The IDF announced the launch of its new Space Directorate Unit, which was established in February and has been tasked with consolidating all missions beyond Earth's atmosphere.
This unit was established in the context of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and is headed by Lt. Col. N., who told IDF Online that the timing of opening the unit "may not be standard, but precisely at this time, we saw fit to establish the directorate. The air force realized that it was necessary to stop for a moment, pick up binoculars, and look even further ahead in order to expand our defense capabilities."
Israel has been locked in a grueling war with Hamas in Gaza and is facing rising tensions along the northern border with Hezbollah, signifying the pattern of exclusive Israeli engagement on its borders.
Are we in a new space race?
However, with the growing defense and space industries worldwide, most notably space launches conducted by states and private companies alike, Israel sees the need to be prepared for systems to operate from distances - including space. Given this reasoning, the IDF's Space Directorate Unit was established to answer the call for a broader range of air warfare.
The directorate has two structures working in tandem: the first is satellite projects, and the second is cooperation between the IDF and the existing defense system, the IDF reported.
"The Israeli Air Force is a body with experience in defense, attacking, and leading operational systems. Therefore, the Space Directorate will bridge the challenges between the country and the Israeli Air Force," noted Lt. Col. N., the head of the Space Directorate.
Much of the unit's purview will be the increasing significance of space and connecting this to other units in the IDF.
"Space may seem far away, but it's only about 100 kilometers from here, which is like an hour's drive on Route 6," Lt. Col. N. clarified. "We use this dimension of space all the time without noticing, even in routine activities, such as navigating on a mobile phone."
"Until a decade ago, in order to be in space, we had to launch satellites on our own, which is a very complex technological and economic thing, which was busy and challenging," the commander said. And now, we had the right to establish this administration during the war. The sense of purpose is enormous, and people are here with a twinkle in their eyes. We are doing everything necessary for the next generation."