The House Armed Services Committee released its version of the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act on May 26, 2026, including Section 224 titled the "United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative" [1, 2]. This provision directs the US defense secretary to appoint an executive agent charged with coordinating joint US-Israel efforts on weapons research and development, production, and integration of data and military systems [1, 2].
The legislation expands cooperation beyond missile defense systems like Iron Dome to cover emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones, cyber capabilities, quantum technology, autonomous systems, directed energy weapons, and biotechnology [1, 2]. If enacted, it would establish the deepest military-industrial partnership between the US and Israel, surpassing ties with any other country [1, 2].
Josh Paul, a former US State Department official, said the bill aims to embed Israel within America's defense industrial base to the point it "is impossible to root it out." He added, "A new section of law in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would give Israel unprecedented access to American technology and would force the United States military to integrate Israeli defence technologies into our own critical military supply chain, giving Israel incredible leverage over America’s own defence priorities." [1]
This proposal arrives amid elevated tensions in the Middle East following a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran earlier in 2026 [1]. The United States has provided about $200 billion in inflation-adjusted military aid to Israel since 1948 [2].
The next step is consideration of the NDAA by the full House and Senate. If approved, the measure would solidify a new level of US-Israel defense cooperation in the 2027 fiscal year.
