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 October 2004

                             -----------------------

                               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:

                    |X|  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                |X| No

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






         The  Registrant  announced  today that October 15, 2004 has been set as
the record date for  shareholders  entitled to receive notice of and vote at the
Registrant's  Annual General  Meeting of  Shareholders to be held on November 8,
2004 (the  "Meeting").  The Company  intends to distribute to shareholders on or
about October 18, 2004 a proxy statement with respect to the Meeting.

                                    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:  October 15, 2004