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Klir C7 with bombs ancl Juel tanks, taxies Jbr takeoff at a trcw IAF base itt the iVegev

Lavi and Kfir C-7lsraels new fightersIsrael Aircraft Industries is now developing a new-generation combat aircraft for the 1990s. It r.vill be

designed for short- to medium-range air-to-groundmissions while incorporating air-to-air combat capabi-lities. This plane, which will become the workhorse olthe Israel Air Force, will be called the "Lavi".

The Lavi, whose name means "Young Lion" inHebrew, will be a natural step upward from IAI's pre-

sent production aircraft, the Kfir (in more ways thanone, as "Kfir" means "Lion Cub"). The Kfir, nowbeing produced in the C7 version (see box), was IAI'sfirst production jet fighter. The general design was

based on the French Mirage 5, but alter a relativelyshort development period through several models, theKfir emerged very much an original aircrafl. This gave

IAI designers the expertise and experience, nevermind the confidence, to embark upon a totally newdesign concept based on nothing else already in exist-ence. In short, the Lavi lvill be a small, relatively low-cost/high-technology fighter, which aside from form-ing the backbone of the IAF, should have wide over-seas marketing potential.4

The Lavi, which will have a swept delta/canardconfiguration, will be powered by a single 20,620lb.(wet) thrust Pratt & Whitney I 120 jet engir,e f'ed

through a ventral intake. The manufacturers say itsperformance will be top rate. Its maximum speed willbe Mach 1.85, and it will have low altitude penetra-tion speeds of up to 600 kt. It is expected to have a

very high sustained tlrm rate. The Lavi will have a

maximum takeoff weight of 37,500 lb. and will be

able to carry Lrp to 6,000 lb. of ordnance in additionto its two IR air-to-air missiles.two IR air-to-air missiles.

The Lavi will be structurally stressed for 99 (as

compared to the Kfir's 79 abilities). The aircraft willinclude many components made of graphite epoxycomposite materials, including parts of the wings, ver-tical stabilizer, the all-moving canards, control sur-faces and various doors and panels.

The Lavi's avionics will be of the "home grown"variety. Elta Electronics Industries Ltd., a subsidiaryof IAI, will be prime contractor f or the aircraft's EW/ECM systems. These systems will permit rapid threat

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Military Enthusiast 30

identification and autonratic flexible response, usingjamming and deception techniques and other EW

resources. A new Elta multi-mode radar will be

fitted, giving the Lavi reliable look-down capabilitiesover a broad band of frequencies, as well as high-resolution mapping. The fighter will also be equippedwith a digital fly-by-wire control system affording it"relaxed stability" manoeuvring, and a wide-angleHUD for pilot perlormance.

The Lavi avionics systems will be built around a mainmission computer which will coordinate the variousdevices in harmony. The various computerized systems,

connected by multiplex bus, will interact among them-selves and with the pilot. Feeding f rom the outside data,inertial sensors (internally installed INS - lnertial Navi-gation System) will be the primary sensors for flightnavigation and control. The INS will be augmented bythe pulse doppler, lookdowncapable AA/AG radar

which will allow sharp ground mapping together with all

other modes. ln fact, the radar will be capable of excep-

tionally high performance, as it will be programmable

for new modes as they are developed, through softwarerather than hardware changes, thanks to the PSP (Pro-

grammable Signal Processor) wh ich is bu ilt into theradar. lt is to be built with Westinghouse participation,for which the US company has already started studies.

The various systems will feed the pilot with valuabledata needed for the flight. Due to the demanding taskof carrying out sharp evasive manoeuvres in low-levelf light over well-defended targets, no time can be wasted

on reading the conventional displays and gauges whichare a traditional part of all existing aircraft. The Lavi,like many of the new generation aircraft. will have an

advanced cockpit with three headdown CRT displays

Military Enthusiast 30

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(two black/white and one colour). capable of displayingany information requested by the pilot and available on

the aircraft (such as weapons availability, engine para-

meters, radar, EW warning signals. navigation and loca-

tion, communications, etc. The most vital informationsuch as navigation, target cues and radar. with the most

important flight data, will also be displayed on the HUD

in the pilot's Iine of sight. The HUD will probably be ofHu ghes/Marconi wide-f ield-of-view design.

Another innovation in the Lavi will be synthetic voicemessages. These will be generated by a special voice syn-thesizer with a limited vocabulary which will furtherextend the pilot's information input capability duringcombat conditions, while his uninterrupted attentionmust be given to the target.

Other systems will be automatically operated, such as

the EW system which will be installed internally. ltwillbe highly sophisticated, locally developed, with a fewimported components (lTT). The system will have a fast

response to electronic threats in real time with a jamming

system controlled by a power management computer formu lti-th reat situations.

The entire fl ight control will be performed througha computerized "fly-by-wire" system which will auto-

matically control the aircraft accord ing to the pilot'scommand.

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5

KJir TC -2 two-seaterversionoJ'theKfirC2. The Lat,i tvill also be det,eloped in a two-seater versiort, ofwhich 60 t'vill pro'

babty be protluced. Tlte simulator, wl'tich is qvailable toda1, Jor tlrc Kfir (below right)will probably be ttptlatecl Jbr the I'avi-

Tltis is a mockup of the Kfir C7 cockpit os seen at Paris Airslrcv'.

As the Lavi will have relaxed static stability, which

means that the aircraft will hardly be flyable if an FBW

malfunction occurs, the system will have only analogue

backup (also computerized) to the digital system, but no

mechanical backup, as this would be of no use with thepilot unable to control the aircraft manually. The anal-

ogue system is more resistant to damage but less rapid in

its responses.

Most of the computer software used in

compatible with US military specif ications

able to accept future US systems.

the Lavi is

and will be

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Lavi parts made of composites (graphite epoxy) are seen

this schematic view of the Lavi (grey area).

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Military Enthusiast 30

The Lqt,i wilt be capable of penetration at high-speed (''38 kt)

low-level clash speed, ornted witlt eight 750 lb bombs and ttvo

IR missiles or, in anotlter configttation, fivo Sidewinders and

two Mk 84 2000 lb bombs at 597 kt. Tlrc range specified forsuch missions is 244 n.m'

SPECIFICATIONS:

Type: . ground attack fighter

Designation: ." " Lavi

Manufactu rer: lsrael Aircraf t lndustries

Dimensions (ft) :

THE LAVI _ AN ISRAELI/AMERICAN VENTURE

Although the Lavi is a "sabra" which will hopefully be

born in lsrael to lsraeli parents - lAl and the lsrael AirForce - several US companies are expected to assist in

the process, and will be more than just "godfathers".

lsrael has requested proposals for several systems and

airframe parts for the Lavi which will comprise a con-

siderable part of the Proiect.lsrael expects to gain a lot from this relationship,

which may eventually be transmuted into a technology

transfer enabling these elements to be produced in lsrael.

Several of them, however, will certainly have 'Made in

USA' tags on them for a considerable time to come.

Among the main systems already agreed upon are the

PW 1120 engine, a derivative of the successful F-15li6F100/200 engine. An agreement on technology transfer

enabling the engine to be built by Beit Shemesh Engines

Ltd. has already been signed with Pratt & Whitney. The

engine will share common parts with the F100/200 en-

gines already in use with the IAF and therefore a reduc-

tion in operating costs is expected. The PW 1120 is ex-

pected to have improved operational capability, especial-

ly at low speed and high altitudes. lt will have less thrust

which will result in smaller fuel consumption.

While the Lavi engine problems seem to be over, the

airframe problems are only beginning. Repeated ob-

stacles have been raised to the authorisation of tech-

nology transfer of composite material construction f rom

the US Grumman Corp. to lsrael's newly opened compo-

site material specialist plant in Beersheva. Grumman won

the contract fcr the design and initial construction of

the Lavi composite-constructed parts, malnly the wings

and vertical stabilizers. Grumman has already signed a

$100 million contract with lsrael to build an initial 20

(with an option of 30 more) sets of wings and vertical

tail sections. Grumman composites are already used in

several of its aircraft such as the F'14 Tomcat. E-2C

Hawkeye and. to a larger extent, in the X-29 FSW tech-

nology demonstrator (see the article in our last issue) .

Besides these main programmes now engaging most of

the pollticans' attention are several additional projects

also being negotiated for the Lavi.

Among the companies expected to cooperate in the

Lavi proiect are Sundstrand/Garret Air Research, withjet fuel starter, leading edge f laps and the latter's emer-

gency power system and their environmental control

system developed with Hamilton Standard. The electri-

cal power system was developed by Sundstrand/Lear

Siegler/General Electric. Bendix will produce the oxygen

system, while wheels and brakes will be produced by

Goodyear/Goodrich.

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Length:Wing span:

Combat weight:

47.2128.58

Height: 17 '32

Wing area (sq. ft) : 350'00

Weight (max. T/O) : 42,0001b.21 ,305 lb.

18,595 lb.53.4 U/F2

" (T/O basic):

Wing loading:

Thrust/Weight ratio: . . 1.10

Fuel capacity (int.) : 600 lb'(ext.): . ....9,180|b'

Specif ic fuel consumption: . ' ' 1'86

Engine type: . P&W1120

" thrust(max.): .'.2O,62O1b'Max. speed at low level: 600 kt'

Max.speed: ... 1'85Mach

Range(operational)- .""244n'm'Max.loadfactor: '"" 99

Stores (not including fuel): . 6,000 lb'

(Total external stores: . . . 15.180 lb )

lncluding lR missiles, iron and "smart" bombs,

EW pods, etc.

Other types: two-seater fully combat-capable trainer

Military Enthusiast 30

If everything goes according to schedule, the firstof five Lavi prototypes reportedly planned by IAIwill fly by early 1986. Three of the five are to betwo-seat combat versions. It is estimated that IAI willbe producing one per month by 1991, and that lateron thirty aircraft a year could be rolling off theassembly lines, depending on export orders. Israeliorders of the Lavi are expected to be around 300 toreplace the Kfirs and Phantoms now in IAF service.Since these Lavis will have priority, export orders willhave to wait a few years. IAI says the fly-away priceof the Lavi for foreign customers will be around $ l2million at current prices; but all exports of the air-craft, as with the Kfir, will be subject to US approvalon an individual-country basis.

Finances, as with just about anything, will be a

major consideration in producing the Lavi. Its devel-opment will be a multi-billion dollar proposition, nodrop in the bucket for Israel with its economic prob-lems. More than 18,000 Israeli jobs will depend onthe Lavi's production as well - IAI is Israel's singlelargest.employer. While IAI produces other products,gearing up for the Lavi would be its most ambitiousundertaking yet; and, while it might be easier to buyforeign-built aircraft, or co-produce or even build thewhole plane under license, Israel feels it must retainits independence in its defence industries. It will notbe easily forgotten how France, who was Israel'smajor supplier of arms, abruptly cut off sales to Israelfollowing the Six Day War.

And while the United States still maintains an openweapons pipeline to Israel, defence officials in TelAviv bristle every time Washington suspends ship-ments for political reasons, or stipulates just how andhow not these weapons can be used. As the JerusalemPost's defence correspondent Hirsch Goodman wrotelast winter: "The effects will be felt throughoutIsrael's fragile economic structure for at least the next15 to 20 years, and there is no prophesying what theultimate result will be". But no matter what theeconomic outcome, the Lavi will provide Israel andher custorners with a world-class jet fighter, as goodas or better than anything else in its class'in the air,and for the cheapest price.

A more powerful power plant is used inb e t t e r ac c ele ra tio n and p e rfo nrw nc e.

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{ffiKlir C7 cockpit. One o|tlte tnost notable lbatures is the multi-ple ntbde CRT disploy, replac,ing the armament sclector useditt previotts ntodels. The uut, WDNS 341 is scen on the rightside.

the Kfir C7, enabling

Military Enthusiast 30

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KFIR UPDATE

Israel Aircraft Industries has come out with a new im-proved version ol its already successf-ul Kfir jet fighter.Called the C7, it is designed to fill rhe gap between theKlir C2 and the Lavi. ivhich will fly in the 1990s. The

C7 is externally almost identical to 1he C2.lts performance and operational potential, however, have been

much increased. Tlie J-19-JlE engine adds a thousandpounds ol thrust in atierburner mode, increasing the

Kfir's thrust-to-weight ratio by 4%.Its maximum takeoffweight is increased by -i,400 lb. There is also an increase

in the aircraft's combat radius. In the interceptor role,

this is now 419 nml lor CAP missions, 416 nm (with 60minutes loiter time)l and gLound attack missions can

now be up to 640 nm. An in-11ight refuelling system can

aiso be added on, employing either boom/receptacle orprobe/drogue equipment.

In the avionics department. the Kfir C7 comes withthe WDNS 34 I weapons delivery and navigation system

and the new computerized SMRS stores managementand release system, giving the aircraft enhanced deliveryaccuracy and the potential 1or the addition of "smart"weapons. The WDNS 341 is designed fbr "hands onthrottle and stick" operation ivhich, in addition to itshigh level of automation, considerably reduces pilotwork load. Weapons delivery, flight and navigational

data appear on the HUD, whrle armament, radar and

other systems data appear on the Armament ControlDisplay Panel television screen.

Military Enthusiast 30

While being equipped with the EL 2001 rangingradar, the Kllr C7 can also mount Elta's ELiM 2021 ,orequivalent advanced pulse-doppler fire-control radarwith Look-Up/Look Down capability, doppler beam-

sharpened mapping, terrain avoidance/following, and

sea search modes.

Comparison table: Kfir C-2 Kfir C-7

Weights (lbs.):

Max T/O:Max. payload:

Fuel capacity (int.)(ext,)

Combat weight:T/W ratio (in combat

conf iguration):Wing loading (UlF2l 55

Engine thrust (AB + lb) 17,860

Performance:Max. speed (S.L. (kt) 75O

Max. speed (at alt.) : Mach 2.0Ceiling (ft.): 58,000Zoom capability: 75,000Load factor: 7.0 S

32,3409,4305.6706,780

20,660

0.87

36,30013,390same

8,217same

0.91

5518,750

same

same

same

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