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The organization is intended to unite unmanned capabilities across the services, while its public launch leaves the operating model for that coordination largely unspecified.
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The Israel Defense Forces is formalizing its autonomy push by creating an Unmanned Systems and Artificial Intelligence Branch, expected to be fully inaugurated by early December. The unit will coordinate drones, robotics and AI across land, air and maritime operations, including naval systems above and below the surface.
The branch is designed to coordinate unmanned capabilities across all three military domains, rather than leaving them within individual services.
Zamir identified both crewed-team support and independent missions as intended operating modes.
The Navy is specifically expected to adopt autonomous systems above and below the sea surface.
Israel’s military has finalized a dedicated branch for artificial intelligence and unmanned systems, placing drones, robotics and autonomous technology under a shared organization across its forces. The move gives the IDF a formal vehicle for a battlefield shift it says is accelerating, including systems intended to operate with troops or carry out independent missions.
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the Israel Defense Forces has established the Unmanned Systems and Artificial Intelligence Branch. It will be responsible for unmanned systems, robotics, drones and AI across the IDF, with full inauguration expected by early December.
The branch is intended to bring together technologies across land, air and sea rather than leave the effort within one service or one type of machine. Zamir singled out the Navy, saying it will benefit as it incorporates advanced autonomous systems above and below the sea surface.
The battlefield is changing at a dizzying pace, and we are changing with it.
Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israel Defense Forces chief of staff
Zamir described two roles for the systems: working alongside manned teams and conducting independent missions. He said the capabilities would increase operational activity and save lives. Those are the military’s stated objectives, not reported results from a branch that has yet to be fully inaugurated.
The IDF had already pursued digitization, new units, drones and ground robots under former Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi. But after the October 7 attack, that high-tech focus drew criticism as Israeli ground forces appeared unprepared for a large-scale attack by mostly lightly armed militants.
The new branch makes coordination an explicit institutional responsibility. Its announcement, however, does not set out public details on its personnel, command authority, funding or rules for autonomous operations. The practical test will be whether the structure can connect distinct services while carrying out the roles Zamir described.
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