It can be said with confidence that the battlefield of the 21st century is no longer determined solely by the size of an army or the quantity of its weapons systems. We are entering an era in which the true decisive factor is the quality of military-industrial capability – the ability to develop, manufacture, upgrade, and integrate advanced technologies rapidly and at scale.
For centuries, military power was measured by clear parameters: territorial size, population, resources, number of soldiers, and firepower. Those who were larger were considered stronger. This perception has not disappeared, but it is no longer sufficient. In today’s security reality, size without advanced industrial quality is quickly eroded.
The wars of the new era are conducted in technological, multidimensional, and dynamic arenas, where superiority lies not only in the number of platforms or force structure but in the military industry’s ability to generate sustained advantage through innovation, integration, learning during combat, and the tight linkage between development, production, and operational deployment.
The metrics of military power have changed. They are no longer measured only by the number of tanks or aircraft but also by the ability to develop advanced defensive and offensive systems, algorithms, command-and-control systems, cyber capabilities, sensors, drones, and artificial intelligence (AI), and above all, by the ability to deploy all of these at scale and in real time. This is no longer merely a war between armies; it is a war between military industries.
Quality vs. quantity
A prominent example of this is the field of air defense systems.
The gap between Western, Israeli, and American systems and Russian-made systems has become dramatic. This was evident when Israel was able to exploit the weaknesses of Iranian air defense arrays and operate deep within Iranian airspace during the 12-Day War.
This was not only an operational achievement, but also proof of the superiority of military-industrial quality, which succeeded in bridging gaps of size, depth, and budget vis-à-vis a state whose territory is approximately 75 times larger than that of Israel. This advantage stems from the Israeli defense industry, which is advanced and intelligent and possesses a significant technological edge.
The air superiority that was achieved underscored a new strategic truth: Even against a state significantly larger than the US, the quality of the military industry can provide a decisive advantage. Not because size has lost its importance but because industrial capability has become a force multiplier that undermines traditional advantages of scale.
This trend is also evident on the global stage. The Russia-Ukraine War demonstrates how a state inferior in classical parameters managed to halt and even surprise a major military power, thanks to a combination of innovation, rapid adaptation of civilian technologies, agile industrial development, and intelligent use of information.
The gap has also been exposed in the armored arena: Tanks and heavy formations, lacking an advanced technological envelope and an adaptive industrial capability, have become vulnerable to drones, smart anti-tank weapons, and precise detection and strike capabilities, sometimes in the hands of relatively small and resource-poor actors, but with a clear qualitative advantage.
The same was evident in the Nagorno-Karabakh war, in which Azerbaijan defeated heavy Armenian formations through a combination of advanced technologies produced by Israeli, Turkish, and Western industries. Once again, it was not quantity that decided the outcome, but industrial quality and the ability to generate sustained systemic advantage.
Interestingly, defense industries have also created a new geopolitical division made up not only of political alliances but also of industrial blocs of knowledge, development, production, and cooperation.
Western superiority derives not only from wealth but also from consistent investment in research, technology, entrepreneurship, and the tight integration between the military and industry.
The conclusion is clear: The future does not belong to a large army alone, nor to a small army relying on isolated sophistication. It belongs to states with a deep, advanced, and continuously renewing military industry – one capable of producing sustained qualitative advantage that bridges gaps in size, funding, and resources.
From this follows a clear strategic conclusion for the State of Israel: When discussing the defense budget and force buildup, it is imperative to remember the true engine that drives our military power – the defense industries. Investment in technology and innovation is not a luxury; it is Israel’s most important strategic insurance policy.
Those who invest in defense tech will safeguard their future. Those who forgo it may discover that even a large army is no longer enough.
The writer is CEO of Robel Innovation and founder of the “30 Under 30” competition for promising young leaders and the “Top 10 Start-ups” competition in the defense sector.