Unlike larger militaries that struggle to integrate new technologies into massive legacy structures, Israel adapts quickly.
By Hezy Laing
Israel’s defense establishment has set an ambitious but increasingly realistic objective: by 2035, a majority of the country’s frontline combat platforms will be automated.
Analysts generally assess that roughly 40% of Israel’s frontline combat platforms are currently unmanned, with the Air Force already operating at or above that threshold and ground forces rapidly expanding their robotic fleets.
This estimate reflects the majority share of unmanned aircraft in strike and reconnaissance missions, the widespread deployment of unmanned ground vehicles for engineering, breaching, and urban combat, and the accelerated procurement of thousands of FPV drones for frontline units.
This 2035 vision is therefore not a futuristic fantasy but a strategic response to the changing nature of warfare, shaped by lessons from Gaza, Lebanon, and the broader Iranian threat network.
The IDF’s long‑term modernization programs—beginning with the Tnufa (Momentum) plan and continuing through newer classified frameworks—are all built around the same principle: machines will take the risks, humans will make the decisions.
The shift is driven by necessity.
Israel faces adversaries who operate from dense urban terrain, use cheap drones and anti‑tank missiles, and rely on underground networks that make traditional maneuver warfare costly.
In this environment, unmanned systems offer a decisive advantage. They can enter tunnels, clear buildings, patrol borders, and strike targets without exposing soldiers to ambushes or precision fire.
The Gaza war accelerated this transformation dramatically, with the IDF deploying autonomous drone swarms, robotic engineering vehicles, and remote‑operated armored platforms at a scale never seen before in Israeli combat.
By 2035, the IDF expects unmanned systems to dominate the most dangerous missions: first‑contact reconnaissance, tunnel entry, border security, and precision strikes deep inside enemy territory.
Humans will supervise and authorize decisions, but the physical execution will increasingly fall to machines. This approach reflects Israel’s broader doctrine of maintaining qualitative military superiority through technology rather than manpower.
Israel can only reach this 2035 objective by committing to a full‑spectrum transformation of its force structure, procurement priorities, and battlefield doctrine.
That means accelerating AI‑driven autonomy programs, expanding joint testing between industry and frontline units, and redesigning brigades so unmanned platforms are integrated from platoon level upward.
The IDF will also need to harden communications networks against electronic warfare, invest heavily in counter‑drone and cyber‑secure control systems, and train a new generation of operators who can supervise swarms, robotic armor, and autonomous sensors as seamlessly as today’s soldiers handle rifles and radios.
But compared to other countries, Israel is unusually well positioned to achieve this goal. Its defense industries are global leaders in drones, AI‑assisted targeting, and robotic ground systems.
Unlike larger militaries that struggle to integrate new technologies into massive legacy structures, Israel adapts quickly because it is forced to innovate under fire. Every conflict becomes a live laboratory.
