Military Technology 06/2020

Eugene Kogan Israel’s Defence Industry in the Service of the National Health System The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed some weaknesses in Israel’s national health system. For instance, the number of hospital beds in Israel is lower compared to that in other OECD member states and the nation also suffers from a shortage of medical equipment and personnel. When it became apparent that Israel was ill-prepared to combat COVID-19, the indigenous defence industry was enlisted in support of the health system. For example, in March, two military radar systems, developed by Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and used by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), were adapted by the National Emergency Team of the Ministry of Defence’s Directorate of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D, also known as MAFAT) to remotely monitor and measure the vital signs of coronavirus patients. Pulse, respiratory rate and temperature are measured using the system’s combination of radar and electro-optical sensor technologies. They will be displayed on a monitor, so that a physician can safely review data in a sterile environ- ment, without contact with the patient and thereby lowering the risk of infection and transmission of the virus. The Ministry of Defence said that “[…] it carried out a successful test of the systems. As a result of the test, plans are underway for the implementation of these systems in medical centres.” In April, IAI created and delivered to the Shamir Medical Centre at Beer Yakov an experimental robotic device for sterilising/disinfecting enclosed spaces, using ultraviolet (UV-C) technology. Interestingly enough, IAI engineers are currently adapting the same technology for the efficient and autonomous sterilisation of passenger aircraft cabins between flights, boosting airline efforts to restart operations in a safe and appropriate manner. The system is being tested on an aircraft currently being modified by IAI engineers. At this juncture, we can see a direct link between the industry, cabin sterilisation and the national health system in the form of a safe, hygienic approach. The introduction of effective cabin sterilisation technologies will be key to launching wide-scale operations in the badly affected aviation industry. It would restore shattered public confidence in safe air travel and boost chances of the aviation industry regaining some of its former vitality. In addition to this robotic device, IAI proposed the use of a hood to provide better protection than regular masks: using the latter, medical staff can inadvertently release contagious particles when connecting and disconnecting the breathing apparatus. Another relevant issue that emerged was the requirement for medical staff to enter and exit treat- ment rooms several times a day. in order to check data on monitoring equipment screens. The proposed solution to this conundrum is a system based on a mobile phone, coupled with a camera that transmits data from the monitors to external monitors, thereby substantially reducing the frequency of ingress and egress. Another proposal emphasised the utility of installing a system to monitor body temperature, respiration and pulse rates at the entrance to the emergency department of a state hospital. IAI engineers combined an ELTA radar system with optical and artificial intelligence technologies from MAFAT and the Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology. The proposed system, which will be capable of remotely identifying people suffering from fever and/or pneumonia, will be suitable to replace manual examinations, not only at hospital entrances but also at shopping centres, government offices, sports facilities in general, basketball and soccer stadiums in particular and – not least important – at the airports, ports and the land borders with Egypt and Jordan: for all intents and purposes, a universal solution. In addition, Rafael has created the CORONA ROBOT. Capable of reducing the exposure of medical staff in the rooms occupied by patients suffering from COVID-19, the device uses facial recognition technologies and data input by nurses to perform a number of routine nursing tasks, such as distributing food and medication, as well as enabling remote communication between nurses and patients via a screen. The CORONA ROBOT is currently under evaluation by the Ministry of Health. To conclude, the Government Companies Authority believes that, beyond the scope of the current COVID-19 crisis, favourable conditions have now been established to enable Israel’s defence industry to expand its activity into the medical field. This is indeed a new and very promising arena for defence companies and the government seems likely to provide additional funds for this area of development. The aforementioned solutions can also be made available for export. It is evident that national military preparedness is closely linked to medical preparedness. COVID-19 has strongly underlined this, as well as the country’s need to exploit synergies. The Israeli defence industry may also create a type of early warning system for future viruses or pandemics, using early warning radar technologies developed for defence applications as a model for a medical capability. In addition, simulation training for medical staff, better preparing them to confront similar crises in the future, is certainly in prospect. Finally, perhaps medical sensor technology could be incorporated into passenger checks before check-in at Israeli airports, in order to achieve timely identification of passengers who may be ill. The same technology might also be used on arrival, identifying passengers who may have bypassed or not been subjected to checks in their boarding locations. Potential loopholes within the system could thus be removed. Based in Tbilisi, Georgia, Eugene Kogan is a keen observer and an experienced commentator on the defence, aerospace and security world and a regular contributor to MilTech. Comment MT 6/2020 · 5