Karem Aircraft
Encyclopedia
Karem Aircraft, Inc. is an American aerospace
company with offices in Lake Forest, California
and Fort Worth, Texas
, founded by Abraham Karem as a rapid development firm specializing in advanced tiltrotor
transport aircraft. Karem was the former chief designer for the Israeli Air Force
and migrated to the United States in the late 1970s.
Under his previous company, Leading Systems Inc. (LSI), Karem led teams that developed the Amber and GNAT 750 (predecessors of the General Atomics
MQ-1 Predator), unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV) systems, as well as the A160 Hummingbird
Optimum-Speed Rotor UAV, now a Boeing
product.
Karem's company, Leading Systems, had since gone bankrupt and been bought up by US defense contractor General Atomics
. The CIA
secretly bought five drones (now called the "GNAT") from them. Karem agreed to produce a quiet engine, which until then sounded like "a lawnmower in the sky". The new development became rechristened the "Predator".
The Hummingbird was developed by Frontier Aircraft. In May 2004, the company was acquired by Boeing and integrated into Boeing Phantom Works
and then into the Advanced Systems group of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
In early 2008, Karem Aircraft teamed with Lockheed Martin
in offering Karem's Optimum Speed Tilt-Rotor (OSTR) design for the US Department of Defense's
Joint Heavy Lift program.
Aerospace
Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
company with offices in Lake Forest, California
Lake Forest, California
Lake Forest is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 77,264 at the 2010 census.Lake Forest incorporated as a city on December 20, 1991. Prior to a vote of the residents in that year, the community had formerly been known as El Toro since the 1880s...
and Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, founded by Abraham Karem as a rapid development firm specializing in advanced tiltrotor
Tiltrotor
A tiltrotor is an aircraft which uses a pair or more of powered rotors mounted on rotating shafts or nacelles at the end of a fixed wing for lift and propulsion, and combines the vertical lift capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft...
transport aircraft. Karem was the former chief designer for the Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
and migrated to the United States in the late 1970s.
Under his previous company, Leading Systems Inc. (LSI), Karem led teams that developed the Amber and GNAT 750 (predecessors of the General Atomics
General Atomics
General Atomics is a nuclear physics and defense contractor headquartered in San Diego, California. General Atomics’ research into fission and fusion matured into competencies in related technologies, allowing the company to expand into other fields of research...
MQ-1 Predator), unmanned aerial vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
(UAV) systems, as well as the A160 Hummingbird
Boeing A160 Hummingbird
The Boeing A160 Hummingbird is an unmanned aerial vehicle helicopter. Its design incorporates many new technologies never before used in helicopters, allowing for greater endurance and altitude than any helicopter currently in operation.The development of Hummingbird was begun by Frontier Aircraft...
Optimum-Speed Rotor UAV, now a Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
product.
Karem's company, Leading Systems, had since gone bankrupt and been bought up by US defense contractor General Atomics
General Atomics
General Atomics is a nuclear physics and defense contractor headquartered in San Diego, California. General Atomics’ research into fission and fusion matured into competencies in related technologies, allowing the company to expand into other fields of research...
. The CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
secretly bought five drones (now called the "GNAT") from them. Karem agreed to produce a quiet engine, which until then sounded like "a lawnmower in the sky". The new development became rechristened the "Predator".
The Hummingbird was developed by Frontier Aircraft. In May 2004, the company was acquired by Boeing and integrated into Boeing Phantom Works
Boeing Phantom Works
The Phantom Works division is the advanced prototyping arm of the Defense and Security side of The Boeing Company. Its primary focus is developing advanced military products and technologies, many of them highly classified, and has produced breakthroughs in defense, space and security.Founded by...
and then into the Advanced Systems group of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
In early 2008, Karem Aircraft teamed with Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
in offering Karem's Optimum Speed Tilt-Rotor (OSTR) design for the US Department of Defense's
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
Joint Heavy Lift program.
Products
Frontier Aircraft- Amber
- GNAT 750
- Boeing A160 HummingbirdBoeing A160 HummingbirdThe Boeing A160 Hummingbird is an unmanned aerial vehicle helicopter. Its design incorporates many new technologies never before used in helicopters, allowing for greater endurance and altitude than any helicopter currently in operation.The development of Hummingbird was begun by Frontier Aircraft...