Following the unveiling of the state-owned company Rafael of its development program for a hypersonic missile interceptor, 30 of the company's employees were flown to the Paris Air Show last week for a visit. But the exhibition seemed to be just an excuse for a week of perks, which included limousine rides, watching cabarets and chansons, and a food workshop. People familiar with the details claimed that against the backdrop of the rising cost of living in Israel, such a vacation plan by a government company is glamorous, jarring and condescending.
According to the plan, during their stay in Paris, Raphael's guests were transported in limousines to an evening event, participated in a workshop with a local chef, conducted a gastronomic tour of the Marais district, watched a cabaret show combined with dinner and drinks at the Moulin Rouge club and a chanson show. And if that wasn't enough, the lucky ones who were flown to France also enjoyed a personal gift waiting for them in their hotel room.
Private chef, champagne and cabaret show. Rafael's offices, photo: Yehoshua Yosef
Professional excuse
People familiar with the plan claimed that "Rafael may be making deals worth millions of dollars, but it's still a government company, and even if its managers wanted to hire some outstanding employees, there is also a limit to what they do for them. On this entertainment trip, the exhibition seems only to be a professional excuse."
Rafael was founded in 1948 as the national defense research and development laboratory of the State of Israel in the Ministry of Defense. In 2002, it became a state-owned company, and today it develops and manufactures combat systems on the operational front and at the forefront of technology. Among other things, it develops and manufactures defense systems such as Iron Dome, Trophy and Magic Wand.
"Sharp Sling": Rafael's Response to the Hypersonic Missile Threat Exposed
Rafael said in response: "As part of encouraging excellence among Rafael employees, a delegation of 30 employees selected as outstanding employees went on a visit to Paris. The delegation enjoyed professional enrichment activities and visited the Raphael exhibition at the Le Bourget Air Show, as well as a variety of leisure activities as is customary. The issue of appropriateness and compatibility of the content has been emphasized to the supplier, and the matter will be examined with him."
At the prestigious exhibition, IAI presented various advanced products, including the Arrow weapon system, designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere, the BARAK air defense system, which enables fire optimization and threat management, which is used by various armies, the Heron UAV and the Scorpius electronic warfare system.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us