Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf Visits Israel to Expand Defense Collaborations

Brian Schimpf, CEO and co-founder of American defense technology firm Anduril, is visiting Israel this week to advance potential deals and partnerships with the Israeli defense establishment. Following founder Palmer Luckey's earlier visit this year, Schimpf's delegation will hold meetings with key Israeli defense entities including the Ministry of Defense's Directorate of Defense Research and Development (Maf'at), Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and Elbit Systems. The visit aims to promote sales of Anduril's products, especially its command and control systems, and to establish a permanent Israeli representative to manage ongoing relations with the defense sector.

During the visit, Schimpf and his team will interview several retired Israeli generals, including former Air Force Commander Amikam Norkin and former Planning Directorate head Amir Abulafia, to potentially appoint a liaison for Anduril in Israel. The delegation will also meet with Elbit CEO Bezalel Makhlis and Ministry of Defense Director Amir Baram. This visit builds on a recent collaboration announced between Anduril and Elbit to offer the US Army a long-range artillery system called "Ro'em" (Sigma 155), combining Elbit's artillery capabilities with Anduril's AI-enabled command and control and autonomy technologies.

Anduril's engagement with Israel is part of a broader strategy to enter a key market, recruit local talent, and leverage Israeli defense companies as gateways to European customers. The company seeks to demonstrate operational viability despite past setbacks with drone deployments in Ukraine. Anduril's flagship product, the AI-based Lattice command and control platform, is positioned to compete with existing Israeli solutions from startups like Kaleidoscope, Ondes, and Elbit's "Tzid" system. The company also aims to scale production and prepare for a future public offering inspired by tech giants like SpaceX and Palantir.

This visit underscores Anduril's intent to deepen its footprint in Israel's defense ecosystem, potentially bringing its advanced technologies directly to Middle Eastern combat zones and expanding its global reach through partnerships with established Israeli defense contractors.