Israel Considers Buying 1,000 Robots for Hamas Tunnel Warfare
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
The Israeli military is reportedly considering purchasing up to 1,000 humanoid robots from U.S. firm Foundation Future Industries for use in Gaza's Hamas tunnels. The robots are designed for dangerous tasks like detecting explosives. While discussions are said to be ongoing with senior Israeli military officials, no official order has been confirmed, and questions persist about the technology's maturity.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel's military is reportedly in talks to buy up to 1,000 humanoid robots for Hamas tunnel operations.
- The robots, developed by Foundation Future Industries, can detect explosives and perform dangerous missions.
- Eric Trump, son of former President Donald Trump, is a shareholder in the U.S. robotics company.
- Discussions are reportedly underway with Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir.
- Concerns exist regarding the technological maturity and cost of the proposed robot acquisition.
The Israeli military, Tsahal, is reportedly in discussions with a U.S. robotics firm, Foundation Future Industries, to acquire up to 1,000 humanoid robots for operations within Gaza's Hamas tunnels. The company, which has Eric Trump, son of former U.S. President Donald Trump, as a shareholder, offers machines designed to detect explosives and undertake dangerous missions, potentially replacing soldiers. However, no official order has been confirmed by Israel.
Foundation Future Industries, based in San Francisco, develops a robot line called Phantom, intended for hostile environments. Company president Mike LeBlanc stated he met with senior Tsahal officials in September to discuss cooperation and has visited Gaza tunnels with a Phantom MK1 robot. He indicated ongoing discussions with Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir regarding the supply of these robots, which could be used to locate trigger wires, neutralize explosives, and eventually engage in combat.
The potential investment is significant, with The Telegraph estimating a cost of $150,000 per robot, totaling $150 million for 1,000 units. Reuters, however, notes the company markets similar robots to the U.S. military for around $300,000 each, and no price has been publicly agreed upon with Israel.
When contacted by the Financial Times, the Israeli military directed inquiries to the Ministry of Defense, which declined to comment. Questions remain about the robots' technological readiness. A BBC report from June indicated the Phantom MK1 was still under development, facing challenges with autonomy, durability, and mobility. Foundation is working on an improved Phantom MK2, aiming for a six-hour battery life and self-righting capabilities after falls. Two units of the initial model have already been sent to Ukraine for military testing.
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