Former IDF general joins race to head Andurils Israel operations

The race to become head of the Israel operations of innovative US military technology company Anduril Industries is hotting up with former IDF planning chief Gen. (res.) Amir Abulafia as a candidate for the coveted job, “Globes” has learned.

Earlier this week “Globes” revealed that former Israel Air Force commander Gen. (res.) Amikam Norkin is also in line for the job. He is currently a partner at the Ace venture capital fund.

Abulafia, Norkin and another former IDF general will meet next week with Anduril cofounders Palmer Luckey and CEO Brian Schimpf for an interview that may decide the identity of who will manage the US company’s operations in Israel. Palmer and Schimpf are expected to arrive in Israel for a 48-hour visit, during which they will meet with senior officials from the Ministry of Defense, the Defense Ministry’s Directorate of Defense R&D (MAFAT), and several heads of major defense equipment companies.

For now, Anduril’s plans in Israel are limited to selling to the Ministry of Defense and possibly signing a major deal with one of the Israeli defense giants in order to integrate its products with products from companies that are sold in the local market.

In general, Anduril’s international strategy is based on collaborations with local defense companies, to quickly adapt to new markets. This partnership includes working with both large and small companies, from diverse fields of activity. For example, Anduril has a strategic partnership with the German giant Rheinmetall, to expand its activities throughout Europe. Despite speculation on the subject, it is estimated that the company does not intend to open research and development activities in Israel, a field that it largely maintains within US borders.

If the choice of Norkin marked the Air Force as Anduril’s target in Israel, then the candidacy of Abulafia, a man from ground forces, indicates a different direction. Abulafia rose through the Nahal Brigade to become commander. He served as commander of the Special Air Forces Command, as commander of regional brigades, divisions and reserve formations, and before his discharge served as head of the Planning Directorate. After his release in 2020, he was appointed to head a special administration to investigate the conduct of the Shin Bet during the October 7 massacre. In addition, he served as CEO of the Dona real estate company.

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Anduril was founded as a company developing a command and control system for the US-Mexico border and later expanded to all security products – including drones, interceptors, cruise missiles, UAVs and even fighter jets. After SpaceX’s successful IPO, Anduril also plans to raise funds on Wall Street and international expansion serves that aim well, After receiving a valuation of $61 billion in its most recent financing round, the company is building on an IPO at a value of hundreds of billions, if not more.

Anduril has not yet acquired a large company outside the US, apart from a startup in the field of edge computing and tactical communications in Ireland. The vast majority of its acquisitions were made in the US, for amounts that were never published. Anduril has acquired companies in the field of satellite intelligence; radar manufacturing; a drone and autonomous aircrafts; unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); infrared sensors and rocket engines and solid fuel.

No response from Abulafia has been forthcoming.

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on June 25, 2026.

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