IAI-Stark to adapt to new US regs

Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) President/CEO Joseph Weiss announced plans to retire at a time when the company has achieved a record high backlog exceeding $11B, and deals securing years of operations for the international company. The success has cleared the way for already-underway changes, which are being driven by outside trends that include U.S. military assistance to Israel. A new 10-year MoU allocates $38B in U.S. funded military aid to Israel, but eliminates a half-billion previously directed at domestic military procurement in Israel. Starting in 2020, U.S-funded spending will be directed toward American companies. For IAI, it could mean a potential loss unless it sets its U.S.-based operations to conform with the new regulations. “We will make sure our U.S. based operation will become a fully qualified U.S. based supplier,” Weiss said. As part of some changes to its U.S. strategy, IAI is adapting its product range manufactured and marketed by its Columbus, Miss.-based Stark Aerospace and Maryland-based Elta North America. The updated “product mix” better addresses the asymmetric and hybrid type of warfare, and offering rapid delivery of technologically advanced, and operationally-proven solutions to meet emerging U.S. requirements, according to Weiss. IAI also plans to acquire an existing American company with an ongoing customer base that will provide stable business flow for its military and commercial aviation sectors. (Source: Aviation Week News 02/05/18) Stark Aerospace is a global aerospace defense contractor with its main facility located at Columbus’ Golden Triangle Regional Global Industrial Aerospace Park. Stark operates the following divisions: Unmanned Aerial Systems, sensors, production services and engineering.