Former Mossad Director David Barnea joins US defense technology company Ondas

David Barnea, the former director of the Israeli foreign intelligence agency Mossad, has been appointed as the chairman of the board at the US-based defense technology company Ondas. According to the company's statement, Barnea will also serve as the global president of Ondas.

Within the scope of his new role, it was reported that Barnea will focus on the growing field of defense technologies, particularly in the Middle East, European, and Asian markets. In its statement, the company highlighted systems developed against unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous defense solutions, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technologies, secure communication infrastructures, precision strike capabilities, and ground robotic systems as key areas of focus.

In his assessment regarding the appointment, Barnea stated that he aims to contribute to the development of next-generation, AI-powered defense systems. Noting that conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine are rapidly changing the nature of warfare, Barnea emphasized that operational superiority now depends on integrating intelligence, artificial intelligence, resilient communication systems, autonomous platforms, and precision military capabilities into a single structure.

David Barnea served as the director of Mossad between 2021 and 2026. Following the conclusion of his term on June 2, Major General Roman Goffman, the military secretary to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was appointed as his successor.

Before his intelligence career, Barnea is known to have served in Sayeret Matkal, one of the elite units of the Israeli military. The former Mossad executive's transition to the private sector comes at a time when competition in the defense industry regarding artificial intelligence and autonomous systems is intensifying.