All through the ten months of the warfare, the IDF and Ministry of Protection have recorded a spread of achievements on the battlefield, together with by being outfitted with superior applied sciences. Since October 7, the Ministry of Protection Directorate of Protection, Analysis and Improvement (DDR&D) (MAFAT) has procured an array of merchandise from greater than 100 startups working in each the protection and business markets. Individuals acquainted with the topic have advised “Globes” that a few of them have signed contracts with the Ministry of Protection price greater than NIS 20 million every, and the general quantity of offers quantities to about NIS 1 billion.
A Demo Day was just lately held for startups that graduated from the DDR&D accelerator, within the presence of Ministry of Protection director basic Main Common (res.) Eyal Zamir and the pinnacle of DDR&D Brigadier Common (res.) Dr. Danny Gold.
Zamir mentioned, “This can be a complicated interval, a few of the challenges we foresaw and a few we did not. We see what is occurring on the earth, in Bab-al-Mandeb, in Ukraine. There’s entrepreneurship and we’re right here to assist it. Led by DDR&D, we encourage initiative and risk-taking, and we make investments rather a lot on this. We work on sensors, the world of computing and networks, vitality and area. These items deliver nice protection worth and current us with a technological benefit. Our position is to assist startups from the preliminary levels of the product – till it turns into an operational product.”
Gold added that the State of Israel is preventing with various depth on a spread of sectors: from Gaza and Lebanon to Iraq, Iran, Syria and Yemen. “We now have introduced startup firms into the sector. We leverage worldwide and bilateral collaborations and see development within the sector,” he mentioned.
The occasion was additionally attended by Col. Nir Weingold, head of the planning, economics and IT division at DDR&D. He noticed that state investments worldwide within the area of safety are rising: “SIPRI analysis discovered that investments reached $2.4 trillion over the previous yr. Europe is making ready for a confrontation with Russia within the subsequent decade, so they’re on the lookout for applied sciences that may be present in startups.”
“Globes” appears to be like at 5 of the principle startups with which the Ministry of Protection has been collaborating because the outbreak of the warfare: Smartshooter, Xtend, Regulus, CopterPIX and Robotican.
One of many firms that has had its development nurtured by DDR&D is Smartshooter from Kibbutz Yagur. Amongst different issues, the corporate has developed the SMASH Fireplace management programs, which may hit floor and aerial targets comparable to UAVs, and assist the fight troopers who function them to determine targets independently and hit them precisely. With the assistance of AI and algorithms, the sight follows the goal and adjusts the speed of fireside for a swift and correct hit.
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The corporate’s success has attracted worldwide prospects. The UK bought 500 C-UAS sights from it to be mounted on weapons in service with the British military.
Smartshooter additionally just lately unveiled a brand new distant management weapon system referred to as the Hopper, which weighs about 15 kilograms, and is meant for set up on manned and unmanned autos, in addition to aerial and marine platforms.
Based mostly in Tel Aviv, Xtend manufactures assault and surveillance drones. In 2024, the corporate was chosen for Globes’ listing of Israel’s 10 promising startups.
Amongst different issues, the corporate operates a management interface based mostly on a joystick and actuality glasses that transmits the attitude of the drone to the operator. The corporate’s working system permits operators to decide on a sure level on the map to which the drone will likely be dispatched, and to which it should fly independently. Xtend’s drones csn additionally help in varied missions comparable to dropping grenades, scanning tunnels or crashing to thwart terrorists. These measures help the IDF forces in preventing in densely populated city areas within the Gaza Strip. In Might, the corporate accomplished a $40 million Sequence B financing spherical.
Regulus develops cybersecurity options for satellite tv for pc navigation programs (GNSS/GPS). Just a few months earlier than the outbreak of the warfare in Gaza, the corporate launched the Ring ARM-V system designed to guard armored autos from drone assaults. The system can work at low energy and offers safety at a distance of 150-1,000 meters, or at excessive energy for defense of 1,000-5,000 meters.
CopterPIX merchandise are utilized by safety forces in warfare for surveillance missions in troublesome navigation situations. The corporate develops autonomous options and functions utilizing UAVs.
The corporate has gained the distinguished innovation award on the Milipol exhibition in Paris, following the event of an autonomous safety and patrol system based mostly on tiny microdrones under the aviation regulation threshold.
Based mostly in Omer close to Beersheva, drone firm Robotican has developed a wide range of autonomous robotic merchandise, together with the Goshawk: an autonomous drone designed to seize UAVs in a internet as a substitute of intercepting them. The event is principally meant for an city setting, the place there’s a worry of falling shrapnel and for gathering intelligence on the enemy. One other instrument the corporate has developed is the rooster: a drone that’s protected by a tough, sturdy and elastic cage that enables it to collide and roll on the bottom, hit home windows and different parts with out being broken, throughout warfare in densely populated built-up areas.
Printed by Globes, Israel enterprise information – en.globes.co.il – on August 15, 2024.
© Copyright of Globes Writer Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2024.