Swarming the battlefield: Elbit-FUSE reveals mass drone and robot armies as IDF plans new AI branch
As an ethical matter, Elbit officials said that humans will and must remain in the loop to sign off on targeting decisions and to reduce collateral harm to civilians.
On Wednesday, the Jerusalem Post and a select few media outlets toured Elbit-FUSE's facility, unveiling a range of products designed to enable a handful of human soldiers to control dozens or even hundreds of robots and drones in large-scale swarms. This vision includes hundreds of drones providing air cover, autonomous tank-style vehicles delivering tactical firepower, and smaller specialized robots entering structures to engage enemy forces up close or neutralize booby traps.
Ukraine is reportedly producing 10 million small tactical drones annually and aims to double that volume, while China, the US, and other nations are also mass-producing drones and robots. In response, the IDF's Chief of Staff announced a new branch dedicated to robots, drones, and AI battle forces by Chanukah-December.
Elbit-FUSE's CEO, Eyal Dahan, explained that the new branch combines autonomous platforms, operational AI, and scalable One2Many command capabilities into integrated operational solutions for rapid deployment in modern combat formations. However, Dahan emphasized that AI systems will never replace human soldiers entirely. On defense, fewer human soldiers may be needed to manage autonomous vehicle swarms, while more soldiers may be required on the offensive, depending on the mission.
Elbit officials stressed that humans must remain in the decision-making loop to sign off on targeting and minimize collateral damage to civilians. The company showcased five versions of the Firefox drone with varying uses, abilities, price ranges, and capabilities, ranging from day-to-night operations and laser-guided features to varying costs, from $2,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The site also featured multiple stages of drone and robot assembly, with technicians assembling parts, discussing technical issues, and integrating all components.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
