The Ministry of Defense held trials yesterday in southern Israel in which Israeli startups and veteran defense companies demonstrated technologies and systems for intercepting drones. The trials were held in the wake of the deadly Hezbollah drone attack on an IDF base near Binyamina.
The trials were attended by Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, Minister of Science and Technology Gila Gamliel, Ministry of Defense director general Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram, head of the Israeli Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D) Brig. Gen. Dr. Danny Gold.
The trials took place several weeks after Gallant instructed holding a rapid competitive process for finding interception solutions. Eight companies took part in the trials: Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael, Airobotics in cooperation with Rafael, Xtend in cooperation with Xioma and Elbit, General Robotics, Smartshooter, and US company Fortem in cooperation with Elbit.
Elbit demonstrated its Iron Hawk system with interception capabilities based on an intercepting drone. IAI displayed its Phalcon and another advanced solution designed to intercept at even greater ranges. Rafael presented its Typhoon 30 millimeter weapon system remotely controlled to intercept a range of aerial threats, which is expected to enable long range interception capabilities and integrate into the defense concept of strategic sites.
Airobotics in collaboration with Rafael presented an advanced system developed with multi-use capabilities to intercept drones. Xtend in collaboration with Xioma and Elbit displayed a system for intercepting advanced technology drones, and General Robotics presented Pitball, for intercepting medium range projectiles. Smartshooter presented a unique development, which allows accurate targeting of a wide range of interception and threats, and Fortem, in collaboration with Elbit, presented development of a network-based interceptor drone.
As part of the competition, the defense companies set out prototypes of their interception systems developed under the leadership of the DDR&D and demonstrated interception capabilities for drones at various ranges and flight altitudes. Upon completion of analysis of the results of the trials, the Ministry of Defense will select several technologies that will enter an accelerated development and production process, with the aim of deploying new operational capabilities within just months. The CEOs of the defense companies participated in the trials.
The new capabilities will enter an accelerated development process
Gallant said, "The drone threat is a multi-front threat originating in Iran, which provides drones to Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, as well as launching them itself. Against this threat, we must concentrate a national effort by all business enterprises on the issue in order to create operational solutions on a short time scale."
Gold added, "On the instruction of the Minister of Defense and the Director General of the Ministry of Defense, together with the IDF we formulated an operational architecture, which includes layers of detection, tracking and interception. Any technology that matures is added to the array. In the series of trials, we have accomplished significant achievements in promoting new capabilities to intercept drones, which will now enter an accelerated development process."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on October 15, 2024.
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