Over the past three years of conflict, the IDF has reported 962 soldiers killed in action and thousands more wounded. Much of the fighting has taken place in dense urban terrain, including underground tunnel networks, bunkers, and caves. In these environments, Israeli soldiers have often operated in conditions that limit conventional advantages and increase exposure to ambushes, improvised explosive devices, and other battlefield hazards.
Alongside battlefield challenges, the IDF has also expanded its technological capabilities, including the growing use of ground robots guided by digital networks and increasingly powered by artificial intelligence. This shift has been driven in part by the use of unmanned systems, particularly UAVs, by militant groups against IDF forces and Israeli civilians.
The Jerusalem Post recently highlighted these developments in the IDF’s order of battle, including a visit to a central Israel base where new robotic systems are being developed. A Defense Ministry officer with the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) outlined the operational pressures that accelerated investment in these technologies during recent fighting in Gaza and southern Lebanon.
“Troops were out in the open,” the officer said. “They needed protection. Instead of sending soldiers, they are sending robotic platforms. They don’t have mothers opening doors to hear that their son was killed.”
He continued, “Days are intense, but we need to deploy as fast as we can,” adding, “We need to save lives. Time to market is important, so we are constantly thinking, developing, testing and deploying for the troops.”
The DDR&D officer added that robotics research is advancing rapidly worldwide, much of it focused on civilian applications such as cleaning, maintenance, construction, and manufacturing. While some of these systems can be adapted for military use, others are not suitable for such roles.
According to him, combat units often bring improvised solutions developed in the field, sometimes using commercially available machines purchased with their own funds from civilian sources such as Amazon. Some of these systems can be scaled and integrated into the IDF’s broader order of battle, while others are used in niche roles for specialized units and missions.
“We have soldiers who are 18 – they know robots,” he said. “They grew up with them, so when they meet these robots for the first time, they know how to use them. Many reservists can learn how to use them too. AI and autonomy help them in complicated and complex situations to successfully carry out the mission.”
He added that some specialized IDF systems are modified versions of existing equipment, including the D9 Panda, a remote-controlled variant of the DP heavy bulldozer operated from up to 10 km (6 miles) away, used to clear mines, IEDs, debris, and other battlefield hazards without putting a human driver at risk.
Another legacy system adapted for remote use is the M113 armored personnel carrier, long in IDF service but no longer considered suitable for frontline combat. Reconfigured as the “Iron Beast,” it can be filled with explosives and remotely driven near enemy positions before detonation, helping clear mines and tunnels without risking troops. Thousands of surplus M113s, once slated for scrap, have been repurposed for this role. The conversion process, which adds remote-control systems and sensors, takes several weeks, with demand consistently exceeding supply.
Other brand-new robots have seen heavy use in these wars, mostly for reconnaissance and observation purposes. Their small size and low-noise signature allow them to approach enemy positions with reduced risk of detection. These systems are part of a broader evolution in battlefield robotics, as newer AI-enabled platforms designed to coordinate multi-robot “swarm” operations – both offensive and defensive – move from prototype to production.
“The modern battlefield contains a lot of robotic platforms,” Golan Malca, VP Sales and Business Development at the Israeli defense-tech company TSG, told The Jerusalem Post. “We provide the brain to help complete the mission. It detects the threats and provides different priorities to different threats that the robot has to handle.”
“There is a growing trend of using robotic platforms instead of soldiers to complete the mission and even provide Battlefield Damage Assessment (BDA) reports.”
The IDF has already begun using these systems to coordinate multiple robot types for tasks that previously required large numbers of soldiers in high-risk environments, while emphasizing that human operators remain involved, “especially when pulling the trigger.”
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
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