In the end, the variety of pressures took their toll, and the Lavi program was canceled after only a handful of prototypes were built.
In the 1980s, Israel decided to develop an indigenous fighter jet, the Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Lavi, a fourth-generation multirole fighter. That decision was controversial, both internally and externally.
Israel Couldn’t Afford the Lavi Fighter
Internally, the Israeli public was concerned with the extremely high cost of the Lavi program, which exacerbated the Jewish state’s already unsustainable defense spending scheme (18.9 percent of its GDP!). Of course, Israel had better reasons than most to undergo extraordinarily high defense spending; it was (and is) a geographically small country, surrounded mostly by enemies and in direct proximity to existential threats. Under those conditions, Israel clearly needed high-quality fighter aircraft. But for much of the public, the Lavi program was a step too far.
To make matters worse, the Lavi program upset the Americans, Israel’s longtime primary foreign ally and military backer. Why? Because in order to help offset the Lavi’s high production costs, the Israelis were virtually certain to try and export it. This, in turn, would infringe on America’s vast share of the fighter jet export market—particularly given the obvious parallels between the Lavi and America’s export model of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The two jets were both fourth-generation multirole fighters with more or less the same specifications. They even looked the same.
In the end, the variety of pressures took their toll, and the Lavi program was canceled after only a handful of prototypes were built.
The Israelis Copied America’s Homework
One look at the Lavi and even a casual observer can likely discern the jet’s primary source of inspiration: the F-16. Built with one seat and one engine, the Lavi was lightweight and maneuverable. In fact, Israel’s bird was 1,300 kilograms lighter than the F-16. And like the F-16, the Lavi was aerodynamically unstable and required a quadruplex-redundant digital fly-by-wire system to assist the pilot in maintaining stability and control.
Built for penetration and first-pass bombing missions, the Lavi was projected to be cheaper to operate than the F-16. The engine selected for the Lavi, the Pratt & Whitney PW1120 turbofan, was derived from the Pratt & Whitney F100, which was used to power—surprise!—the F-16. The PW1120 generated 20,260 pounds of thrust and allowed the lightweight Lavi to achieve a thrust-to-weight ratio of 1.1:1 and to reach maximum speeds of Mach 1.85.
To help keep the weight of the aircraft down, the Lavi was constructed with the extensive use of composite materials. Composites were used in the wing, substructure, vertical stabilizer, and skin of the aircraft. Otherwise, the structure of the airframe was fairly straightforward and traditional.
The Lavi’s Ignominious End
In 1987, the Israeli cabinet held a vote on whether to continue or cancel the Lavi program. The Americans had lobbied heavily for the program’s cancellation, reportedly even offering compensation in exchange for the cancellation.
The vote came down to the wire, with 12 votes for cancellation and 11 votes against. With that slim majority, the Lavi program was cancelled. Not long afterwards, the Israelis purchased 90 F-16s from Washington.
Only two Lavi prototypes had been completed before the Israeli cabinet voted to end the program, while three more had been started but not completed. Three of the prototypes were scrapped. One was placed on display at the Israeli Air Force museum. And the last Lavi was used as a technology demonstrator for IAI—a sad end for an airframe that had enough potential to make the Americans nervous about their export market.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the U.S. Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Shutterstock / Davidi Vardi.
