Aircraft

Israel confirms interest in Bell Boeing V-22 tiltrotor

By Arie Egozi

A senior Israeli air force source has confirmed that Bell Boeing's V-22 is on the service's equipment wishlist, as Israel Aerospace Industries appears poised to secure a first subcontract on the tiltrotor transport.

Israeli sources say the V-22 is considered the closest available replacement for the nation's Sikorsky CH-53 transport helicopters, although operations of the latter type could continue until 2025 if current upgrade plans are implemented. But in the first open signal of interest in the V-22, the air force source says: "We are thinking about it."

© US Navy

IAI's Golan Industries division is expected to manufacture energy-absorbing troop seats for the US Marine Corps' MV-22 Ospreys under a contract worth several million dollars. Follow-on orders could also include equipment for the US Air Force's CV-22s. "IAI is the only source that possesses the engineering and technical data required to perform this effort," says the US Navy.