Yeruham Excluded from Defense Ministry's FPV Drone Tender, Sparking Controversy

A controversy has erupted in the southern Israeli town of Yeruham following the recent publication of the Ministry of Defense’s tender for the procurement and training of approximately 5,000 FPV attack drones from Israeli companies. According to the tender's terms, Yeruham has been explicitly excluded and is not among the approved locations for conducting training programs.

FPV drones, which have seen widespread use in recent wars such as in Ukraine, are fully controlled by a human operator and lack the ability to hover in place or operate autonomously. They carry a relatively small explosive payload, but their ability to crash at high speed into targets such as weapon or fuel depots can cause significant damage.

Alon Unger, CEO of Optimum – Unmanned Systems Consulting, and chairman and founder of the UVID Conference, sent an urgent appeal on the matter to Economy Minister Nir Barkat and Yeruham Council Head, Adv. Nili Aharon, demanding changes to the tender to include Yeruham. "I was surprised to discover that the tender’s requirements do not align with the significant efforts to develop Yeruham as a leading hub for unmanned aerial systems," Unger wrote.

The appeal highlights Yeruham’s strong potential to become a national drone and UAV center, particularly the opportunity to integrate the IDF into local activities.

According to a Globes report (by Asaf Gilad), the tender includes the immediate purchase of approximately 5,000 FPV drones, with the possibility of expanding to around 20,000 units in the future, potentially reaching a total value of over NIS 70 million.

Leading Israeli drone companies are competing in the tender, but criticism has already emerged over the Defense Ministry’s decision to incorporate Chinese components for cost reasons, despite the availability of Israeli alternatives.