Israel does not pay enough attention to the next battlefield

In the last five years, the battlefield has changed so much that many military doctrines have ceased to work. Drones, which were recently perceived as an auxiliary element, have turned into the main tool of pressure — from reconnaissance to the targeted destruction of infrastructure. This applies not only to wars but also to the fight against terrorism, smuggling, and illegal trafficking.

The pace of production is growing, and this dynamic is already defining international processes.

In Ukraine and Russia, thousands of devices are launched daily: FPV, reconnaissance complexes, heavy strike platforms. In the Middle East, cartels and armed groups are building their own drone fleets — cheaply, quickly, without restrictions. Israel—Egypt? On this border, smuggling has long ceased to be “manual”: devices of different classes fly, and most routes cannot be blocked by old methods.

This is what the new reality looks like, and it will not disappear.

Facts that confirm the scale of changes

Ukraine went from garage assemblies to a full-fledged national industry in two years.
In 2024, it produced about 5.5 million drones, creating a system that externally resembles the “military Amazon” model: each unit can order the required type of device directly for the task. The speed of delivery has become a factor of survival.

Production is no longer a goal — it is infrastructure, an element like fuel or communication.

The American turn in the same direction

The USA closely observed the dynamics and eventually adopted its own accelerated logistics scheme for drones.
Launched programs allow for the rapid acquisition of devices for army and special tasks. Against this backdrop, the The American Security Drone Act was adopted, coming into force in 2024. The document is designed to restore American technological superiority and mitigate dependence on imported components, primarily Chinese.

The American military system is adjusting the supply architecture in advance — to not catch up, but to work ahead.

The Eastern front: how tactics have changed

The intensity of drone use today is such that the front lines almost do not exist. Daily attacks create wide risk zones: reconnaissance, targeted strikes, hunting for equipment.

Ukrainian FPV drones can fly tens of kilometers without a radio signal — simply along a pre-programmed route. Such devices are difficult to detect and almost impossible to stop. They work on warehouses, equipment, positions.

According to various structures, 70–80% of losses today are due to drone attacks. The war has changed not theoretically — physically.

Expansion of threats and new responses

Ukraine has developed its own set of countermeasures: lasers, inexpensive jammers, updated electronic warfare systems.
The Ukrainian adapted version of the “Stinger” has already shot down more than a thousand devices — a figure that is hard to ignore.

The problem is that threats grow faster than solutions. Everything that worked yesterday requires updating today.

European context

Germany, Denmark, and several other countries are recording more and more incidents with unidentified flying devices. The connection with Russian military structures is openly discussed, but there is no evidence yet — which does not make the situation calmer. European airspace has ceased to be “vacuum,” it is constantly being tested.

No one wants to admit that old air defense systems are designed for other threats.

Global reactions are becoming synchronous

Ukraine was the first to realize that past-generation defense does not withstand. Drone production has increased, educational programs are rapidly unfolding — operators, engineers, communicators are needed.

In the USA, the movement is similar: a course towards autonomy from the imported component base.
Global aviation, in essence, is beginning to restructure around drone platforms.

And what about Israel

Israel maintains strong positions in startups and developments, but there remains a gap in mass production and the application of systems at the army level. Threats grow faster than solutions — and this is a risk that cannot be ignored.

The country is effectively approaching a moment when quick updates to doctrine, large-scale production, and coordination of all defense elements are necessary. A pause means vulnerability.

Where is Israel’s security system heading

The reality is such that waiting no longer works. Acceleration of internal processes is required: training, industry, testing, integration.
The pace of threats becomes defining, not the structure of institutions.

This is why analytical materials that track the dynamics of drones are becoming part of the defense discourse — and this direction requires constant monitoring. This task has been covered for several years by publications from NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency, forming an understanding of how the air environment is changing and where regional security is heading.