Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE:ESLT) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Canadian company International Submarine Engineering (ISE), which specializes in advanced autonomous underwater and remotely operated systems for the maritime domain.
While the deal’s value is not material for Elbit, it reflects a growing focus within the Israeli defense establishment - and the defense industry in particular - on the sector of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs).
ISE, headquartered in the Vancouver area, is a defense-tech company, which develops and manufactures underwater vehicles, including Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), as well as computerized control systems and robotics. With over 50 years of experience in underwater robotics, ISE has supplied more than 250 underwater vehicles to customers in over 20 countries.
Elbit Systems’ existing portfolio of maritime capabilities already includes unmanned surface vessels, underwater systems, integrated Command and Control (C2) systems, electro-optical and sonar systems, as well as communication and electronic warfare technologies. Through its subsidiaries and global centers of excellence, Elbit Systems provides operationally proven maritime capabilities that support a wide range of missions, from coastal security to deep-water operations.
Elbit’s products in the UUV sector are well-recognized in the international market. In December 2022, the Seagull," manufactured by Elbit, participated in the international exercise Digital Horizon. During this exercise, which took place in the Persian Gulf, in close proximity to Iran, cooperation was tested among 17 manufacturers of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) from around the world, under the auspices of the US Fifth Fleet (headquartered in Manama, the capital of Bahrain). The Seagull is an unmanned surface vessel specifically designed for anti-surface warfare.
The integration of ISE’s autonomous underwater technologies will expand Elbit Systems' capabilities in the fields of underwater Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Mine Countermeasures (MCM), and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), further strengthening the company’s end-to-end maritime solutions.
Another prominent Israeli player in this field is Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), with its unmanned submarine, the Blue Whale. Following Greece’s evaluation of this unique and sought-after system, the website "Defense Point" reports that Greece plans to pursue a leasing model for three Blue Whale units. This is likely due to financing challenges, although the Greeks still aim to acquire a total of five units and involve local companies - Salamis Shipyards and Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) - in the production process.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on October 20, 2026.
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