FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1985
1985 - 0080.PDF
DEFENCE Israelis split over Lavi costs TEL AVIV ~ Prominent members of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, allied with senior ex- economic advisors to the Israeli Ministry of Defence, are again calling for curtailment or abandonment of the Israel Aircraft Indus tries Lavi multirole fighter, reports Charles Fleming. As the Israeli Government is making attempts to trim the national budget and reduce the rate of inflation (over 1,000 per cent and rising), the defence establishment, both the Forces and industry, are baulking at significant cuts from their budgets as part of the overall package. In the wake of attacks on Lavi, the aircraft's supporters are on the offensive. Israeli Air Force Commander Gen Amos Lapidot, who previously headed the Lavi project, says: "Lavi is tailormade for the Air Force's needs and, since the Lavi's weapon systems and mission electronics will be largely Israeli made, they cannot be passed on to any Arab air forces and therefore provide Israel with an ace card in any future combat with them". Lapidot says that the Israeli Air Force still views the performance of the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon "with excitement" and that Lavi would not replace the F-16s. McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms and A-4 Skyhawks, used in the ground-attack role, would be replaced first, followed by the Right First picture released of Lavi shows the multirole fighter's similarity to the General Dynamics F-16, but the Lavi will have composite canards, wing, and fins, and therefore a higher thrust-to-weight ratio than the F-16. The large ventral fins were not on drawings released t" Flight in 1983. Lavi has an overall length of 47-2ft and a wingspan of 28-6ft, slightly smaller than the F-16 Below Israel's Dassault Mirage IHCs have provided long and sterling service, as shown by this example with 13 kills. Lavi's inherent manoeuvrability stems from the Israeli Air Force's experience in close-range air combat few Mirage Ills and then Kfirs. Former Defence Minister Moshe Arens says that those attacking Lavi are merely endangering the project and contributing nothing. Arens adds that the amount of support that Lavi received from the US administration had been substantial. "A few years ago it would have been hard to even dream about the level of American support received for Lavi." Meanwhile, the anti-Lavi lobby points out that the level of US financial aid is rela tively small and that since about $10,000 million will be needed to get Lavi into pro duction before 1990, Israel's dependence on the USA will in fact be increased instead of reduced. As for exporting Lavi, its opponents say that, since the final price will be in the region of $20 million each, the aircraft will be out of reach of the smaller countries which might be interested if Lavi were cheaper and had no political impediments to its export. Exports could be vetoed by the USA, as Lavi will be powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW1120. Meanwhile, Beth Shemesh Engines, which is to build the PW1120 under licence, is in severe financial difficulties. The company is alleged to have debts totalling $50 million and might have to lay off as many as 400 of its 1,200 workers. An ex-general manager of Beth Shemesh, Aviah Shalif, says that he believes any chances that the company could produce the PW1120 have evaporated. Shalif points out that the company was three years behind in the original programme schedule. "If the aircraft is to fly by the end of the decade, then all the engines will have to be made in the United States," says Shalif. Shalif also accuses Pratt & Whitney of not being really interested in the, engine's manufacture in Israel. Shalif points out that General Electric has recently won an F-16 engine contract from P&W, so the latter' company is interested in keeping as much work in its own factories as possible. However, Shalif resigned from Beth Shemesh Engines a couple of years ago. The Israeli Ministry of Defence would not comment on either Beth Shemesh's reported difficulties or Shalifs remarks. Pratt & Whitney says: "We are absolutely committed to the Lavi project as it has been planned". Lavi will have a maximum take-off weight of 37,5001b,' including an estimated 6,0001b of internal fuel and 16,0001b of weapons and external fuel. Maximum speed will be Ml-85 with the 20,2601b-thrust PW1120. FLIGHT International, 12 January 1985
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
