SIBAT - Foreign Defense Assistance and Defense Export Organization director-general Gen. (Ret.) Yosi Ben-Hanan says that Israel's defense exports to the US grew from $270 million in 1999 to $1.2 billion in 2006.
Israeli exports of homeland security and safety equipment, excluding information security, will grow 20% this year, compared with 15% growth in 2006, to $1.2 billion. 30 new companies entered this field over the past year, to a total of 350 exporters. IT security exports totaled $2 billion.
Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute chairman David Arzi says that Israeli companies will sign contracts worth $600-800 million during the Paris Air Show. The global defense and aerospace market will grow by $1.3 billion this year (3.1%, compared with 0.9% growth in 2006), and will grow by $1.4 billion in 2009.
Israeli participants at the Paris Air Show will include Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd., Bental Industries Ltd., Ashot Ashkelon Industries Ltd. (TASE: ASHO), Bet Shemesh Engines Ltd. (TASE: BSEN), Controp Precision Technologies Ltd., Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT), Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI), Orbit Alchut Technologies Ltd. (TASE:ORBI), Plasan Sasa Ltd., Rafael Armament Development Authority Ltd., Rada Electronic Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: RADID), SDS, and Tadiran Communications Ltd.