SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                          ----------------------------
                                    FORM 6-K

                        Report of Foreign Private Issuer
                       Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                         For the Month of December 2003
                          ----------------------------


                               ELBIT SYSTEMS LTD.
                (Translation of Registrant's Name into English)
          Advanced Technology Center, P.O.B. 539, Haifa 31053, Israel
                    (Address of Principal Corporate Offices)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant  files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:

                   [  ]       Form 20-F        [ ]      Form 40-F

Indicate by check mark if the  registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as
permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): [ ]

NOTE:  Regulation  S-T Rule  101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a
Form 6-K if submitted  solely to provide an attached  annual  report to security
holders.

Indicate by check mark if the  registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as
permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):  [ ]

NOTE:  Regulation  S-T Rule  101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a
Form 6-K  submitted to furnish a report or other  document  that the  registrant
foreign  private  issuer  must  furnish  and make  public  under the laws of the
jurisdiction  in which the  registrant  is  incorporated,  domiciled  or legally
organized  (the  registrant's  "home  country"),  or under the rules of the home
country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the
report or other document is not a press  release,  is not required to be and has
not been distributed to the registrant's  security holders, and, if discussing a
material  event,  has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other
Commission filing on EDGAR.

Indicate by check mark whether the  registrant  by  furnishing  the  information
contained  in this  form is  also  thereby  furnishing  the  information  to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

                   [  ]       Yes              [ ]      No

If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):  82-______________






         Attached  hereto as Exhibit 1 and  incorporated  herein by reference is
the Registrant's press release dated December 2, 2003.


                                    SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                          ELBIT SYSTEMS LTD.
                                          (Registrant)


                                          By: /s/ Ilan Pacholder
                                             -----------------------------------
                                          Name:  Ilan Pacholder
                                          Title:  Corporate Secretary

Dated:  December 2, 2003.






                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------


         EXHIBIT NO.            DESCRIPTION
         -----------            -----------

            1.                  Press release dated December 2, 2003.






                                    EXHIBIT 1
                                    ---------

Lockheed   Martin  and  Elbit   Systems  Team  to  Pursue   Helicopter   Upgrade
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Opportunities in Central Europe
-------------------------------


Tuesday December 2, 8:45 am ET

SOFIA,  Bulgaria,  Dec. 2  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/  -- U.S.-based Lockheed Martin
(NYSE:  LMT - News) and  Elbit  Systems  Ltd.,  (Nasdaq:  ESLT - News)  based in
Israel, will jointly pursue helicopter  modernization  opportunities in Bulgaria
as well as in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

Near term,  the  companies  are teaming to pursue  recently  announced  plans to
upgrade Bulgaria's Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters to meet NATO standards.  Bulgaria
is planning to repair and  modernize  these  aircraft  by  incorporating  modern
avionics and mission  systems and  extending  the life of the  helicopters.  The
Mi-24 helicopters' arms systems also will be upgraded.

"The agreement with Lockheed Martin creates a team with unparallel expertise and
experience which will result in the most cost-effective  proven solution for our
customers"  said Yoram Shmuely,  corporate vice president and general manager of
Elbit  Systems'  Airborne  and Helmet  Systems  Division.  "Our aim is to create
strong relationships with Bulgarian defense industries to meet both domestic and
export market requirements."

Lockheed  Martin and Elbit  Systems  will  perform  the NATO  compatibility  and
interoperability  of the  helicopter  modernization  contract,  including  NATO-
restricted equipment.

"Our team offers low-risk,  cost-effective  solutions to meet NATO standards and
interoperability  requirements  with proven  products and systems for day, night
and  all-weather  operations,"  said Scott  Greene,  acting  general  manager of
Lockheed Martin's Aerospace Solutions in Owego, NY.

The two companies have extensive  experience in the area of helicopter  upgrades
for customers  worldwide.  Lockheed Martin,  a major systems  integrator to NATO
countries,  recently  integrated 44  anti-submarine  Merlin  helicopters for the
British Royal Navy.  Currently,  it is  integrating  a common  cockpit and other
mission  systems  for the U.S.  Navy's  MH-60  helicopters.  Elbit  Systems  has
performed several major helicopter upgrades,  of both western and eastern origin
platforms, and its advanced avionics are currently operational onboard more than
4,000  helicopter  platforms  in  the  fleets  of  defense  and  civilian  users
worldwide.

The two companies intend to implement the  modernization in cooperation with the
original helicopter manufacturers and local industries.




Elbit  Systems  Ltd.,  based in Haifa,  Israel,  is  engaged  in a wide range of
defense-related  programs  throughout  the  world.  The  company  focuses on the
upgrading of existing  military  platforms and developing new  technologies  for
defense applications.

Headquartered  in Bethesda,  MD,  Lockheed  Martin  employs about 130,000 people
worldwide  and is  principally  engaged in the  research,  design,  development,
manufacture  and  integration  of  advanced  technology  systems,  products  and
services.

                For additional information, visit our Web sites:

                          http://www.lockheedmartin.com

                             http://www.elbit.co.il