Artificial intelligence is gaining a dedicated home within the Israeli military as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) brings AI, drones, robotics, and other autonomous capabilities under a single new branch.
The Unmanned Systems and Artificial Intelligence Branch will oversee capabilities across the air, land, and maritime domains, according to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.
These include systems that operate alongside human teams or conduct missions independently, placing AI and autonomy at the center of the IDF’s technological expansion.
Putting Military AI on the Org Chart
According to Zamir, the new branch will help expand the military’s operational capabilities while reducing risks to personnel.
It is scheduled to be formally inaugurated during Hanukkah, giving the rapidly developing field of military AI and autonomy its own organizational structure within the IDF.
The move comes as Israel’s defense sector continues to advance AI-enabled autonomous systems.
Elbit Systems, for example, recently unveiled its Fuse concept, which uses AI to coordinate multiple autonomous aerial and ground combat platforms in real time.
