Machlis explained that this comes as countries shift their war strategy, mainly because the “length of conflicts and the scale of the use of munitions require a different industrial readiness.
Elbit Systems is expanding its production and development capabilities in Israel and abroad, company president and CEO Bezalel Machlis said on Monday, adding that the company plans to hire 2,000 new workers worldwide by the end of the year.
According to Machlis, the company’s plan to hire new personnel will bring the total to 4,000 in 2026, after 2,000 were hired during the first half of the year.
Machlis explained that this comes as countries shift their war strategy, mainly because the “length of conflicts and the scale of the use of munitions require a different industrial readiness, with production capabilities at rates we have not known before.”
As part of Israel’s effort to expand its production independence, the company is advancing a major expansion of local production capabilities, including at its Ramat Beka site, to increase munitions production rates and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.
Referring to the international market, Machlis said, “There is very great demand for Israeli products, and we have an enormous opportunity in Europe.”
According to him, many countries are now working to increase their own defense and production independence and are seeking advanced technologies in autonomy, munitions, communications systems, and AI.
This comes even amid the controversy over Israeli companies’ participation in last year’s Eurosatory exhibition.
“The publicity Elbit received at Eurosatory was greater than any marketing campaign we would have run,” Machlis said.
Elbit’s new solutions for future conflicts
Machlis stressed the need to develop advanced solutions for the drone and loitering munition threat, and said there is “massive work at the Defense Ministry, in MAFAT and across all the large and small industries,” adding that “there are solutions that will reach the field.”
Machlis also explained that energy weapons are expected to become a central response in the coming years. “In the long term, energy weapons will provide a better solution for drone swarms and loitering munitions.”
He added that the combination of AI, autonomy, and robotics with defense systems is becoming more significant than ever, in part due to lessons from the war in Ukraine.
Immigration to Israel, new workforce and integration
Machlis also addressed Jewish immigration to Israel and their integration into the defense industry, calling it “an enormous opportunity for the State of Israel.”