Israel Aerospace Industries

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), founded in 1953 and headquartered in Lod, Israel, is Israel's state-owned aerospace and defense company and one of the world's most technically sophisticated small satellite manufacturers — building reconnaissance satellites, communications satellites, and the Shavit launch vehicle for the Israeli government while exporting satellite technology globally.

IAI's OFEQ (Ofek) series of reconnaissance satellites are Israel's classified intelligence-gathering constellation, launched by the Shavit rocket from the Palmachim air base on westward retrograde trajectories over the Mediterranean to avoid overflying hostile neighbors — one of only two such westward-launched satellite programs globally. OFEQ satellites carry electro-optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging payloads providing strategic intelligence on regional military developments. IAI manufactures the buses, payload integration, and ground segment for the classified OFEQ constellation on behalf of the Israeli Defense Intelligence.

IAI's Space Systems division also produces EROS (Earth Remote Observation Satellite) commercial high-resolution optical observation satellites, operated by ImageSat International (ISI), providing sub-meter resolution imagery commercially and to government intelligence customers. The EROS satellites demonstrate that IAI's classified reconnaissance bus technology has direct commercial counterpart applications.

The Shavit (Comet) is a three-stage solid-fuel launch vehicle developed from Israel's Jericho ICBM heritage, capable of placing 350 kg into polar retrograde LEO from Palmachim — one of the smallest national orbital launch vehicles ever developed. Shavit launched Israel's first satellite (OFEQ-1) in 1988, making Israel the eighth nation to independently achieve orbital launch capability.

IAI exports satellite technology and systems to Singapore (TecSAR), India (co-development programs), and other partner nations. The company competes with Elbit Systems in Israeli defense, and with Airbus DS and Thales Alenia in international satellite procurement, generating over $3.5B annual revenue across its aerospace, space, and defense divisions.