particular, the import of rebar is more than 500 thousand tons per year. It comes mainly from Turkey and the countries of Southern Europe. Israel also imports at least 300,000 tons of wire rod annually, mainly from Ukraine, Turkey and the southern European states. These same countries are the main suppliers of heat-resistant profiles for the construction industry, since there is a shortage of this material in it, amounting to at least 100 thousand tons per year. According to Metal Bulletin forecasts, demand for long products in Israel this year will remain at the level of last year (1.4 million tons), and in 2015 it may increase to 1.5 million tons.

After a sharp drop in 2008, demand for flat products in Israel increased by almost a third over the next three years, especially in the sector of galvanized steel and hot-rolled coils. Galvanized steel is consumed mainly by the construction sector and is expected to continue to grow in demand in 2015. It should be noted that in Israel there is no capacity for the production of flat products, so all this production comes from abroad. In 2013, imports amounted to 612 thousand tons; it is predicted that this year it will slightly decrease to 605 thousand tons, and then begin to grow again and reach 680-700 thousand tons by 2019.

Imported hot-rolled coils go mainly to the pipe industry of the country, where the main producers are Metco and Tzinorot, whose combined capacity is about 250 thousand tons per year (however, the demand for it in Israel is lower than this indicator). The lion's share of hot-rolled coils comes to the Israeli market from the CIS countries, and galvanization - mainly from Turkey, Southern Europe and China. According to Metal Bulletin forecasts, the combined demand for long and flat products in Israel by 2015 may reach 2.5 million tons per year.

Of the relatively small number of Israeli companies directly involved in the production of steel products, we single out, first of all, Yehuda Steel and Hod Metals. The first was founded in 1995, today its headquarters is located in the Israeli city of Ashdod. It is a subsidiary of Yehuda Welded Mesh (wholly owned by South African Cape Gate Holdings) and manufactures steel products primarily for the construction industry. The key products of Yehuda Steel are metal fences, gratings, railings, gates, structural steel elements, etc. The company gained wide popularity in Israel after it built a fence around the Gaza Strip and Jerusalem with its products.

Hod Assaf Industries (Hod Metals) was established in 1947. Today it is one of the leading manufacturers of fittings and steel structures in Israel. The company has manufacturing plants in Acre and steel is processed in Kiryat Gat. In addition, Hod Metals works with steel wire, galvanized wire and cable plants, as well as an aluminum cable plant in Romania.

Hod Metals mainly produces rebar, reinforced concrete structures, metal structures, steel wire, galvanized wire ropes, steel mesh, fences and other metal products. The company employs more than 1 thousand employees. -- Rusmet

"Foreign Military Review" No. 3. 2004.

MILITARY INDUSTRY OF ISRAEL

Captain A. TELTSOV

The military-political leadership of Israel, given the complexity of the situation in the Middle East region, is taking active measures to strengthen the defense capability of the state. At the same time, Tel Aviv pays special attention to the development of the military-industrial complex (MIC) in order to bring it to a higher quality level.

Israel's military-industrial complex is the leading component of the national economy. It concentrates the main research, production and economic potential in the field of advanced technologies. The military industry of the country ensures the production of more than 600 types of weapons and military equipment (WME) both for the national armed forces and for export. Military products are sent to almost 50 countries of the world and account for up to 40 percent. Israeli exports - more than 11 percent. GDP.

The military-industrial complex of the country is characterized by the following factors: the expansionist policy of the ruling circles of the country, its military doctrine; the militarization of the economy; high R&D costs; orientation towards the creation of high-tech weapons and military equipment; the strong dependence of the national military-industrial complex on US financial and technical assistance; state support enterprises of the military-industrial complex; the low need of the Ministry of Defense (MO) in the products of local manufacturers, the export orientation of the military industry and the implementation of measures to convert the military-industrial complex in the early 90s.

The military-industrial complex of Israel consists of a three-tier system of state organizations dealing with R&D problems, as well as large and small enterprises united in concerns and firms in the public and private sectors of the economy.

At present, there are three types of government organizations dealing with R&D problems in the country: national government level, ministerial level, as well as research institutes, universities, private and state enterprises. Government organizations at the national level include the Ministerial Committee for Science and Technology (central government agency responsible for R&D) and the Ministry of Science and Development. Government organizations at the ministerial level include bureaus of chief scientists. The latter and similar organizations are currently operating in nine Israeli ministries.

Large sums are spent on R&D, which is carried out on the basis of the experience of armed conflicts and advanced concepts of warfare. In 2001, the military budget alone provided for the allocation of 1.78 billion dollars for these purposes. Western countries are also investing in Israeli R&D. In total, the European Union invested 25 million US dollars in the research and development work of Israeli companies in 2000. Close cooperation has been established with the US military-industrial complex, which facilitates Israelis' access to modern technologies.

Israel's military industry is based on three state-owned companies: Israel Aircraft Industries (IA1), Israel Military Industries (1M1) and the Rafael Armament Development Authority of Israel).

Israel Aircraft Industries (IEI), a state-owned enterprise with 14,300 employees and about $2.88 billion in sales (in 2001), 76 percent. supplies its products for export: 75 percent. - military purposes, and 25 percent. - civil.

Organizationally, the enterprise consists of several divisions: Electronics Division, Technology Division, Aircraft Division and BEDEK Aviation Group. In addition, the company has a number of subsidiaries and branches. The scope of its activities includes research, development, production, maintenance and sale of aviation equipment, rocket and space systems, air defense systems, electronic, optical and electromechanical equipment, etc. The company develops and modernizes various types of aviation equipment.

The State Enterprise Israel Military Industries (IMI), which employs 3,800 people and has sales of $506 million (in 2000), 60 percent. products are exported. Civilian goods account for only 10 percent. total production.

The company conducts R&D and produces small arms and artillery armament, armored vehicles for the Army, Air Force, Navy, all types of ammunition, launchers for missile systems, composite materials, inertial control systems, radio-electronic systems, systems for monitoring the state of airborne weapons and others.

The Rafael Scientific and Production Directorate (the number of employees is about 4.1 thousand people, revenues are $ 750 million (in 2001) is a specialized scientific structure under the Israeli Ministry of Defense, designed to conduct research and development, modernization, development and production of new types of In VT.

The field of activity of Rafael is the whole range of modern technologies, including: guided and unguided weapon systems, electronic warfare equipment, communication line protection systems, electron-optical systems, night vision devices, computer systems, fire control systems, telemetry systems, equipment for ranges and etc.

In recent years, as a result of mergers and consolidations, the number of Israeli private firms in the military industry has been reduced by four times, which has led to the expansion of areas of activity and the strengthening of the influence of the largest companies. This, in particular, concerns new associations in the Israeli military industry, such as Elbit Systems and Elisra Group.

A characteristic feature of the Israeli military industry is its export orientation, while deliveries account for 70-75 percent. the entire volume of military production.

The military industry is represented by the rocket and space, aviation, armored, artillery and rifle, shipbuilding, ammunition and radio-electronic industries. The products of the radio-electronic industry for military purposes, the production of missile weapons, armored and aviation equipment, and artillery and small arms have received the greatest development.

Rocket and space industry. The main manufacturers in the rocket and space sector are: IAI Corporation and a number of its subsidiaries (in particular, Electronics Division), Elta Electronics Industries (EIta Electronics Industries), MBT Systems and Space Technology (MW Systems and Spase Technology ), MLM Systems Engineering and Integration and Tamam Precision Instruments Industries. They are engaged in the development and production of space launch vehicles (LV) "Shavit" and "Next", OTR "Jericho-1" and MRBM "Jericho-2", anti-ship missiles "Gabriel" Mk 4LR, missile systems, electronic components and components, navigation systems and propulsion systems (PS) for ballistic missiles (BR) and LV, communications and control systems, telemetry systems for BR and LV, inertial guidance and control systems, gyro-stabilized platforms and gyro-instruments for guidance and control systems for BR and LV, as well as production mechanical, electronic and electromechanical equipment.

Rafael, Propulation Department, IM1, Technical University, Usher Space Research Institute, Rocket Engine Laboratory and Department of Aerospace Technology are engaged in the development and production of solid propellants for BR and LV, solid propellant rocket engines, nozzles, coatings, stage separation systems, launchers for rocket systems, warheads for BR, detonators , traction control mechanisms and remote control automation, high-pressure combustion chambers, heat-resistant and composite materials, development and testing of warheads for the Jericho-2 IRBM. In addition, they conduct research in the field of creating promising types of solid fuels, space technologies, modern composite materials, as well as ballistics and aerodynamics.

Elistra Electronics Systems Ltd, El-Op (EL-OP), Rotem Industries Ltd, Soreq Nuclear Center, Tadiran ( Tadiran) and the Weizmann Research Institute develop and manufacture: electronic systems and their components, infrared and laser systems, flight data acquisition and processing systems, computerized test benches for the complex verification of complex systems, test benches that simulate space conditions, communication systems and equipment, space and ground systems of tracking, communication, telemetry and control; conduct research in the field of digital technologies, aerodynamic forms, structural, composite and heat-resistant materials, as well as analytical work in the field of high and low pressure, ultrahigh and low temperatures; test space systems, equipment, materials, mechanical components and electronic blocks for reliability.

In the general range of military products, special attention is paid to rocket and space technologies. National space research is coordinated by the Israeli Space Agency, which is organizationally part of the country's Ministry of Science and Technology. Israel created and launched the Ofek-5 reconnaissance satellite, which belongs to the category of small low-orbit satellites (its mass at launch was about 300 kg, height - 2.3 m, diameter - 1.2 m). The controlled telescopic camera by Electro-Optics Industries, installed on the satellite, provides a resolution of 16-25 m in a 100-km swath from a height of 400 km.

One of the new rocket and space concepts is the Rafael company's program to put into orbit small-sized military communications and electronic intelligence satellites using rockets launched from fighters. Such an idea is quite feasible, despite the doubts of some leaders of Israel Aircraft Industries about its effectiveness. But the company intends to use the concept as a springboard for entering the space market.

With the financial and technical support of the United States, Israeli military specialists are engaged in the design, creation and deployment of the Arrow (Hetz) anti-missile system. As part of a joint US-Israeli project, the THEL high-energy laser system is being developed, which is the basis of a combat laser complex capable of destroying artillery and rocket projectiles, as well as short-range missiles.

The aviation industry has about 30 enterprises: assembly, repair and aggregate-detail. All aircraft assembly plants are located in the area of ​​Ben Gurion Airport (near Lod). The divisions of 1AI are the following enterprises:

For the production of fighters (the Lahav company of the Military Aircraft Group, Jerusalem). In the first half of the 1990s, Kfir tactical fighters and other combat aircraft of the Soviet (MiG-21), French (Mirage type) and American production were modernized here, prototypes of Lavi fighters were assembled and tested. In 1972-1988, Kfir fighters of various modifications were manufactured at this plant.

For the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the Scout, Pioneer, Impact, Searcher, Gimpaks and other types (Malat company).

For the production of Westwind aircraft, some components and assemblies for F-16 fighters, the repair and modernization of Arava light transport aircraft of various modifications, both military and civilian.

All repair facilities in the Ben Gurion Airport area are owned by affiliates of the Bedek Aviation Group, also part of 1AI. The following types of work are carried out at these plants: repair and modernization of aircraft A-4, F-4, F-15, F-16, Fugue Magister, C-130, Boeing 707, Westwind, Boeing type and others , repair of components and assemblies, as well as aircraft engines.

The Mata Helicopters Jerusalem company of the Military Aircraft Group and the Cyclone Aviation Sell factory specialize in the repair and modernization of all types of Israeli Air Force helicopters.

The Beit Shemesh Engine company repairs gas turbine engines F100 (for F-15), J79 (Kfir, F-4), Marbor-2 and -b (Fuga Magister), Allison-250 S20 and SZO" (U-206 Cessna and Hughes 500 helicopters), T700 (for AN-64 Apache, UH-60 Black Hawk and others), ST7 ("Black Hawk") and production of spare parts for them . Earlier, the enterprise launched the production of power plants for Fugue Magister aircraft.

Aggregate-detailed enterprises produce a wide range of components and assemblies for aviation equipment, airborne equipment, as well as reconnaissance equipment, elements of a control system and navigation equipment.

Assessing the prospects for the development of the aviation industry, one should highlight the beginning of the development of the BP Launcher Intercept (BPL1) program, proposed in 2001 by the Air Force command. Under this program, UAVs will patrol over enemy territory, detect and destroy transport-loading launchers. The cost of creating a prototype of such a device is about 400 million dollars.

A feature of the aviation industry is its specialization in the modernization of the fleet of Soviet (Russian), American and French-made aircraft that are in service with the Air Forces of Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.

At the same time, the industry is experiencing a shortage of financial resources necessary for the development and production of its own combat aircraft and helicopters (with the exception of some types of transport aircraft).

The armored industry is represented by assembly, repair and assembly plants (there are 16 in total).

Assembly companies include:

For the production of tanks (1M1, Tel Aviv). In the first half of the 90s, the plant modernized and repaired the Merkava tanks of its own design, the American M48 and M60, the British-made Centurion and the Soviet-made T-72, as well as the Ml 13 armored personnel carrier (USA). Merkava tanks have been produced here since 1979.

For the production of armored personnel carriers ("Nimda", Tel Aviv). Since 1988, on the basis of tanks of the T-54 and T-55 types captured during the Arab-Israeli wars, the plant has been serially producing the Akhzarit armored personnel carrier. In addition, work is underway to modernize the tanks AMX-13, AMX-30, M4 Sherman, M24, M41, M47, M48, M60, PT-76, Scorpio, T-54, T-55, T-62 and "Centurion"; armored personnel carriers BTR-50, MZ, Ml 13, UYuOi V150; infantry fighting vehicles BMP-1, as well as military trucks.

For the production of armored vehicles (the aforementioned enterprise of the company "Ramta Systems and Strakcherz" in the city of Beersheba). The plant produces RAM V-1 and V-2 combat reconnaissance vehicles as needed. Previously produced BRM RBY Mk.l (125 units in the period from 1976 to 1982). Currently, the latter are issued as needed. The company also produces minesweepers for tanks.

Aggregate-detailed enterprises almost fully meet the needs of the aircraft in spare parts and components for the repair of armored vehicles (Merkava, M4 Sherman, M24, M47, M48, M60, Merkava, PT-76, T-54, T-55 and Centurion; armored personnel carriers BTR-50 and M 113), as well as other military equipment.

Repair and maintenance of armored vehicles are carried out at the plant for the repair of armored vehicles in Tel Aviv; at a repair facility in Beit Shean, where engines for armored vehicles are repaired, parts and assemblies of diesel engines are manufactured; at the engine repair plant in Tirat Carmel, which specializes in the repair of engines for armored vehicles and produces internal combustion engines; at the plant for the production of units and parts of armored vehicles (Natanya), which produces armored steel, as well as elements and structures of the armor protection of tanks.

The production of spare parts and assemblies is also established at automobile factories in the cities of Beit Hanoun, Dimon and Nesher.

Thus, Israel has enterprises with a full technological cycle for the production of modern tanks and armored vehicles and does not need to import armored vehicles. At the same time, it is planned to replace obsolete tanks and armored personnel carriers with modern types of equipment. At present, the Merkava Mk4 tank, which has already passed field tests, is ready for mass production. The Israeli command intends to annually purchase 70-100 combat vehicles for four years. It should also be noted that some components for this tank are supplied from abroad.

The artillery and rifle industry is represented by a number of enterprises capable of producing tank guns, self-propelled and towed howitzers, mortars, recoilless guns, flamethrowers, aircraft guns, guns for anti-aircraft installations.

The production of small arms is one of the most developed branches of the Israeli military industry. Its main supplier is IMI. Its three factories located in Tel Aviv produce: Negev machine guns of 5.56 and 7.62 mm calibers; submachine guns "Uzi", "Mini-Uzi" and "Micro-Uzi" - 9 mm; assault rifles"Galil" (Galil) - 5.56 and 7.62 mm; assault rifles "Tavor-21" (Tavor-21) - 5.56mm; semi-automatic sniper rifles "SR-99"; semi-automatic sniper rifles "Galil" caliber 7.62mm; pistols "Jericho-941" (Jericho), "Jericho-941" F, FS, FB, "Uzi" (Uzi), "Desert Eagle" (Desert Eagle).

Except IMI weapon manufactured by the company "Bill" (Bill). At her enterprise in Tel Aviv, 9- and 11.43-mm M-5 pistols are produced. Small arms manufacturers also include KSN Industries, which manufactures 9- and 10-mm Golan pistols in Kfar Saba.

The shipbuilding industry is represented by the Israel Shipyards shipyard in Haifa and the Ramtha Systems and Structural plant in Beersheba. These enterprises have mastered the production of combat boats, including in the city of Haifa - missile type "Reshef" and patrol - "Shaldag", in the city of Beer Sheva - missile ("Dvora" and "Super Dvora") and patrol (" Dabur").

Israel does not have a large industrial and technical base and financial resources for the creation of warships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, destroyers, anti-submarine ships, submarines and others. The needs of the Navy are met mainly through imports.

Ammunition production. This industry has five enterprises (in the cities of Atlit, Zikhron Yaakov, Nazareth, Ramat Hasharon, Ramla) and one TRT plant (Ramat Hasharon). Their products include ammunition and explosives, artillery shells and naval mines, aerial bombs, grenades, gunpowder, solid rocket fuel. In general, the production capacity of the ammunition industry is 90 percent. meet the needs of the national armed forces in ammunition, explosives and gunpowder.

The radio-electronic industry was most developed in the early 1990s. In the total production volume of the industry, military products account for about 22 percent, and the export structure - 15.5 percent. About 200 companies are employed in the electronics industry, 45 of which produce only military products. The largest ones include:

Elbit Systems Group, which merged Elbit Systems and Electro-Optics Industries in 2000;

Elisra Group, which includes the leading military electronics company Elisra Electronic Systems, Tadiran Spectralink, Tadiran Electronic Systems, BVR Systems and Stellar;

- Electronics Division of 1A1, which includes Ella Electronic Industries Ltd, MABAT (MAVAT), TAMAM (TAMAM) and MALAM.

The main products of the industry companies are: aviation early warning systems based on phased array radar, "friend or foe" identification system, signaling, reconnaissance, information security, fire control systems, offensive and defensive high-precision missile systems, airborne radars, electronic warfare systems, various simulators, short and long-range communication systems, information collection systems, surveillance systems, search and rescue systems, satellites and stereoscopic reconnaissance systems.

Overall, compared to other military industries electronic industry is the most developed, promising and successfully competing in the world market. There is a steady trend towards Israeli radio-electronic companies uniting with the aim of concentrating efforts, increasing investment, developing new types of products, expanding the range and increasing exports, as well as expanding markets in Western and Eastern Europe, countries of Asia and the Far East. IN modern conditions most of the investments are supposed to be directed to the development and production of science-intensive and high-tech types of military products, control and communications equipment, and AWACS systems.

In connection with the end of the Cold War, a decrease in defense spending and a corresponding decrease in the number of state defense orders, military-industrial complex companies were forced to reduce the number of workers from 65 thousand people in the 80s to 25-30 thousand by the beginning of the 90s. The situation also required the management of enterprises to change the structure of military production so that without a sharp drop in income and loss of sales markets and retaining the main specialists of the companies, their production capacities and research potential, be able to transfer part of the capacities to civilian applications: the production of telecommunications, transport, medical equipment and consumer electronics. Almost all large companies faced conversion problems: IM1, Rafael, IAI and others. As a result, IM1 will be privatized, Rafael will receive the status of a state-owned company and will focus on selling its most successful developments in the field of rocket and artillery systems, and IAI will concentrate on the modernization of Soviet and American weapons, the development and production of UAVs, dual-use radio electronics and space systems.

As part of the ongoing restructuring of the defense industry, two options for the development of the Israeli military-industrial complex are possible in the future. The first involves the formation of two large companies, which will increase the chances of competing with large European and American military-industrial firms. At the same time, one company will specialize in the aerospace sector, and the other - in the production of weapons, ammunition and missiles. The second option provides for the division of the military-industrial complex into three main elements: the first is R & D, the second is production, and the third, being a state-owned one, will concentrate efforts on the production of systems of strategic importance.

Thus, Israel has created and successfully operates its own powerful diversified military industry, which, in the context of a general decrease in defense spending and state defense orders, restructured and relied on its own capabilities in the field of science and technology, concentrated on the production of high-tech types of weapons and military equipment, the modernization of aviation , marine, armored vehicles and dual-use electronics. Given the saturation of the domestic market in the products of the national military-industrial complex, the Israeli leadership focuses on the export of weapons and military equipment, which is an important component of foreign policy and military strategy and accounts for 70-75 percent. all military production.

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