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Israel will invest $110 billion over the next decade to build an autonomous domestic arms industry, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday.
Speaking at a military ceremony at an air base in southern Israel, Netanyahu said the government had approved 350 billion shekels for the initiative, which he said was designed to prevent supply disruptions and guarantee Israel’s long-term military advantage.
“I approved a total of 350 billion shekels over the coming decade to build an independent arms industry for the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu added that Israel’s defence industries were developing weapons systems aimed at ensuring long-term battlefield superiority, stressing that developing the country’s arms industry would boost its security.
He stated, “We want to reduce our dependence on any party, even on friends. The finest minds in our defence industries are hard at work developing weapons systems that will guarantee Israel’s advantage on the battlefield of the future.
“We have established our status as a regional power — and in certain fields, as a global one. This brings many other countries closer to us. Peace is made with the strong, not with the weak.”
Israel has long depended on military equipment from the United States under a close defence cooperation arrangement. According to the U.S. Congress, Washington provided $3.3 billion in military assistance to Israel in 2025, along with $500 million for missile defence cooperation.
