RT LTA
RT LTA Systems Ltd. is an Israeli company founded in 1996 that designs and manufactures the Skystar™ family of tactical aerostats for persistent aerial surveillance, serving military forces, border security agencies, police forces, and critical infrastructure operators across North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersYavne, Israel
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What RT LTA does
RT LTA Systems Ltd. is an Israeli designer, developer, and manufacturer of the Skystar™ family of tactical aerostats (lighter-than-air platforms) for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and communications relay. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Yavne, Israel, the company sells five core product lines — SkyGuard (3,000–20,000 ft, payloads from 50 kg to tons), Skystar 330, Skystar 180 (72-hour endurance, trailer-mounted), Skystar 120 (UTV-mounted), and Skystar 100/110 (man-portable micro-aerostat) — plus the 2023-launched Sky-High combined aerostat-and-drone system. All aerostats, mooring stations, ground control stations, and airborne packages are designed and manufactured in-house, with a proprietary oval-shaped sail design and helium-impermeable envelope materials supporting wind resistance up to 40 knots and deployment readiness in 15–30 minutes.
The company serves military forces, border security agencies, strategic facility operators, police forces, coastal security operators, and emergency/disaster response organizations across North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and (since 2023) Africa. Named end users include the US Army, Israeli Army, Canadian Army, Israeli Police, French Police, Mexican Federal Police, and Tokyo Police (during the 2020 Olympics). Revenue is generated through one-time aerostat system sales (quote-based, not publicly priced), supplemented by professional services (training, on-the-job training, ongoing maintenance) and managed operational services where customers lease capacity rather than purchase equipment. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales to government defense and security agencies, supported by participation in major defense exhibitions (IDEX, DEFEA, AUSA, DSEI Japan, Expo Seguridad Mexico) and distribution through a wholly-owned US subsidiary in Texas (RT Aerostat Systems, Inc.).
The company is privately held with no disclosed external investors or parent, and operates without public funding rounds or acquisition activity disclosed in the input data. The Skystar™ trademark is registered, and the company has accumulated over 6 million operational hours globally. Customer engagement is concentrated in long-cycle defense and homeland security procurement, with a January 2026 partnership with KeepZone AI signaling tentative movement into AI-integrated mega-event security solutions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
RT LTA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RT LTA
- Legal name
- RT LTA Systems Ltd.
- Website
- https://rt.co.il
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- RT LTA Systems Ltd. is an Israeli company founded in 1996 that designs and manufactures the Skystar™ family of tactical aerostats for persistent aerial surveillance, serving military forces, border security agencies, police forces, and critical infrastructure operators across North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RT LTA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Defense ISR Aerostat Systems
- NAICS
- Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- UAS Communications, Datalinks, SATCOM & Remote Control Systems (IMABAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Surveillance & Identification Avionics (ADS-B/Transponders/TCAS) (IMABAFAM), Radar Systems & Subsystems (Airborne, Ground, Naval) (IMABAGAA)
Keywords
Where RT LTA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Yavne
- HQ country
- Israel
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices2 records
Markets served
RT LTA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Aerostat System Sales: RT sells complete Skystar™ aerostat systems including the aerostat, mooring stations, ground control stations, and airborne packages. Systems are sold to military and homeland security customers worldwide. All elements of Skystar™ systems are designed and manufactured in-house.
- Services and Support: RT provides comprehensive support services including initial setup, deployment, ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting. Training services are provided on-site worldwide covering all aspects of operating Skystar™ systems. On-the-job training (OJT) services empower operators with practical skills.
- Operation Services: RT provides operational services of Skystar™ systems as a business model where customers can purchase Skystar™ services without buying systems or training personnel.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
RT LTA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RT LTA Systems Ltd. designs, develops, and manufactures the Skystar family of tactical aerostat systems (lighter-than-air platforms) for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and communications missions. The company sells complete aerostat systems—including the aerostat envelope, mooring station, ground control stations, and airborne payloads—directly to military forces, homeland security agencies, police forces, and strategic facility operators worldwide. RT also provides comprehensive support, training, on-the-job training, and operational services for its aerostat systems.
Product overview
RT LTA is a provider of aerostat systems based on the Skystar™ family of tactical aerostats. The product portfolio includes the SkyGuard large-scale aerostat platform (operational altitudes 3,000-20,000 ft, payloads from 50 kg to tons), the Skystar 330 tactical system (1,500 ft altitude, 50 kg payload), the Skystar 180 mobile tactical system (1,000 ft altitude, 72-hour endurance), and the compact SkyStar 100 Family micro-aerostats (Skystar 100 backpack, 110 pickup truck, 120 ATV configurations, 300-500 m altitude). The systems provide surveillance, situational awareness, warning, monitoring, detecting, and targeting capabilities for military, HLS, search and rescue, and civilian missions. The company also provides comprehensive services including support, production, training, on-job training, and operational services. RT Aerostat Systems, Inc. is a 100% owned subsidiary located in Texas, USA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SkyStar: Family of tactical aerostat systems including Skystar 100, 110, 120, 180, and 330 models.
- SkyGuard
- Sky-High
Products and services
- Skystar 330
Quantifiable outcome
- Systems can remain airborne for up to 72 hours continuously (Skystar 180)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use RT LTA
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
RT LTA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
RT LTA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- RT Aerostat Systems, Inc.coreRT Aerostat Systems, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary (100%) of RT LTA Systems Ltd., located in Texas, USA. This subsidiary supports RT's operations and customer base in North America.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
RT LTA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman delivers global persistent ISR via manned and unmanned platforms and integrated C4I solutions. Comparable as a broad incumbent in defense surveillance with overlapping end customers and complementary sensor/payload offerings.
- General Atomics Aeronautical Systems: General Atomics makes the MQ-9 Reaper and other medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned systems for ISR and strike missions. Comparable as a broader unmanned aerial ISR provider competing for similar military ISR and HLS surveillance mission budgets.
- Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin integrates and operates the U.S. Army's persistent threat-detection aerostat programs (often with TCOM) and has ISR systems across multiple platforms. Comparable as a broad defense incumbent that bundles aerostats and sensors into defense ISR solutions competing for the same military and HLS end customers.
- Thales Group: Thales provides integrated air surveillance, border-security, and tactical ISR solutions across Europe and globally. Comparable as a broad defense incumbent serving overlapping police, HLS, and military surveillance customers across multiple continents.
- Rafael Advanced Defense Systems: Rafael is a major Israeli defense prime with ISR, air defense (Iron Dome family), and surveillance portfolios. Comparable as an Israeli defense peer with overlapping HLS, military, and border-security end markets for aerial surveillance and tactical ISR systems.
- Elbit Systems: Elbit Systems is a large Israeli defense prime delivering ISR solutions including UAVs (Hermes), electro-optics, and homeland-security systems. Comparable as a broader incumbent from the same Israeli defense ecosystem with overlapping ISR, border-security, and tactical-surveillance customers.
Direct peers
- ILC Dover: ILC Dover designs and fabricates high-altitude aerostat envelopes (HiSentinel product line) and other inflatable structures, with a defense/aerospace customer set overlapping RT's. Comparable as a specialized aerostat envelope and system supplier in the ISR-aerostat market.
- Aerostar International (Raven Aerostar): Aerostar is a leading U.S. aerostat manufacturer with a family of stratospheric and tactical aerostats (Thunderhead, TIF-25K) for ISR and communications. Directly comparable as an aerostat ISR platform competitor targeting overlapping government customers.
- TCOM, L.P. TCOM is the most direct competitor, manufacturing tactical aerostat systems (e.g., 12M, 17M, 22M, 28M class) for ISR and communications relay to U.S. and allied militaries. Both RT and TCOM compete on persistent-altitude aerostat platforms for defense and homeland-security use cases.
Emerging players
- Allsopp Helikite Ltd. Allsopp Helikite produces lighter-than-air Helikite hybrid airships for small-to-mid-payload surveillance tasks. Comparable as an emerging player in the lighter-than-air ISR category targeting similar border and tactical surveillance use cases to RT's micro-aerostat Skystar 100/110/120 line.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RT LTA social profiles
Digital presenceRT LTA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RT LTA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
RT LTA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
RT LTA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RT LTA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RT LTA
What does RT LTA do?
RT LTA Systems Ltd. designs, develops, and manufactures the Skystar family of tactical aerostat systems (lighter-than-air platforms) for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and communications missions. The company sells complete aerostat systems—including the aerostat envelope, mooring station, ground control stations, and airborne payloads—directly to military forces, homeland security agencies, police forces, and strategic facility operators worldwide. RT also provides comprehensive support, training, on-the-job training, and operational services for its aerostat systems.
Is RT LTA a public or private company?
RT LTA is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was RT LTA founded?
RT LTA was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is RT LTA based?
RT LTA is headquartered in Yavne, Israel, in the Middle East region.
How does RT LTA make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Aerostat System Sales are the primary driver. The others are services and Support and operation Services.
Who are RT LTA's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Northrop Grumman, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin, Thales Group, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems. Direct peers are ILC Dover, Aerostar International (Raven Aerostar) and TCOM, L.P.. Allsopp Helikite Ltd. is listed as an emerging player.
Does RT LTA have an API?
No public API is recorded for RT LTA.
What industry is RT LTA in?
RT LTA's product category is Defense ISR Aerostat Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAIAJ, UAS Communications, Datalinks, SATCOM & Remote Control Systems, with a secondary code of IMABAFAM, Surveillance & Identification Avionics (ADS-B/Transponders/TCAS). Its NAICS code is 336419 and its SIC code is 3812.