Aircraft

Israel special - Israeli industry finds its feet on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Israeli industry has been a key supplier of composite structures for the Boeing 787 since 2004, although not - as Israel Aerospace Industries may have wished given the US company's near-monopoly in the Israeli airline market - as a tier-one partner. Instead, IAI's commercial aircraft group is a supplier to Vought and Alenia Aeronautica, and the "most significant second-tier, risk sharing partner on the programme".

The company developed and produces composite floor beam sub-assemblies, door surround structures (titanium and composites) and composite and aluminium parts for the horizontal tail and pivot bulkhead. It is also responsible for managing a supply chain in Israel and overseas.

IAI admits it faced "difficulties during the start-up of the programme" due to the late approval of export licences for the new technologies, but says it is poised to complete its "back to green effort" by the second quarter.