Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI)is in talks with Ayres over a possible strategic partnership with the US company's struggling LET Kunovice unit, reports Flight International's sister wire service Air Transport Intelligence.
Ayres president and chief executive Fred Ayres says IAI has "expressed an interest in our Czech operation and in the Loadmaster". LET is playing a major role in the manufacture of the Loadmaster freighter, 275 of which are due to be produced for Federal Express.
LET, which also builds the L420 and L610G turboprops, has been forced to suspend production because an agreement with its largest creditor, Konsolidacni Banka (KoB), is expiring. Its 1,400 employees are on forced leave.
Talks between Ayres and KoB were planned on 21 August with the participation of BAE Systems, which wants to place offset work with LET if it wins a Czech Republic order for Gripen fighters.
Participation in the Loadmaster would come as a welcome boost to IAI, following its loss of several key contracts. The Israeli company has been unsuccessfully trying to launch its own Airtruck freighter programme for several years.
Source: Flight International
