IAI Will Head Development of Futuristic ‘Carmel’ Battle Vehicle

Jerusalem, 10 October, 2021 (TPS) -- The Ministry of Defense’s Directorate for Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) has selected Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) as the prime contractor to lead further development of technologies for the “Carmel” program, the IDF’s futuristic battle vehicle.

The goal of this program, which is conducted in cooperation with the IDF’s Ground Forces and the Tank and APC Directorate, is to significantly improve maneuvering capabilities.

The “Carmel” concept will be applied to current and future armored fighting vehicles and will include crew members in closed hatches, operating a range of autonomous and AI-driven platforms.

Many of the Carmel’s capabilities will be autonomous, including travel, detection of threats, defense, and acquisition of targets. With the Carmel’s innovative user interface, soldiers in the vehicle will be able to view the battlefield in several dimensions. They will receive intelligence, detect threats and acquire targets automatically, enabling them to effectively assess situations and make optimal decisions.

During the pilot stage of the program, Carmel technologies will be integrated into the “Eitan” Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV).

The Carmel concept is “groundbreaking on a global scale” and has garnered the interest of many international industries and militaries, the Ministry of Defense stated Sunday.

The program combines an innovative operational concept with state-of-the-art technologies, which provide solutions for the future battlefield.

The concept engages small crews and relies extensively on autonomous capabilities and AI, streamlining battle management while minimizing risk to human lives on both sides.