Elbit Systems Announces Airborne Contracts Worth About $200 Million in Asia-Pacific
Key Facts
On October 26, 2026, Elbit Systems said it had won contracts worth a total of about $200 million with a country in the Asia-Pacific region to supply intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance solutions, as well as airborne training systems. The company said the contracts would take up to 5 years to execute and did not name the country. The deal combines a helicopter-mounted reconnaissance and targeting payload, support and upgrades for aircraft-mounted training systems, and pilots’ head-up displays. The work therefore includes equipment for surveillance, guidance, training and cockpit displays. The contracts come as the company said its backlog stood at $32.0 billion at the end of June 2026.
The reconnaissance package centers on SPECTRO 12, a multi-spectral intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting payload to be integrated into helicopters. Elbit said the system combines high-resolution multi-spectral sensing with targeting technologies, including a laser designator and AI-supported image processing. According to the company, these components enable targets to be detected, identified and tracked in complex operating environments and challenging weather conditions. This places the payload on the intelligence-gathering and targeting side of the contract, alongside the airborne training and display systems. In a separate announcement on September 1, 2026, the company said it had signed contracts worth about $270 million with an international customer for advanced intelligence, reconnaissance and targeting payload systems from the SPECTRO family.
The training component includes support and upgrades for live airborne training systems installed on aircraft. The company said the systems support air-to-air and air-to-ground training, combat simulation, weapons-use assessment and post-mission debriefing. This includes real-time engagement simulation, recording weapons-use results and mission review, according to Elbit. The deal also includes pilots’ head-up displays, which the company said feature high display resolution, enhanced video capabilities and low power consumption. It added that the displays’ features support day-and-night operations, bringing together training upgrades and display components for aircraft and helicopters.
Chief Executive Bezalel Machlis said the company’s airborne solutions combine advanced technologies with extensive operational experience, adding that they aim to “enhance mission effectiveness, situational awareness and operational readiness.” The company’s latest financial figures place the deal within broader activity in the sector: revenue was $2,287.1 million in the second quarter of 2026, compared with $1,972.7 million in the same period of 2025. Revenue in the intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare segment also rose 22% year over year in the second quarter. Elbit attributed the growth mainly to increased sales of airborne and land systems and naval systems in Asia-Pacific. The company’s backlog stood at $32.0 billion on June 30, 2026, and Machlis said when announcing the results that it was a record level, provided long-term visibility and reflected customer confidence.
In its backlog disclosure, Elbit said about 42% was scheduled for execution over the remainder of 2026 and in 2027. In January 2026, the company announced a separate contract worth about $275 million to supply airborne self-protection electronic warfare systems, including a DIRCM system, to a country in Asia-Pacific, with execution over 5 years. It then announced contracts worth about $270 million in September for SPECTRO payload systems for an international customer, with execution taking up to 6 years. The contracts announced on October 26 have an execution period of up to 5 years and include airborne reconnaissance, training and display systems. Elbit shares, listed under the ticker ESLT, closed at $735.34 on October 23, compared with the previous session’s close of $743.22, according to EL7 data.