Israel Aerospace Industries inaugurated its first visitor’s center in the United States on May 22 in Washington, D.C.
The development is geared to deepen ties with government officials, as well as U.S. military and local companies, and interact with IAI’s products and capabilities.
Two of the company’s defense systems helped prevent Iran’s April 13-14 missile and drone attack against Israel from causing mass casualties, including the Arrow anti-ballistic missile and the company’s radars, which are used in the Iron Dome air-defense system.
The visitor’s center is the vision of Amir Peretz, chairman of the IAI board of directors and a former Israeli minister of defense, who has led the company’s expansion activities in America.
Peretz spoke of a second development on the heels of this one: an innovation center slated to launch at the end of July. Both facilities, he said, will serve as the bridge between IAI, the public at large and decision-makers in D.C.
The May 23 event was hosted by Amir Geva, IAI’s executive vice president for North American affairs.
“The opening of an innovative visitor center in Washington reflects the company’s strategy—namely, to work to deepen business and technological activities with our partners in the U.S.,” he said. “These ventures demonstrate a combination of the IAI’s rich history with the American defense market alongside joint future initiatives, and their launch is a proactive step to strengthen IAI’s business activities in the United States.”
Those in attendance included Michael Herzog, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, and Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations; Gen. Hedi Zilberman, IDF Defense attaché to the United States; Mishel Ben-Baruch, director of IMOD to the United States; John Rood, U.S. former undersecretary of defense for policy; Yair Katz, general secretary of National Union IAI employees; and Stephen Elliott, president and CEO of IAI North America.
