Israel Aerospace Industries Chair: Defense cooperation could be "engine" for normalization

Boaz Levy, Chairman of the Board of Israel Aerospace Industries, warned that the war, ongoing for nearly three years, presents Israel with a continuous challenge in the form of a need for more interceptor missiles. He believes that the nature of asymmetric warfare means that shortages in these systems are a permanent issue.

Levy said in an interview with Ynet on the sidelines of the MEAD conference: "There are Israeli restrictions and American restrictions," explaining that the prolonged war, which has witnessed the launch of large numbers of ballistic missiles, creates a continuous need to produce new interceptor missiles to meet the needs of the arsenal.

The chairman added: "There will always be a shortage of interceptor missiles, because the war is asymmetrical," noting that the production lines in the aerospace industries are working around the clock to meet the demands of the security establishment, including requests coming from Germany.

Amid disagreements within Israel regarding the increase of the security budget, Levi sent a clear message about funding, saying: “In order to have additional interceptor missiles, we need larger budgets, and the financial coverage is limited.”

In response to a question about whether he sleeps comfortably knowing the size of the stockpile of interceptor missiles, Levi said that he "will never sleep easy regarding the stockpile of interceptor missiles, because there will always be a need for more." He emphasized that the role of the aerospace industries is to supply these systems in the fastest and most efficient ways possible, noting that producing advanced systems takes time and is not an immediate process.

Air defense as a bridge for regional cooperation

Levy spoke about a broader vision for the role of Israeli aerospace industries, considering that air defense systems are not only a military tool, but can also form a basis for technological and security partnerships between Israel and the countries of the region. He said that the conference serves as an important platform for communication, given that the aerospace industries operate in both the military and civilian sectors.

He pointed out that the company employs about 16,000 people and supports tens of thousands of families in Israel, with around 8,000 engineers working there. He considered that these capabilities could contribute to building a "technological bridge" that serves security and the economy, and opens the door to cooperation with additional countries.

Artificial intelligence is changing the rules of defense.

Levy emphasized that technology has become a bridge for cooperation in both civilian and military fields, pointing out that the boundaries between the two areas have become more blurred. He pointed out that the continuous gathering of information, including through satellites, not only allows for monitoring missile launches from Iran but also provides information about the terrain, population movements, agriculture, and water sources, whether regarding adversaries or allies.

According to Levy, this information can be transformed into tools for cooperation between countries by sharing data and conclusions and building joint defensive capabilities. He added that the establishment of alliances based on the shared use of space capabilities and information received from satellites, alongside ground-based systems, could contribute to building an integrated regional air defense system.

The defense industries as an "engine" for normalization

Levy believes that Israeli defensive capabilities can play a role in strengthening relations with countries in the region, noting that the aerospace industries are receiving requests from various countries around the world for information regarding their systems and capabilities.

He said that communications are currently underway with several countries in Europe and the Gulf region, although most of them are still within the framework of selling defense systems rather than establishing official alliances.

According to Levy, these deals may, over time, develop into broader strategic partnerships, considering that security cooperation can serve as an "engine" for normalization with countries in the region, since providing protection for citizens represents a legitimate foundation for any cooperation between governments.

He emphasized that the main strengths of Israeli aerospace industries lie in their ability to operate in the domains of space, air, sea, and land, in addition to possessing systems that cover the entire cycle of operations, from threat detection and communications to command and control, and then interception.