Former Mossad chief David Barnea to take top role at defense company

Ondas Defense says recently retired top spy to join as global president and chairman; will will work to develop ‘the next generation of AI-enabled, multi-domain defense systems’

Former Mossad chief David Barnea is joining Ondas Defense Ltd. as its global president and chairman, the NASDAQ-traded company announced on Monday.

The defense technology company said in a statement that Barnea will focus on “the Middle East, Europe and Asia, where governments are accelerating investment in autonomous defense, counter-UAS, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, resilient communications, precision-strike and ground robotic systems.”

Barnea, 61, said in the statement that “the nature of warfare is changing rapidly, as demonstrated by the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.”

He added that “operational advantage increasingly depends on the ability to combine intelligence, artificial intelligence, resilient communications, autonomous platforms and precision capabilities into one coordinated operational environment.” Barnea said he was looking forward to working with Ondas to “help develop the next generation of AI-enabled, multi-domain defense systems.”

Ondas says that its company mission is to provide “autonomous systems, robotics, and mission-critical technologies” to “government, defense, and commercial customers.”

In its press release announcing Barnea’s hire, Ondas stressed that the former Mossad chief “will not use or disclose classified, confidential or otherwise restricted government information” in his new role.

Barnea served as Mossad chief from 2021 to 2026, including during the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion, the subsequent wars against Hamas and Hezbollah, and the multiple Israeli bombing campaigns against Iran.

He was credited with major operational successes in the 2.5 years since the Hamas onslaught, including the exploding-beeper operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, and operations during the 12-day war against Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. He also played a major role in years of talks to release the hostages being held in Gaza.

“Barnea radically changed Mossad,” a senior defense official told The Times of Israel last year. “He flipped the script and reached new heights in the use of technology for things like smart surveillance cameras and facial recognition. It wasn’t easy for him. Mossad is still a conservative organization, and Barnea had to fight many internal battles. In the end, he won, and we are seeing the result on the streets of Iran.”

Before assuming the position of Mossad chief, Barnea served in the spy agency for 25 years, including as a deputy to then-director Yossi Cohen from 2019 to 2021.

He served as a combat soldier in the elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit and later received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the New York Institute of Technology and an MBA in finance from Pace University. He worked in investment banking until 1995, when he left the private sector to join the Mossad.

Barnea was replaced by Roman Gofman in June. Gofman’s nomination and confirmation as Mossad chief were shrouded in controversy, and Barnea wrote a letter to the High Court arguing that Gofman was unfit for the role. Gofman was ultimately, however, cleared to assume the position.

Should Barnea wish to enter politics after he leaves office, he will have to wait a three-year “cooling off” period.