Elbit Systems has secured a contract to provide a new self-protection system for integration with the Israeli air force’s almost 100-strong fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16I “Sufa” combat aircraft.
Valued at around $80 million, the deal spans “the development and initial installation of an advanced airborne self-protection suite”, the company announced on 27 January.
Key elements will include a “state-of-the-art electronic warfare [EW] solution integrated with an advanced electro-optical passive missile warning and launch detection system”, Elbit says. This combination will provide “enhanced protection from a wide range of threats”, enabling the F-16I “to operate safely in hostile environments”, it adds.
“In today’s global landscape, safeguarding aerial platforms is crucial,” says Oren Sabag, Elbit’s general manager of ISTAR & EW, who describes the newly ordered technology as the company’s “most cutting-edge self-protection suite”.
Israel operates 97 examples of the two-seat F-16I, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.
