Next-Generation Flight Guard Technology Coming To US Civil
Aviation Market
Aviation Protection Systems, Inc.
Thursday announced it has obtained exclusive rights from ELTA
Systems Ltd. (ELTA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Israel Aircraft
Industries (IAI) and Israel Military Industries (IMI) to bring the
dark flare-equipped Flight Guard anti-terrorist aircraft defense
system to the United States. Independently owned and privately
funded, Aviation Protection Systems has already established
business offices in the Miami area and started to introduce Flight
Guard to key customers within the aviation industry.
In use by more than a dozen customers in more than 15 different
types of aircraft -- including military, commercial and private
airplanes -- Flight Guard is aimed at providing protection from
shoulder-fired missiles, known as Man-Portable Air Defense Systems
or MANPADS. Such easy-to-transport, easy-to-hide armaments an
increasingly common tool of terrorists worldwide. Experts estimate
more than 10,000 MANPADS weapons are in the hands of terrorists
today.
Flight Guard is based on technology developed for the Israel Air
Force by IAI/ELTA over the past 15 years and has accumulated
thousands of battlefield hours. Its makers say aircraft equipped
with the Flight Guard system has ever been shot down, although many
have been engaged. By using Pulse-Doppler radar and numerous
antennae to detect incoming missiles, backers say Flight Guard
provides 100-percent coverage of aircraft, making it the only
system, which leaves no unprotected "dead zones." When one or more
missiles are identified, dark flares are automatically dispensed to
divert the missiles away from the aircraft.
Under the agreement, the Flight Guard system will be available
with the newly developed dark flare technology. Dark flares, which
are environmentally safe and hardly noticeable to the human eye,
are an improved version of those used successfully by the military
and provide total effectiveness against all known types of MANPADS
missiles.
Aviation Protection Systems will provide a complete solution
with its Flight Guard system, including systems installation,
training, logistics and maintenance. Typical installations on large
commercial jet airliners require less than one week, while
maintenance is limited to one routine annual inspection. Aviation
Protection Systems is currently seeking certification from the FAA
so that it can begin working with US airlines to install Flight
Guard on the nation's commercial jetliners, which number more than
6,800.
"Together with Flight Guard," said Israel Livnat, president of
ELTA, "we bring 15 years of proven experience in the field of
self-defense systems and suites for military aircraft of all
kinds."
"Military aircraft have successfully
used this technology in Israel and around the world for many
years," stated Arie Mizrachi, chairman of IMI. "Unfortunately, the
rising tide of global terrorism today has thrust commercial
aviation into a combat environment."
Aviation Protection Systems is led by Omer Regev, who undertakes
his role as president of the US company with an ideal resume. He
began his career as a high-ranking officer and engineer in the
Israel Air Force before joining the business side of the aviation
field. A veteran of multiple successful high- tech start-ups in the
highly competitive Israeli aerospace industry, Regev now dedicates
his time entirely to Aviation Protection Systems.
"We have a proven, reliable solution to the MANPADS threat
available today," said Regev. "We look forward to the opportunity
to provide this valuable solution to commercial and private
aircraft in the United States."