The Lavi, a single-engined canard delta with a chin intake, is similar in appearance to the F-16 but is smaller. A 91.7kN Pratt & Whitney PW1120 turbojet is used, and the aircraft has a quadruplex digital fly-by-wire control system which allows relaxed stability. The cockpit is built around three multifunction colour CRT displays and a wide-angle headup display. The new Elta multimode pulse-Doppler radar, developed from the earlier EL/M-2021B, will include track-while-scan capability in air-to-air mode, and terrain avoidance/ground mapping in air-to-surface mode. Composite materials are used extensively in the airframe, and account for 22 per cent of the structure by weight. Grumman designed and developed the wings, and will also build the first eight sets before production transfers to Israel.
The Lavi carbon-fibre wing has mechanical fasteners to secure the skins to the ribs and spars. While composite skins can be bonded together it is necessary to make at least one skin removable for internal access.
A special rig using a cockpit mock-up was designed to test the fighters air conditioning system.
A second prototype flew on March 30, 1987. The first prototype, which flew on December 31, 1986, and the second aircraft are both two-seaters, while the remaining four development aircraft were to be single-seaters.
The Lavi’s delta wing spans 28 ft 7 in and its empty weight is 15,305 lb, but it can take-off for a long range mission at a weight of 42,000 lb, ie. 175% of its empty weight.
The first six full-scale development aircraft were built on production tooling even with the future not entirely certain.
The program was ultimately cancelled in August 1987, the constructed prototypes went on to see a serviceable life as technology demonstrators for various other flight programs to test avionics and applicable flight systems. It is believed that Israeli involvement in the Chinese program culminated in a similar-looking airframe with multirole capability in the J-10.
Lavi
Engine: 1 x P&W PW1120.
Installed thrust (dry / reheat): 60 / 92 kN.
Span: 8.8 m.
Length: 14.6 m.
Wing area: 33.05 sq.m.
MTOW: 19,300+ kg.
Warload: 7257+ kg.
Max speed: 1.8 Mach.
TO run: 305 m.
Combat radius lo-lo-lo: 1110 km.
Fuel internal: 3330 lt.
Air refuel: Yes.
Armament: 1 x 30 mm
Hard points: 11 + 2 wing tips.
IAI Lavi B
Engine: Pratt & Whitney PW1120, 89958 N / 9170 kp
Length: 47.9 ft / 14.6 m
Height: 15.748 ft / 4.8 m
Wingspan: 28.871 ft / 8.8 m
Wing area: 355.212 sq.ft / 33.0 sq.m
Max take off weight: 42512.4 lb / 19280.0 kg
Weight empty: 19845.0 lb / 9000.0 kg
Max. weight carried: 2205.0 lb / 1000.0 kg
Max. speed: 800 kts / 1482 km/h
Cruising speed: 538 kts / 997 km/h
Wing loading: 119.72 lb/sq.ft / 584.0 kg/sq.m
Range: 2300 nm / 4260 km
Fuel capacity: 880 gal / 3330 lt
Crew: 1
Armament: 1x MK 30mm, 2720 kg ext.
All Aero 