Israel is the world’s fourth largest defense exporter, after the US, Russia, and France, and ahead of the UK. Israeli defense exports total $3.4 billion.
SIBAT - Foreign Defense Assistance and Defense Export Organization director-general Gen. (Ret.) Yosi Ben-Hanan says that Israel’s defense exports to the US grew from $270 million in 1999 to $1.2 billion in 2006. He added that US supervision of Israeli defense exports has cost Israel $300 million over the past three years. Suspect Detection Systems Ltd. (SDS) chairman Giora Eiland, the former chairman of the National Security Council, added that the loss was smaller than Israel had thought.
Israeli exports of homeland security and safety equipment, excluding information security, will grow 20% this year, compared with 15% growth in 2006, to $1.2 billion. 30 new companies entered this field over the past year, to a total of 350 exporters. IT security exports totaled $2 billion.
Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute chairman David Arzi says that Israeli companies will sign contracts worth $600-800 million during the Paris Air Show next week. The global defense and aerospace market will grow by $1.3 billion this year (3.1%, compared with 0.9% growth in 2006), and will grow by $1.4 billion in 2009.
Israeli participants at the Paris Air Show will include Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd., Bental Industries Ltd., Ashot Ashkelon Industries Ltd. (TASE: ASHO), Bet Shemesh Engines Ltd. (TASE: BSEN), Controp Precision Technologies Ltd., Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT), Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI), Orbit Alchut Technologies Ltd. (TASE:ORBI), Plasan Sasa Ltd., Rafael Armament Development Authority Ltd., Rada Electronic Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: RADID), SDS, and Tadiran Communications Ltd.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on June 10, 2007
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