Israel struggling with growing drone threat, experts say, calling for urgent upgrades

Israel's short-range aerial defense capabilities have some serious shortcomings in dealing with a threat that is advancing far more quickly than Israel's ability to combat it, experts who spoke to Walla emphasized.

"The Israel Air Force has not built a proper force to deal with drone threats on such a large scale, despite the significant successes in the North," Walla quoted a senior reserve officer as saying on Thursday.

"It’s a fundamental issue. We ended up in a situation where four fighter jets and a missile ship – at best – are chasing one drone.

"We knew this, just like we knew that the IAF didn’t build its ground support capabilities for the border forces well enough. On the other hand, it developed its long-range fighting capabilities across seven different theaters quite impressively."

Recently, a Hezbollah drone struck the dining hall of the Golani Brigade training base, which led to the death of four soldiers and injured more than 60, shaking the entire country.

What intensified the criticism and frustration was that the IAF identified the drone, tracked it, attempted to intercept it, believed it had fallen into the sea – and then was surprised to discover that it had penetrated the layers of defense, according to reports.

In the initial investigation conducted after the disaster, it was further revealed that civilians had reported seeing a drone in the sky. This information was passed on to the IAF's control unit, but no decision was made to alert the public and the army or to activate alarms.

"No defense system is completely airtight, even with advanced technologies," says Dr. Liran Antebi, a senior visiting researcher at the Yuval Ne'eman Workshop at Tel Aviv University and a world-renowned expert on drones and UAVs. "We still need to improve warning mechanisms to provide a chance for defense. In some cases, interception is not possible because the drone or UAV flies too low, and attempting to intercept it at that stage could increase the risk and potential damage."

Antebi highlighted another issue with Israel's preparedness to handle drones and UAVs: "It's a highly challenging mission, not just technologically, but also culturally. The other side is learning about us and adapting much faster than we are able to develop and evolve. Until we address this, we are falling behind. It's a competition between two forces operating at completely different speeds."

"Even if we reach the pinnacle of technological and scientific advancements and put them into action, these processes take time. Meanwhile, the other side is improvising and achieving capabilities that were once exclusive to official nations, integrating them in ways that challenge our defense systems. The entire world is evolving. For example, to keep pace, the Americans are turning to more and funding private companies to accelerate their capabilities."

The Russia-Ukraine war has drawn significant attention from scientists, technologists, foreign militaries, and aviation enthusiasts regarding the use of UAVs and drones in both defense and offense. "In Ukraine, we're seeing innovative solutions that no one here would have considered," Dr. Antebi notes, giving the example of "using a drone to take down a UAV."

She also criticized the Defense Ministry's handling of growing UAV threats, stating that despite the increasing urgency, they are not taking sufficient action. "Yes, maintaining safety is important, but in some areas, the ministry has reverted to operating as if we were in a routine situation. We need to initiate internal changes. I would strengthen the country's protection and establish protocols for more immediate and frequent defense drills at all bases, as they are the main focus of the threat. We've seen firsthand what happens in these situations."

Developments and operating advanced defense systems

Several small companies in Israel are currently developing and operating advanced defense systems against drones and UAVs, with R2-Wireless being a standout. In Israel, the company collaborates with the defense establishment on various projects, and its clients include Mekorot, the national water company.

Internationally, R2-Wireless operates in Europe, South America, and Asia, with its systems deployed to protect military bases, cities, and critical civilian infrastructure. Recently, the company secured a major contract with the German military.

The company's CEO, On Fenig, served as a reconnaissance platoon commander in the Moran Unit. After several financial management roles in giant corporations like Siemens and Cisco, he managed Rioglass, a company spun off from Solel-Siemens.

"We are developing technology to detect threats across sea, air, and land," Fenig told Walla, "with a focus on electromagnetic activity, including UAVs and drones. For example, we can detect a drone or UAV's transmission in real-time, pinpoint its location, and pass that information to an interceptor."

The technologies provided by the company, Fenig adds, allow for the detection of a Radwan Force cell climbing a ridge, with members carrying radios or mobile devices. This capability can be applied to protect critical infrastructure or support maneuvering forces.

"We employ advanced methods for this," Fenig explained. "For instance, we might deploy a drone to scan the ground and detect remotely controlled explosive devices or ambushing forces targeting the IDF. We have an operational system capable of protecting a city, we've aided efforts to identify drug smuggling at the Egyptian border, and we respond to private security initiatives in the North."

Fenig, like Dr. Antebi, stressed the importance of the threat's rapid learning process and the ability to adapt systems to it and even anticipate it in advance.

"For example, the Russians broadcast false information from their aircraft to prevent disruption. You might think you've cracked the aircraft's encryption, but the location data has been falsified, making it impossible to alter its course or take control. The battlefields in Ukraine and Lebanon demonstrate this. Systems designed to crack encryption are no longer effective, but instead of breaking them, we focus on characterizing tools and detecting anomalies at a highly advanced level."

The next threat

He adds that the next UAV threat is already upon us: "It’s not just about dealing with known technologies but also with improvised or homemade tools produced by 3D printers. This is exactly what the Ukrainians are doing against the Russians. A solution in air defense must be multi-layered and multi-staged. There isn’t a single system that can do it all; multiple systems are required, including radio-based, radar-based, optical, and various sensor technologies. It’s a comprehensive, layered response."

"In contrast, the model in which the IDF integrates cutting-edge technologies into the army is a broken model. It doesn't work."

Fenig stresses that "the goal must be to create a complete ecosystem. The Ukrainians developed strong capabilities against the Russian threat with the mindset of 'This is bigger than us. No ego whatsoever. We're open to any solution.'

"In contrast, the IDF tends to work in the opposite way, primarily with large companies, despite having the world’s best testing ground with its multi-front conflicts."

"The IDF must enhance its systems and sensors of all types to protect the skies over the country, and everything must be interconnected," he continued. "We recently returned from a NATO exercise, where we trained to deal with these types of threats. Large and small companies from around the world participated, including from Israel.

"Instead of allowing companies to test their technology under controlled lab conditions to prove its effectiveness, they divided us into five groups. Soldiers were brought in to operate the systems, and various threats, including future threats and special forces, were launched against them. We identified everything in the air—it was incredible to witness. We concluded that these systems must be integrated. However, that's not how things are done in Israel," he explained.

The IDF's response

"The IAF began organizing for the UAV threat about a decade ago. Since the start of the war, thousands of UAVs have been fired at Israel, most of which were intercepted thanks to the relentless efforts of thousands of soldiers working around the clock to protect the country's skies. The IAF will continue to operate in defense and attack to protect Israel, as it has done over the past year against more than 25,000 launches toward the State of Israel."