Will Develop and Manufacture Advanced Jet Trainer for the Global Market

Aviation Technology Group (ATG) and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) have signed a strategic cooperative agreement for the design, development, and manufacture of an Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT). The AJT is an innovative concept based on ATG's two-seat jet, the Javelin, and is optimally suited for a variety of advanced military training and support requirements. Integration of the Javelin prototype is in its final stages and handoff to flight operations is scheduled for this month.

The ATG and IAI partnership is a cooperative development process which also includes joint global marketing, engineering and co-production of the Javelin AJT. The agreement maximizes commonality between the Javelin civil aircraft and the military advanced jet trainer. It also utilizes long term IAI's proven experience in commercial and military aircraft certification.

Final assembly of the aircraft will take place in New Mexico and Israel allowing increased logistical flexibility. IAI will invest equity and matching funds in ATG for the advanced trainer derivative and the aircraft will be the central element of an integrated system that includes flight simulators, ground-base training systems, and maintenance and logistics infrastructures.

The dual-engine Javelin AJT will optimize aircraft performance during advanced and pre-operational training, allowing pilot trainees to better develop data analysis, information management, decision-making, and situational awareness skills.

The Javelin AJT will perform in the class of 0.90 Mach/500 knots. It is based on a light small dimension platform approximately 6,000 lbs, (2,700 kg). Maneuverability matches the requirements of advanced and pre-operational ("lead-in") pilot training. In the Javelin AJT the cockpit and avionics will be compatible with the display and operation of systems in fourth and fifth generation fighters including the F-15, F-16, Mig-29, Sukhoi-30, Rafale and Eurofighter. Systems will include embedded simulations of combat scenarios, sensors data, simulated operation of weapons and self-defense systems, and mission planning and debriefing capabilities.

"We evaluated options to develop a next-generation trainer aircraft and concluded that a strategic co-development partnership with ATG was most cost effective option," said Moshe Keret, President and CEO of IAI.  "The Advanced Jet Trainer will incorporate low-risk design and technologies of great interest to air forces around the world seeking pilots' training solutions."

"IAI's faith and commitment to the Javelin program validates ATG's core value proposition. Using a modular, core platform, we are able to offer jets at a price to performance ratio that cannot be matched," said George Bye, Chairman and CEO of ATG. "We are committed to build upon our progress in the civil sector by entering the advanced training market with IAI. The Javelin AJT concept allows flight training units to improve training effectiveness while simultaneously reducing budgets."

FMI: www.avtechgroup.com