The Directorate of Production and Procurement (DOPP) in the Israel Ministry of Defense will purchase hundreds of combat vehicles from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for the use of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Special Units.
At the ceremony held at the IAI’s Land Division production line in Be’er Sheva, Deputy Director General and Head of the DOPP in the Ministry of Defense, Avi Dadon, signed an order to produce hundreds of combat vehicles for the IDF. As part of the more than 100 million NIS agreement, IAI will manufacture Z-MAG and ZD vehicles for IDF special forces missions in cooperation with Ido Cohen and The Armored Group (TAG).
The new commando vehicles have exceptional all-terrain capabilities, such as carrying combat soldiers and equipment weighing 1.5-2.5 tons (depending on the type of vehicle), in a variety of missions including delivering supplies and evacuating wounded soldiers. The vehicles will be based on commercial elements, among other things, that will ensure reliability and relatively inexpensive operation.
The vehicles will be manufactured at the Land Division production line in Be’er Sheva which, with the encouragement and the investment of tens of millions of NIS by the Ministry of Defense, focuses on ground technologies. The production line is part of the “Elta” Division in IAI, which develops airborne radars, ISR systems for special mission aircraft, EW systems, communications systems, and more.
The commando combat vehicle project being launched today is the best possible reflection of the Ministry of Defense’s work. This is a significant procurement deal for strengthening the IDF Special Units’ force build-up, that we were able to place in the IAI’s Be’er Sheva Land Division production line. This agreement will enhance the export potential for these unique tools and technologies.
Avi Dadon, Deputy Director General and Head of the DOPP in the Ministry of Defense
The “Negeva” Project will equip the IDF with the most advanced tactical ground vehicles in the world, which are highly reliable and have exceptional capabilities. IAI’s Land Division, part of IAI’s ELTA Group, is a key and significant player in the development and production of advanced land solutions. IAI’s wide range of capabilities in the fields of intelligence, AI, remote sensing, and communications are integrated in these land vehicles and will provide significant added value to the operational capabilities in the field of combat mobility.
Boaz Levy, President and CEO of IAI
Source: IAI news release
