Zein Khalil and Rania Abushamala
03 August 2026•Update: 03 August 2026
By Zein Khalil and Rania Abushamala
JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL (AA) - US defense technology company Ondas announced Monday the appointment of former Israeli Mossad chief David Barnea as its global president, according to Israeli media.
In his new role, Barnea will “play a pivotal role in leading the company’s global expansion, shaping its technology development strategy and driving commercial integration,” the public broadcaster KAN said, citing a company statement.
Ondas Chairman and CEO Eric Brock said Barnea brings “an exceptional combination of modern operational experience, strategic vision, technological leadership and international relationships.”
The Nasdaq-listed company specializes in autonomous systems and artificial intelligence-enabled defense solutions, including air defense, intelligence, precision-strike capabilities and ground robotics, according to the Israeli daily Israel Hayom.
Barnea served as Mossad director from 2021 to 2026, leading the Israeli intelligence agency during a period marked by multiple-front conflicts and direct confrontations with Iran and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
According to the paper, Mossad underwent a broad operational overhaul under Barnea, placing advanced technologies--including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and modern communications systems--at the center of its activities.
Before joining Mossad, Barnea served in Sayeret Matkal, the Israeli military’s elite special forces unit, and later worked in the private sector in mergers and acquisitions.
“The nature of warfare is changing rapidly in the Middle East and Europe,” Barnea said following his appointment. “Operational superiority today depends on connecting intelligence, artificial intelligence and autonomous platforms within a single coordinated environment.”
As global president, Barnea is expected to focus on developing strategic ties with governments and security organizations in the Middle East, Europe and Asia, as well as identifying emerging technologies for investment, Israel Hayom said.
Barnea left Mossad after completing a five-year term he began in June 2021. He was succeeded by Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman, formerly the military secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose appointment from outside the agency prompted controversy within Israel’s security establishment.
