Elbit expands underwater drone portfolio with ISE deal

Elbit Systems said in a company announcement Tuesday it had bought International Submarine Engineering, a Canadian undersea robotics company with more than 250 underwater vehicle deliveries.

The deal gives Elbit a larger position in naval autonomous systems. The company said ISE has served customers in more than 20 countries and has more than 50 years of subsea robotics experience.

Elbit did not disclose a transaction value beyond saying the purchase price was “not material.” ISE develops autonomous underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles, control systems and robotics for maritime use, according to Elbit.

The Israeli defense company said ISE would add to its work in underwater intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; mine countermeasures; and anti-submarine warfare. Those are areas where navies use sensors, unmanned systems and command software to monitor or protect sea lanes and undersea assets.

“This acquisition marks another milestone in Elbit Systems’ strategy to expand its offerings in the naval domain,” President and Chief Executive Bezhalel “Butzi” Machlis said. “Combined with our existing capabilities in naval electronic warfare, autonomous systems, naval precision munitions and maritime mission systems, ISE’s underwater technologies will further strengthen our position as a global provider of comprehensive, integrated maritime solutions.”

Elbit’s naval portfolio already includes unmanned surface vessels, underwater systems, command-and-control suites, electro-optical and sonar systems, communications and electronic-warfare technologies, the company said.

The purchase comes as the Arctic becomes a more important security zone for Canada as melting ice changes access to northern waters. The Jerusalem Post article said experts have warned that those changes may raise the risk of hostile Russian activity, though it did not identify the experts or provide a separate assessment of that threat.