Israel Testing Advanced Anti-Drone Technology, Working With U.S. Defense Dept

As drones become more standard in warfare, Israel‘s Defense Ministry (IMOD) is working with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate (IWTSD) to develop anti-drone technology.

In January 2024, three U.S. Army soldiers were killed, and more than 30 service members were injured by a drone attack at a U.S. outpost in Jordan. “Officials said the drone was fired by Iran-backed militants and appeared to come from Syria,” CNN reported. “Mexican drug cartels are ordering their members to attack US Border Patrol agents with kamikaze drones and other explosives in a desperate bid to thwart the crackdown at the border, according to an internal memo obtained by The Post,” The New York Post reported this week.

The Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate (IWTSD) “identifies and develops capabilities for DOD and Interagency customers to conduct Irregular Warfare against all adversaries, including Great Power competitors and non-state actors,” the entity says of itself. “Irregular Warfare is a struggle among state and non-state actors to influence populations and affect legitimacy. Irregular Warfare favors indirect and asymmetric approaches, though it may employ the full range of military and other capabilities, in order to erode an adversary’s power, influence, and will. It includes specific missions of unconventional warfare (UW), stabilization, foreign internal defense (FID), counterterrorism (CT), and counterinsurgency (COIN).”

Tests concluded in Israel on Tuesday follow an initial series of completed trials conducted in October 2024. The tests included nine different Israeli arms contractors and startups demonstrating various drone interception and neutralization capabilities. The IMOD will choose several technologies for accelerated development and production processes with the goal of implementing their operational capabilities immediately.

“The UAV threat is an evolving and multi-arena threat that has expanded to all our combat sectors, led by Iran and its proxies,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared. “This threat has already extracted a heavy human toll from us, which is why we have mobilized all tools to develop an effective response. The series of tests we conducted represents a national effort led by the DDR&D, with participation from major defense companies alongside innovative startups. Everyone has joined the mission with the understanding that defending Israel’s skies is a top priority. Against our enemies, we are committed to continue advancing and introducing new capabilities to the battlefield in the near term. We will act to ensure maximum protection for our citizens and forces on the ground against UAVs from Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, and any arena where we may be required to respond.”

Head of the DDR&D, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Dr. Daniel Gold stated, “The defense establishment is determined to complete a comprehensive defensive response to the drone threat, as we have done for threats in the upper layers. We have defined an operational architecture with the IDF, including detection, tracking, and interception layers. In this series of follow-up trials, we witnessed the advancement of sophisticated drone interception capabilities, which will now enter an accelerated development process under DDR&D leadership.”

IDF Head of Planning and Force Build-Up Directorate Maj. Gen. Eyal Harel added, “We are in a learning competition with the enemy, particularly in the field of UAVs, which challenges us across multiple combat zones. Throughout the war, we have developed various creative, technological, and operational solutions that have led to unprecedented achievements on the battlefield. This day has demonstrated the importance of continued technological efforts that showcase Israel’s existing technological capabilities. The synergy between the defense establishment and Israel’s technological sector serves as a force multiplier, enabling us to provide comprehensive protection for Israel’s airspace and our forces on the ground. In the coming months, we will select the most suitable capabilities and implement them extensively throughout the IDF. Much appreciation to the participating industries.”