RAFAEL Posts 2019 Sales of USD2.7 Billion, Up by 3.9% From 2018
In 2019, RAFAEL received an urgent order from India for the supply of SPIKE missile systems
When the world is grappling with the COVID-19 global crisis and has come to a standstill, RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. posted its financial results on 26 March 2020 for FY 2019 with sales of USD2.7 billion, an increase of 3.9 per cent compared to 2018. The company’s orders totaled USD2.8 billion, with record high export orders, and an order backlog of USD7.2 billion, equivalent to 2.5 sales years, despite the significant depreciation in the Dollar- and Euro-to-Shekel exchange rates. In addition, in 2019, the company handed over a dividend of some 500 million Shekels to the Israeli government.
“In 2019, RAFAEL continued to press ahead with extensive marketing and business activities in Israel and around the world, including the acquisition of UAV manufacturer Aeronautics and other companies, as well as numerous other activities,” read a company statement.
“As RAFAEL concludes the 2019 fiscal year, in addition to its significant contribution to developing and providing defense technologies, it is also engaged in the effort to find solutions for the COVID-19 and against its spread. We are certain that the company’s financial robustness will ensure its ability to face the coming uncertainties and challenges. These days, thanks to adequate preparation, we are able to carry out our work, while adhering to the Ministry of Health’s directives, and to maintain our commitments, with the relentless hard work of our outstanding men and women who consider this effort their mission,” said Rafael president and CEO Maj. Gen. Yoav Har-Even (retd.)
Some of the other achievements of RAFAEL include the sale of two Iron Dome batteries to the US Army, and an “on-time” delivery of the US Army’s first TROPHY Active Protection Systems. In 2019, RAFAEL received an urgent order from India for the supply of SPIKE missile systems, and a major order for SPIKE from Germany, while expanding its SPIKE user-base to 34 nations. The company signed a number of important JV’s, and posted an increase in the number of users of its Litening Pod. Domestically, RAFAEL won a strategic contract for a multi-domain project with the Israeli MOD, and was also awarded the Israel Defense Prize for its SPICE 1000 air-to-surface system.
RAFAEL’s investment in its manpower continued in 2019, recruiting over 800 new employees, primarily in technological fields, with 9% of its sales channeled to R&D of defense and civilian technologies, which also entailed vast cooperation with academic bodies in Israel and around the world.
“Our human resource is the engine that propels us to achieve our mission and our vision, to find new solutions and breakthroughs, and to fulfill our goals, all while dealing with the newly-imposed reality. The dedication of our men and women, those at home and those who are still attending work, and the commitment that we as management have towards them, are the secret behind our force and our ability to cope with the impact of COVID-19,” Chairman of Rafael Dr Uzi Landau said.
RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. designs, develops, manufactures and supplies a wide range of high-tech defense systems for air, land, sea and space applications. Over 65% of Rafael’s employees are science and engineering academics. Out of those, over 300 hold a PhD, more than any technological organisation in the country.
As part of its corporate culture of partnerships and cooperation, Rafael has created agreements with over 100 governmental, aviation, space and defense organizations in Israel and around the world, the statement added.
