Stark: In midst of US-Iaraeli issues

Americans and Israelis celebrated the successful tests of the Israeli Arrow-3 missile in Kodiak, Alaska, but one factor is casting a shadow over those festivities: The U.S.’ refusal to let the Israelis export the weapon. For all Israeli weapon developed with U.S. funds, Washington has veto power over sales outside of Israel due to American industry competition. The U.S. has declined to buy Arrow for its military, and has blocked Israel from other defense systems to interested countries. Israel has been pushing America to allow Arrow exports in the past, and the issue was raised again during the 10-day testing in Alaska, when the Arrow performed three intercepts of simulated ballistic missiles. Arrow manufacturer IAI’s (Israeli Aerospace Industries) has pushed to build some of its key components at its U.S. subsidiary – Stark Aerospace of Columbus, Miss. But Americans have stood firm on the ban, which fits the administration’s strategy of promoting U.S. exports. Arrow is just the latest example of a long standing irritant in the U.S.-Israel defense relationship. The U.S. pressured Rafael from officering its David’s Sling interceptor missile to Switzerland; and blocked the sale of AIA’s Iron Dome to South Korea although Congress forced the U.S. Army to buy two of the battery system. The U.S. has also kept IAI out of the U.K. and South Korean competition for early warning radar aircraft to improve Boeing’s Wedgetail chances. Israeli sources point to the U.S. for interfering in a domestic Israeli sale, pushing their government to buy Boeing KC-46 tankers instead of a 767 that IAI offered to convert for the mission. Israeli firms may be able to get around American resistance is by bringing in U.S. partners and subsidiaries, such as Stark Aerospace that is building Arrow missile canisters for IAI. Another major reason to bring in U.S. partners is the U.S. is requiring an ever-increasing percentage of its massive military aid be spent on American products. Over the latest 10-year agreement with Israel (2019-28), Israel will receive $38B in U.S. military aid ($33B in Foreign Military Sales (FMS), $5B in US appropriations for Israeli missile defense). After years of being allowed to convert 26 percent of that aid from dollars to shekels to spend domestically, Israel will now have to reduce that annual percentage steadily to zero. (Source: Breaking Defense 07/29/19) Stark Aerospace has composite build to print and design and build manufacturing capability from component level through fully integrated assemblies and structures. Stark’s Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Division produces the ArrowLite™ small UAS system, and supports the U.S. Army Hunter MQ-5B Unmanned Aerial Systems. The Sensors Division assembles and repairs Plug-In Optronic Payloads (POP), including variants of the POP300 (D, HD, I, LR) used on the Army RQ-7 Shadow UAS. Its engineering team specializes in systems development, aerodynamics, loads, structures, stability and control, concept development, preliminary design, systems integration, flight tests, and software development. The operational unit provides field services, training and demonstrations worldwide, including sUAS and loitering munitions. It is an experienced team with Special Forces background, all licensed and certified FAA sUAS pilots with over 10,000 hours of flight time. FSRs provide on-site formal training and intermediate maintenance.