Italy signs G550 AEW deal with Israel

[Archdemon]

Italy signs G550 AEW deal with Israel

 

[KRAIT]

Israel Aerospace Industries will supply the Italian air force with two Gulfstream G550-based conformal airborne early warning (CAEW) and control system aircraft, under a deal worth $750 million.

Also including ground support equipment and a package of logistics services, the contract is part of a counter-deal to Israel's $1 billion order for 30 Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainers, signed in Rome on 19 July. IAI will also develop, manufacture and supply an observation satellite to Italy's Telespazio under an additional agreement worth $182 million.

"Beyond the financial and occupational aspects, this deal represents a significant collaboration with the European industry," says IAI president Joseph Weiss.


The Israeli air force operates four G550-based CAEW aircraft

Italy's commitment to the G550 CAEW product represents IAI's third sale of the system, which uses radar equipment from its Elta Systems subsidiary. The company has previously delivered four of the aircraft each to the Israeli air force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force, as recorded by Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.

The modified G550s will provide a new fixed-wing AEW capability for Italy, which is a member of the NATO component that flies the Boeing 707-based E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft.

 

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Elsag Telespazio was selected to act as prime contractor for the Italian Ministry of Defense, supplying a military satellite system for the Italian Government. The OPTSAT-3000 high-resolution optical Earth observation, is worth more than $200 million. Telespazio will be responsible for supplying the entire system including the satellite, payload and ground segment, launch services and launch into orbit, the preparation and execution of operations and logistics. The company will also support the mission with in-orbit testing and commissioning. The satellite will be delivered in 2015, by the company Israel Aerospace Industries / MBT Space Division acting as subcontractor. Telespazio has awarded IAI a contract worth $182 million for the development and production of the satellite. IAI has been developing the OPSAT-3000 platform for several years for the Israeli Ofek 10 satellite. This program is likely to expedite now with the Italian contract in place setting a firm goal for the program.

The satellite to be built for the Italians is believed to be latest OPSAT 3000 based observation satellite, equipped with the latest ‘Jupiter’ multi-spectral imaging payload from Elbit Systems, providing high-resolution imagery simultaneously in color and B/W modes. The satellite is in development by IAI/MBT Space Division.

Israeli Italy Exchange Multi-Billion Dollar Defense Contracts | Defense Update​

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Lockheed Martin’s Net Dragon Airborne Multi-Intelligence Laboratory (AML). Photo: Lockheed Martin​

The Italians are seeking to improve battlefield targeting, an operational requirement that evolved from the Libyan campaign of 2011. Such targeting capabilities should rely on employing advanced command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities for ad-hoc targeting.

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