Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf Visits Israel to Expand Defense Collaborations and Recruit Senior Military Leaders

Brian Schimpf, CEO and co-founder of the American defense technology company Anduril, is visiting Israel this week to advance business deals and partnerships with the Israeli defense establishment. Following an earlier visit by Anduril founder Palmer Luckey, Schimpf’s delegation aims to promote sales of Anduril’s products, particularly its command and control systems, to Israel’s defense forces. The visit is organized by the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development (Maf'at), led by Danny Gold.

During the visit, Schimpf and his team will meet with senior officials from key defense companies including Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems. A central meeting is scheduled with Elbit CEO Bezalel Makhlis and other executives. They will also meet with Amir Baram, CEO of the Ministry of Defense. Anduril and Elbit recently announced a joint effort to offer the US Army a long-range artillery system called Sigma 155, combining Elbit’s artillery capabilities with Anduril’s AI-powered command and control technology.

In addition to business discussions, Anduril will interview several retired Israeli generals, including former Air Force Commander Amikam Norkin and former Planning Directorate head Amir Abulafia, to appoint a permanent Israeli representative to manage ongoing relations with the defense establishment. This move reflects Anduril’s strategy to establish Israel as a key market and operational base, recruiting local talent and expanding its footprint.

Anduril’s efforts also aim to demonstrate operational viability amid criticism of some product setbacks in Ukraine, such as issues with its Ghost drone. The company seeks to leverage partnerships with Israeli defense firms to enhance its technology’s battlefield effectiveness and to use Israel as a gateway for sales to European militaries. Recently, Elbit secured a $1.4 billion contract for military modernization with an undisclosed European client, highlighting the potential for joint exports.

Anduril’s flagship product in Israel is the Lattice command and control platform, an AI-based system integrating sensors, weapons, and autonomous systems, competing with other Israeli solutions like Kaleidoscope, ODIS, and Elbit’s Tzid system. The visit underscores Anduril’s ambition to scale production and deepen ties with Israel’s defense sector.