- Ukraine has been making strides in military drone technology, especially in full automation. The country made the first successful all-unmanned ground attack against Russian forces in December.
- Drone technology is also seeing strides at Israel Aerospace Industries, which is seeking to create advanced platforms for robotics and drone combat.
- IAI has two main programs, one being the Carmel, an advanced combat vehicle.
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In December, Ukraine made history by using an all-drone ground attack force in an operation near the village of Lyptsi in the Kharkiv region. This marked the first time an all-unmanned ground attack team successfully completed a mission against Russian forces.
While the world closely watched Ukraine’s efforts to expel Russia from its borders, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) also made significant strides in unmanned combat.
What strides is IAI making in military robotics technology?
Over more than seven decades, IAI has become one of the largest defense contractors globally, known for innovative solutions in missile defense, radar and sensor systems and satellite communications.
Similar to drone companies in Ukraine, IAI is developing new autonomous capabilities paired with manned combat systems, allowing smaller forces to maximize their resources.
“A few years ago, the IDF launched two programs,” explained Amir Geva, executive vice president of North American affairs at IAI. “One is the Carmel. Carmel is equivalent to the Next Generation Combat Vehicle program that runs here in the United States. And I is leading this program for the IDF. In parallel, two years ago, the IDF also launched a program called soy, which is allow the troops to fight from a standoff like they are standing in in those two programs, and the technologies involved are robotics technologies, AI and machine learning.”
What capabilities should the Carmel program have?
Under the Carmel program, IAI pursued five main capabilities:
- Autonomous mission planning, management and decision support.
- Advanced hemispheric situational awareness and targeting.
- Autonomous lethality with organic effectors.
- Autonomous mobility.
- Autonomous control of aerial and ground robotic vehicles.
In 2019, the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development explored how automation and mission autonomy could enhance the effectiveness of manned crews. This led to IAI’s ELTA Systems group introducing the Carmel demonstrator, which enabled just two crew members to handle complex combat missions that typically required multiple vehicles and three or four crew members.
Geva stated that their efforts have advanced to the point where the IDF has carried out some missions in their conflict with Hamas with robotic assistance. These missions primarily focus on life-saving tasks such as bridging, path opening, mine clearing and countering IEDs, with operators always involved.
Have we been able to see these platforms yet?
At last year’s AUSA gathering in Washington, IAI unveiled the “robotic wingman” on an eight-wheeled vehicle, demonstrating the standoff capabilities of the concept. This system allows operators to work at a safer distance from the action.
Geva mentioned that the system is agnostic to the vehicle platform, providing technology that can be installed on any chosen platform by U.S. forces.
Although the system is not yet where IAI envisions it, it has proven its worth in Israel’s war against Hamas. Geva emphasized that they are currently concentrating on life-saving missions, with the future potentially holding other applications.
There is no word from IAI on any pending deals with the U.S. Department of Defense. If and when that changes, we will provide updates.
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