Israelis Proclaim 2nd Test Flight of Lavi Jet a Success
Israel proclaimed the second test flight of its Lavi jet fighter a success Thursday, one day after a senior U.S. official urged Israeli leaders to consider alternatives to the costly project.
A spokesman for Israel Aircraft Industries, which is producing the largely U.S.-financed plane, said the jet performed well in its second test flight in nine days.
“The test was very successful,” said spokesman Phil Herman. “All systems performed according to specifications.”
The flight followed a four-day effort by Dov Zakheim, undersecretary of defense for resources and planning at the Pentagon, to convince Israeli officials that the plane would drain too much of the $1.8 billion in military aid Israel receives annually from the United States.
The Lavi, modeled after the U.S. F-16, made its first test flight Dec. 31, three months behind schedule and several million dollars over budget.
Israel plans to build 300 Lavi jets and says it can buy them for $15.5 million each from Israeli Aircraft Industries, the country’s largest industrial employer with 22,000 employees.
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