Ministry of Defense reopens attack drone tender to include Ondas
The Ministry of Defense has reopened a tender for IDF attack drones, adding Ondas-owned Airobotics to the list of suppliers. The move has sparked questions within the defense industry.
Just weeks after defense-tech companies KELA and Airobotics won a tender to supply attack drones for the IDF, the Ministry of Defense has reopened the process to include Airobotics, a subsidiary of the Ondas group, Calcalist has learned.
The program, known as "Digital Bat," aims to establish a fleet of thousands of advanced, low-cost tactical drones capable of operating in autonomous swarms. While KELA and Airobotics were initially notified as the exclusive suppliers, they were later informed that their scope of engagement would be reduced to accommodate the new inclusion.
The decision has caused bewilderment within the defense sector, with critics arguing that the Ministry of Defense effectively changed the rules of the game after the competition had already concluded. Conversely, defense sources maintain that the ministry retains the right to engage additional companies to ensure production redundancy and supply chain diversification.
While financial details remain classified, the contract is estimated to be worth several hundred million shekels. Ondas stated that the win strengthens its position in tactical aerial strike systems, with CEO Eric Brock citing the ministry's trust in their engineering capabilities.
Ondas, which acquired Airobotics in 2023, has been aggressively expanding its Israeli operations. The company has recently recruited several high-profile former defense officials, including former Mossad chief Dadi Barnea and former senior executives from the state-owned Rafael company.
