IAI to Acquire Off-road Vehicles, Install Drone-detection, Surveillance Kits

Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) plans to offer in the domestic and export markets off-road vehicles equipped with anti-drone, surveillance and reconnaissance kits following its acquisition of three types of such vehicles from their maker, Ido Cohen.

Under the deal, the state-run company will design Zibar, Zmag and ZD off-road vehicles for the Israeli forces, and for export. IAI will modernize them with a range of intelligence, radar, and communication systems manufactured by IAI’s ELTA Systems. The vehicles will also get Drone Guard system for drone detection and foiling, air defense, and intelligence collection systems, the company said in a statement on May 7.

Ido Cohen will continue to manufacture and sell the vehicles for civilian applications.

With the acquisition, IAI reportedly intends to compete for an upcoming Israel MoD tender for commando vehicles.

“IAI offers a broad range of ground intelligence, robotics, autonomous vehicles and remote sensing capabilities. Integrating these capabilities on the Z Vehicle Family provides significant added value to the operational capabilities ELTA provides existing and future customers. The off-road vehicles will fulfill the operational needs of the ground forces for defense, assault, and intelligence,” IAI VP and ELTA CEO Yoav Turgeman said.