IAI will develop "Dror 1" satellite, designed to meet communications needs for 15 years

Three years after the explosion of the Amos 6 satellite on the launching line, which was also intended to be used by the Israeli government, the Israeli aerospace industry (IAI) has been awarded a new communications satellite contract.
The aerospace industry will develop and build the "Dror 1" satellite, designed to meet the satellite communications needs of the State of Israel for about 15 years. The State of Israel has been purchasing spy satellites from the aerospace industry for three decades, but this is the first time it has also commissioned its own communications satellite to replace the services it purchases from a communications space company.
"Dror 1" is largely based on blue-white technologies developed by the aerospace industry that include advanced digital communications through space and "smartphone in space" that enables communication flexibility throughout its space operations. The value of the transaction: $ 190-200 million.
The agreement signed between the Israeli government and the aerospace industry in recent days, in effect, implements the government's decision of September 2018 to promote a long-term strategy for communications satellites in Israel. The government's decision was accepted as part of the understanding that this is an essential capability of the State of Israel and requires complete independence in this area while preserving the knowledge and expertise accumulated over the years in Israel.
The satellite will be developed in the Aerospace Aerospace Systems Division, which believes in the development and construction of air defense systems such as Lightning 8, the Arrow 2 + 3 weapon system, the Horizon satellites for observation and those who built the spacecraft in the beginning.
"Israel's aerospace industry is proud to develop and build Dror-1," said Boaz Levy, VP of Aerospace Industries and Director of the Aerospace Systems Division. In Israel and the development of the future communications satellite. "