IAI Astra

The IAI 1125 Astra is an Israel Aircraft Industries-manufactured twin-engine business jet. The Astra evolved from the IAI Westwind. The Astra  wing  design was modified  and with a completely new fuselage  created the Galaxy (later the Gulfstream G200) business jet during the 1990s.

Design and development
Work on an improved Westwind began in the late 1970s, with the first prototype flight on March 19, 1984. The first production Astra flew on March 20, 1985, FAA certification came on August 29, 1985 and customer deliveries started in 1986.

The original 1125 Astra was replaced in by the Astra SP, announced in 1989 of which 37 were built. The third variant, Astra SPX, flew in August 1994. This variant was renamed G100 from September 2002 following Gulfstream's acquisition of Galaxy Aerospace, which held the Astra certifications, in May 2001. IAI built G100s in Israel and then flew the completed airframes to the United States for interior outfitting. Production of the G100 was discontued in 2005 with the introduction of the G150.

Operators

 * Eritrean Air Force operates one aircraft for VIP transport
 * Israeli Air Force operates aircraft for VIP transport
 * Indian Air Force operates one aircraft for light transport
 * Israeli Air Force operates aircraft for VIP transport
 * Indian Air Force operates one aircraft for light transport
 * Indian Air Force operates one aircraft for light transport