Until recently military technology was often adapted for civil uses - enabling Israeli defence companies like Rafael to establish subsidiary companies that take the technology developed for missiles, for example, and adapt it for medical purposes.
This direction has changed. Now we see more civil technologies being adapted for military uses.
The reason behind this is simple - the research and development budgets at civil companies that develop systems which are later mass-produced are much bigger than those available to the defence industry.
In many Israeli defence companies the trend is to use such off-the-shelf technologies for systems that are aimed to win a war. Sensors, electro-optics and robotics are just a few examples in which the defence industry enjoys the fruit of massive investments in the high end of what we sometimes refer to as "gadgets".
Experts are often taken by surprise at the quality of many off-the-shelf products that with small adaptations are used in their systems.
My guess is this trend will continue, as the demand from the civil market for new technology continues to grow.
Efficient energy sources that can power unmanned air systems and hand-held communications are just two recent examples of technologies that are moving from civil to military.
The list grows longer every month - and in some cases it's hard to believe the origin of some exotic technology found in the most advanced military systems.
This direction has changed. Now we see more civil technologies being adapted for military uses.
The reason behind this is simple - the research and development budgets at civil companies that develop systems which are later mass-produced are much bigger than those available to the defence industry.
In many Israeli defence companies the trend is to use such off-the-shelf technologies for systems that are aimed to win a war. Sensors, electro-optics and robotics are just a few examples in which the defence industry enjoys the fruit of massive investments in the high end of what we sometimes refer to as "gadgets".
Experts are often taken by surprise at the quality of many off-the-shelf products that with small adaptations are used in their systems.
My guess is this trend will continue, as the demand from the civil market for new technology continues to grow.
Efficient energy sources that can power unmanned air systems and hand-held communications are just two recent examples of technologies that are moving from civil to military.
The list grows longer every month - and in some cases it's hard to believe the origin of some exotic technology found in the most advanced military systems.
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