A provision in the defense bill being considered by the U.S. Congress could tighten military ties between the United States and Israel, promoting deep cooperation in weapons research, production, and technology.
The provision, titled the “U.S.-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative,” appears as Section 224 in the version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2027 drafted by the House Armed Services Committee. This is the annual U.S. defense policy bill.
The measure is still in its early stages. Each year, Congress passes the NDAA to set military policy and authorize defense programs and spending levels.
If enacted, the provision could mark a major shift in one of the world’s closest military relationships, moving the two countries from a partnership based largely on U.S. military aid to one where their defense industries are far more deeply integrated.
Section 224 would require the U.S. Secretary of Defense to designate a “lead agency”—a single official to coordinate military cooperation between the U.S. and Israel. This work would include joint research and development, co-production of weapons, and the linking of military systems and data.
“What Congress is trying to do is find different ways to embed this relationship so deeply into the U.S. defense industrial base that it cannot be removed,” said Josh Paul, a former U.S. State Department official and founder of the advocacy group A New Policy, commenting on the controversial provision.
“A new statutory provision in the NDAA would give Israel unprecedented access to U.S. technology, and force the U.S. military to integrate Israeli defense technology into its own critical military supply chains, giving Israel incredible leverage over U.S. defense priorities,” he added.
The two countries already jointly build missile defense systems such as the Iron Dome. The bill would expand cooperation into more modern warfare domains, from artificial intelligence to drones and cyber operations.
The provision comes amid Middle East turmoil following the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran earlier this year. In February, U.S. and Israeli forces jointly struck Iran, triggering five weeks of war; Iran retaliated against Israel and U.S. bases in the Gulf before a ceasefire took effect in April. Israel is also facing genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice brought by South Africa related to the Gaza war.
The bill must first clear the House Armed Services Committee, expected to mark up the measure in early June, and then pass both the House and Senate. The provision was introduced by Republican committee chairman Mike Rogers and senior Democrat Adam Smith, drawing support from both major parties, despite polls showing growing opposition among Democratic voters and some Republican voters to continued military support for Israel.
The U.S. has provided military support to Israel for decades. Since 2008, U.S. law has required Washington to maintain Israel’s “qualitative military edge,” keeping its forces stronger and more advanced than any regional adversary on the argument that a small country must rely on better weapons rather than larger numbers. Under the current aid agreement signed under former President Barack Obama, Washington provides Israel approximately $3.8 billion annually in military assistance. This 10-year deal runs through 2028. Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid since 1948, most now military aid, worth over $300 billion adjusted for inflation.
The nature of this support may be shifting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently declared he wants to end reliance on U.S. military aid within 10 years, arguing his country has “matured.” Closer cooperation between the two defense industries rather than cash handouts could align with that goal.
