Elbit Advances Drone-Carrying Ships as US-Saudi $2 Billion Arms Deal Signals Regional Shift
Elbit Systems, a leading Israeli defense company, is developing a new concept to convert existing naval vessels into drone carriers, focusing on its Hermes 650 Spark UAV. This initiative aims to meet growing international demand for unmanned systems while offering cost savings by adapting current platforms rather than acquiring new ones. The Hermes 650, capable of short takeoff and landing and carrying heavy payloads with satellite communication, can integrate with the larger Hermes 900 ground control infrastructure to enhance operational efficiency. Elbit highlights potential customers including Japan, Denmark, and Germany, reflecting a competitive landscape against Turkish defense firms like Baykar.
In the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece and Cyprus have increased drone acquisitions amid tensions with Turkey, strengthening trilateral security ties with Israel. Elbit secured a €650 million deal to supply PULS artillery systems to Greece. However, EU regulations under the SAFE program, which funds defense purchases with a requirement that 65% of the contract value be sourced from EU or Ukrainian companies, pose challenges. Greece and Cyprus are jointly seeking EU funding for drone deals, following successful live-fire tests of the Greek Altus Cerberus attack drone equipped with MBDA munitions, underscoring Europe's push for defense industrial autonomy.
Meanwhile, the United States is eroding Israel’s qualitative military edge by approving a massive $1.96 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, including 20,000 precision-guided bomb kits for air-to-air and air-to-ground strikes. This deal, nearly 20 times larger than a previous $100 million sale last year, reflects Riyadh’s urgent demand for rapid military enhancement amid regional threats. The US is also providing personnel and contractor support to accelerate system integration. Saudi Arabia has emerged as the largest buyer of Taiwanese drones, paying significantly above market prices, signaling its readiness to invest heavily in advanced unmanned capabilities.
These developments illustrate shifting defense dynamics in the Middle East and beyond, with Israel innovating to maintain competitiveness, European allies seeking greater self-reliance, and the US expanding arms sales to key regional partners like Saudi Arabia amid growing security challenges.
