Adopting experience: Israel purchases for the first time the weapon that changed the rules of war in Ukraine

The Israeli army (IDF) will soon have new weaponry that has demonstrated high effectiveness on the Russian-Ukrainian front. The Israel Defense Forces have signed a contract for the mass supply of strike FPV drones. According to the publication Globes, special units will be the first to receive deliveries within two and a half months.

The supplier is Xtend, which has committed to providing the Israeli military with 5,000 kamikaze drones and related equipment worth about $5.9 million. Each drone costs around a thousand dollars and can carry a payload of up to 2.5 kilograms with a body length of about 25 centimeters.

Chen Haim, the operational director of Xtend, noted in an interview with The Jerusalem Post that as part of the contract, drone operator training will begin, synchronized with the first phase of deliveries. Companies such as Robotican, Tehiru, CopterPix, and Elbit Systems also competed for this contract.

The choice of Xtend has been a topic of discussion, as the tender conditions stipulated the use of inexpensive components, including parts of Chinese origin, and the design of an aviation video transmitter from a Hong Kong company.

Although this batch of drones is being purchased for the first time, Israeli intelligence services have already used FPV drones this year for strikes on Iranian targets. During secret operations, Mossad used these aircraft to attack air defense systems and missile installations deep within Iranian territory. The drones were launched from cars or trailers located in close proximity to military bases.

Military experts noted that the Israeli army is adopting Ukraine’s experience, and the use of FPV drones is indeed changing the approach to modern warfare. Experience on the Russian-Ukrainian front has confirmed this viewpoint.

Read more at – NANews Israel News