U.S. defense technology firm Ondas has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of Israeli smart‑fuze specialist GATE Technologies Ltd. The deal adds a provider of advanced electronic safe‑and‑arm devices (ESADs) used in loitering munitions, drones, and the Iron Dome system.
The transaction encompasses GATE and its European partner, Bron Technologies, covering development, manufacturing, and licensing of advanced electronic safe‑and‑arm devices. The base purchase price is $205 million, with potential additional earn‑out payments of up to $185 million if performance milestones are met through 2028.
Adding GATE bolsters Ondas’ precision‑strike portfolio by providing essential fuze components for unmanned platforms. The acquisition also enhances Ondas’ existing expertise in autonomous strike systems, propulsion, mission planning, communications, engineering, manufacturing, and software solutions.
Established in 1996, GATE’s products are fielded in dozens of weapons platforms globally—missiles, rockets, UAVs, and loitering munitions. Their fuze systems ensure safe storage, transport, and launch, engaging only when pre‑programmed conditions are satisfied.
The trend toward smaller, more autonomous, software‑driven weapons is pushing the defense sector away from mechanical fuzes toward electronic alternatives.
Majority of GATE’s revenue from outside Israel
“GATE represents a strategic fit for Ondas,” said Eric Brock, Ondas’ chairman and CEO. “The market demand for precision and autonomous strike systems is accelerating, and electronic safe‑and‑arm devices are becoming more prevalent. We plan to invest in its manufacturing capacity, engineering resources, and global expansion.”
The bulk of GATE’s revenue is generated internationally. Its European partner, Bron Technologies, operates a manufacturing facility in Poland, and the firm is developing engineering, integration, qualification, and production capabilities in the United States, with products slated for market release in the first half of 2027.
Ondas, a Nasdaq‑listed holding company, has a market cap of $4.1 billion, reflecting a 25 % decline since the start of the year. In addition to its series of Israeli acquisitions, the firm has hired high‑profile Israeli defense officials, most notably former Mossad director David Barnea, who stepped down from the agency several months ago.
Ondas’ Israeli operations are overseen by Brig. Gen. (res.) Oshri Lugasi, a former IDF chief engineering officer and ex‑executive vice president at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
During the past 12 months, Ondas has consolidated a portfolio of small Israeli defense firms. These include Airobotics (drone and interceptor systems), Omnisys (AI for mission planning and resource management), Bird Aerosystems (airborne and maritime defense solutions), Robotican (ground robotics), Centrix (drone detection and interception), and Indo (heavy engineering equipment for civil and defense use).
“Electronic fuze systems are critical to precision weapons,” said Lugasi. “GATE has established a strong foothold through extensive licensing and integration into dozens of platforms. Post‑acquisition, Ondas will enhance customer support and broaden its operational presence both in Israel and globally.”
Market analyst MarketsandMarkets forecasts the global loitering munitions market to expand from roughly $5.4 billion in 2025 to about $13.3 billion by 2030.
Legal counsel for GATE in the deal were attorneys Eyal Sagie and Myren Sandelson.
