On the Record with JOSEPH ACKERMAN, PRESIDENT & CEO OF ELBIT SYSTEMS
"Recent world events have highlighted the growing demand
for new technologies in the areas of Command, Control and Communications
(C3), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Unmanned
Airborne Vehicles (UAV) and Security, says Joseph Ackerman President
and CEO of Elbit Systems. "Our capabilities across these
areas, which have become in recent years an increasingly important
segment of our core business, position us well to take advantage
of this trend in the global defense market.
Most of Israel's defense manufacturers are still owned by the
government. Only Elbit is privately heldand Ackerman sees
this as an advantage.
"Elbit has proved that the decisions made by the Israeli
government to privatize the defense industries are right,"
he told Show News. "A private company can provide the same
contribution to the country's defense, without a liability and
cost to the taxpayer. We take part in many programs; some of them
are at the forefront of technology and national security responsibilities.
We invest much of our own money in R&D, but we do it because
it is important to our future, as much as it is important to the
security of our country.
"We expect that in the long term, two or three large companies
will dominate Israel's defense industry sector, and Elbit will
definitely be one of these companies. We expect these conglomerates
to be multi-faceted, but focused on defense-a trend that has proved
to be the right one for other U.S. and European defense corporations."
Aircraft upgrades and systems modernization have been a major
activity for Elbit, and Ackerman believes there is still room
for continued growth, primarily in the area of avionics upgrades
for combat aircraft and helicopters.
"For Elbit, whose core specialty is avionics, this is a positive
trend, notes Ackerman. "Our helmet displays and sight systems
are installed on many types of fighter aircraft and helicopters.
Continued improvements in computing power, speed and demand for
such capabilities dictate an avionics upgrading cycle of four
to five years that continues to fuel growth. Elbit's position,
as both a U.S. and an Israeli company, is also an important factor
in our ability to gain access to programs in different countries.
"We also offer upgrades to aerial weapons, converting 'dumb'
bombs into precision-guided weapons. In fact, the Lizard laser
guidance kit, aided by the GAL GPS guided system which is also
displayed here, offer equal or superior performance of competing
precision-guided weapons, and are offered at a fraction of the
cost."
Elbit has brought to Le Bourgeta wide range of UAV systems. "We
expected growth in this field when we entered this market a few
years ago," says Ackerman, "and are now best positioned
to take advantage. Our UAV products utilize the unique know-how
in command, control and communications and mission planning, El-Op's
skills in the development of new advanced sensors and design and
manufacturing of advanced composite materials and airframes available
in Silver Arrow and Cyclone. We offer a new family of miniature
UAVs that can be optimized for specific missions. We are familiar
with programs that are considering unmanned platforms, as the U.S.
FCS, and will offer suitable systems in due course.
