In a swift response to the evolving security landscape, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant launched a competition to expedite the development of innovative interception technologies. The recent trial at a southern Israeli testing field showcased the results of this initiative, featuring solutions from a diverse group of Israeli companies, including industry giants and promising startups. To that end, he led a first-of-its-kind trial to identify and demonstrate new capabilities for intercepting Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Eight participants presented their UAV interception technologies, vying for the opportunity to advance to the next stage of development and operational testing. Solutions that successfully met the stringent requirements during the demonstration phase will be prioritized for accelerated implementation.
This event showcased various solutions as part of an expedited competitive process initiated by the Defense Minister several weeks prior, to rapidly develop innovative interception solutions in response to the evolving security landscape. The trial took place at a testing field in southern Israel, with the participation of eight Israeli industries, ranging from major companies (Elbit Systems, Rafael, and Israel Aerospace Industries) to startup firms, presenting technological solutions for UAV interception. Solutions that met the threshold requirements in the demonstration phase will advance to accelerated development and operational testing.
As part of the competition, the defense industries deployed prototypes of their interception systems, developed under DDR&D’s leadership, and demonstrated UAV interception capabilities at various ranges and flight altitudes. After analyzing the trial results, the Ministry of Defense will select several technologies to enter an accelerated development and production process. This aims to deploy new operational capabilities within months. CEOs of defense industries and senior officials from the IDF and Ministry of Defense attended the trial.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant: “The UAV threat is a multi-arena threat originating from Iran, which supplies UAVs to Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq, and even launches them itself. To face this threat, we must concentrate the national effort of all bodies dealing with the issue to produce operational solutions quickly. Since the beginning of the war, the Israel Ministry of Defense and DDR&D have been leading this effort. Yesterday’s competition, in which small and large defense industries presented various solutions, from the most sophisticated to simple ones, advances us another step forward.”
Director General of the IMoD, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir: “Countering the UAV threat is a critical national priority. To date, the Ministry of Defense has invested hundreds of millions of New Israeli Shekels in developing, extensively procuring, and deploying defensive capabilities. Following the Defense Minister’s directive, we established an unrestricted ‘green track’ for any entity—a major industry or a startup—that can deliver an effective solution. Our objective is to expedite the development and deployment of new interception systems. These will constitute a more comprehensive defensive strategy with the laser system and other technologies we’re advancing.”
Head of the DDR&D, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Dr. Daniel Gold: “The defense establishment is committed to developing a holistic defensive response to the UAV threat, mirroring our approach to threats in higher aerial strata. In collaboration with the IDF, we’ve conceptualized an operational framework encompassing detection, tracking, and interception layers. We continuously integrate emerging technologies into this array. This series of trials marks a pivotal advancement in UAV interception capabilities, which will now undergo an accelerated development process under DDR&D’s guidance.”
Participating Companies and Their Innovations:
Elbit Systems: Showcased IRON HAWK, an interceptor drone-based system for UAV interception.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI): Presented “Precise Falcon” and an additional advanced system for long-range interception capabilities.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems: Demonstrated TYPHOON, a 30mm projectile interception system for various threats, offering long-range capabilities and strategic asset protection.
AIROBOTICS: Exhibited an advanced system featuring a reusable UAV interceptor.
XTEND: Collaborated with AXIOMA and Elbit Systems to develop an advanced drone interception system.
GENERAL ROBOTICS: Introduced PITBULL, a system designed for medium-range projectile interception.
SMARTSHOOTER: Unveiled a unique development providing precise guidance for a broad spectrum of interception methods and threat types.
FORTEM (USA): Partnered with Elbit Systems to develop a net-based interceptor drone.
