No. 33: Boaz Levy: Engineering Israel’s defense future

Boaz Levy, chairman of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), has been a pivotal figure in Israel’s defense technology for over three decades. His career began in the Israel Air Force before joining IAI in 1989, where he became chief engineer of the Arrow project by 1999. Levy directed the Arrow program from 2003 to 2006, overseeing the development of Arrow 2 and Arrow 3, an exo-atmospheric interceptor developed with the U.S. The Arrow 3 system demonstrated its effectiveness during Iranian missile attacks in April 2024 and subsequent operations, intercepting numerous ballistic missiles. From 2013 to 2020, as executive vice president and general manager of IAI’s Systems, Missiles & Space Group, Levy led the division to become IAI’s most profitable, with annual sales exceeding $1 billion. He also facilitated major defense export agreements, including the $3.6 billion Arrow 3 sale to Germany, the largest defense deal in Israel’s history. Levy served as IAI’s president and CEO from 2020 until late 2024, achieving record profitability and expanding global partnerships. He now serves as chairman and continues to influence Israel’s defense-technology ecosystem.