ISRAEL 
HIGH-TECH & INVESTMENT REPORT

from the April 2002 issue


Is the J-10 Chinese or Israeli?


"Jane's Defence Weekly" reported that China will shortly reveal the J-10 warplane, knicknamed the "Chinese Lavi" because of its apparent resemblance to the Lavi plane developed for the Israel Air Force by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI). At the end of the 1980s the development of the Lavi fighter plane was halted by the Israeli government. because of cost overruns and pressure from the US, which financed part of the development. The Lavi was the last warplane developed in Israel. Foreign reports in recent years stated that IAI had delivered the Lavi manufacturing plans to China.

The J-10. Is being produced by the Chinese Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Corporation.

The US criticized Israel in the late 1990s. when it claimed that Israel was delivering advanced aviation technology to China. At America's insistence Israel canceled the sale of the locally developed Phalcon plane to China. The US administration asserted that its sophisticated radar, developed by Elta Electronic Industries of the IAI group, was based on technology developed with US financing.

"Jane's Defence Weekly" added that the J-10 also carries Israeli-manufactured armaments. The armaments in question are likely to include Rafael (Armament Development Authority)-manufactured air-to-air missiles of the Python family.


Reprinted from the Israel High-Tech & Investment Report April 2002

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