Israel to locally produce heavy bombs, reducing reliance on US after shipment holdup
Elbit Systems also contracted to establish manufacturing plant for raw materials, in deals worth $275 million; Israel hopes to reach ‘full independence’ in munitions manufacturing
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The Defense Ministry on Tuesday signed two major deals with Elbit Systems for the local arms contractor to supply the military with thousands of heavy bombs and establish a new facility to manufacture raw materials.
The deals were estimated at NIS 1 billion ($275 million), the Defense Ministry said.
The ministry said the agreements were “crucial for enhancing the IDF’s operational endurance and force build-up capabilities,” and represented a “central lesson learned from the war.”
Under the first agreement, Elbit was to supply thousands of heavy air munitions used by the Israeli Air Force.
This would apparently reduce Israel’s need to rely on the United States, which in late spring held up a shipment of heavy bombs.
Since the beginning of the war, the IAF has launched over 83,000 munitions in airstrikes, according to the military.
Under the second agreement, Elbit was to establish a “national raw materials plant to produce raw materials that were sourced mainly from abroad before the war.”
“The new facility will feature advanced production lines for energetic materials that Israel’s defense industry uses,” the ministry said, adding that the project is expected to “strengthen domestic manufacturing independence and reduce reliance on imported raw materials.”
Defense Ministry Director General Eyal Zamir said the deals were “laying the foundations for expanding manufacturing independence in two critical areas for the IDF’s operational sustainability: domestic production of heavy air munitions and establishing a national raw materials plant.”
“Both agreements will ensure sovereign capability in producing bombs and munitions of all types,” he said in remarks provided by the ministry.
“We initiated this historic move before the war but accelerated it during it. Under both agreements, initial capabilities will soon gradually expand until we achieve full independence in both areas,” Zamir said.
“This is a central lesson from the war that will enable the IDF to continue operating powerfully in all theaters,” he added.
The Defense Ministry said in August that the US has sent over 50,000 tons of armaments and military equipment to Israel since the war began.
The aggression against Israel throughout the Middle East, which has been described as a seven-front war, began with the Hamas October 7, 2023, massacre, which saw thousands of terrorists invade Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251.
In Gaza, fierce fighting in the north continues, with Hamas still demonstrating it is still capable of firing rockets at Israel after nearly 15 months of war.
In Lebanon, a delicate ceasefire holds as Israeli forces continue to uncover Hezbollah infrastructure in the country’s south.
Meanwhile, over the past month, Houthi ballistic missiles from Yemen have repeatedly sent millions of Israelis to bomb shelters in the middle of the night.
