IAI Lavi

The IAI Lavi (Hebrew: לביא, "lion") is a single-engined fourth-generation multirole jet fighter developed in Israel, by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), during the 1980s. The decision to develop the Lavi was controversial, both with the Israeli public, due to the enormous associated costs, and particularly with the U.S. government due to competition with American jets on the export market. By 1984, Israel, with a population of 4 million, had amongst the world's highest military expenditure as a proportion of GDP, at approximately 18.9%, which was considered unsustainable. These issues contributed to the cancellation of development of the aircraft by the Israeli government during the flight-test phase of development in August 1987. The Israeli cabinet's cancellation of the program at a late stage by a 12–11 vote continued to arouse controversy and bitterness in Israel for decades, with Moshe Arens, the main political figure behind the Lavi project, stating in 2013 that if the project had not been cancelled the IAF "would be operating the world's most advanced fighter, upgraded over the years to incorporate operational experience and newer technology." The Lavi performed successfully in flight tests, with its flight handling described as "excellent" by test pilots. The Lavi was planned to be the mainstay of the Israeli Air Force, and considerable export sales for the aircraft had been forecast. The design was unique in the combination of a small, aerodynamic, highly maneuverable plane, with sophisticated, software-rich systems, low armed drag due to semi-conformal weapons carriage, and the ability to carry a large payload at high speed and over long distances. As of 2012, two preserved prototypes have been placed on public display.