Next-Generation Flight Guard Technology Coming To US Civil Aviation Market

Aviation Protection Systems, Inc. Thursday announced it has obtained exclusive rights from ELTA Systems Ltd. (ELTA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Israel Military Industries (IMI) to bring the dark flare-equipped Flight Guard anti-terrorist aircraft defense system to the United States. Independently owned and privately funded, Aviation Protection Systems has already established business offices in the Miami area and started to introduce Flight Guard to key customers within the aviation industry.

In use by more than a dozen customers in more than 15 different types of aircraft -- including military, commercial and private airplanes -- Flight Guard is aimed at providing protection from shoulder-fired missiles, known as Man-Portable Air Defense Systems or MANPADS. Such easy-to-transport, easy-to-hide armaments an increasingly common tool of terrorists worldwide. Experts estimate more than 10,000 MANPADS weapons are in the hands of terrorists today.

Flight Guard is based on technology developed for the Israel Air Force by IAI/ELTA over the past 15 years and has accumulated thousands of battlefield hours. Its makers say aircraft equipped with the Flight Guard system has ever been shot down, although many have been engaged. By using Pulse-Doppler radar and numerous antennae to detect incoming missiles, backers say Flight Guard provides 100-percent coverage of aircraft, making it the only system, which leaves no unprotected "dead zones." When one or more missiles are identified, dark flares are automatically dispensed to divert the missiles away from the aircraft.

Under the agreement, the Flight Guard system will be available with the newly developed dark flare technology. Dark flares, which are environmentally safe and hardly noticeable to the human eye, are an improved version of those used successfully by the military and provide total effectiveness against all known types of MANPADS missiles.

Aviation Protection Systems will provide a complete solution with its Flight Guard system, including systems installation, training, logistics and maintenance. Typical installations on large commercial jet airliners require less than one week, while maintenance is limited to one routine annual inspection. Aviation Protection Systems is currently seeking certification from the FAA so that it can begin working with US airlines to install Flight Guard on the nation's commercial jetliners, which number more than 6,800.

"Together with Flight Guard," said Israel Livnat, president of ELTA, "we bring 15 years of proven experience in the field of self-defense systems and suites for military aircraft of all kinds."

"Military aircraft have successfully used this technology in Israel and around the world for many years," stated Arie Mizrachi, chairman of IMI. "Unfortunately, the rising tide of global terrorism today has thrust commercial aviation into a combat environment."

Aviation Protection Systems is led by Omer Regev, who undertakes his role as president of the US company with an ideal resume. He began his career as a high-ranking officer and engineer in the Israel Air Force before joining the business side of the aviation field. A veteran of multiple successful high- tech start-ups in the highly competitive Israeli aerospace industry, Regev now dedicates his time entirely to Aviation Protection Systems.

"We have a proven, reliable solution to the MANPADS threat available today," said Regev. "We look forward to the opportunity to provide this valuable solution to commercial and private aircraft in the United States."

FMI: www.aviation-protection.com