HAIFA, Israel / VANCOUVER AREA, Canada, — Israeli defence company Elbit Systems Ltd. has completed its acquisition of International Submarine Engineering Ltd. (ISE), a Canadian developer of autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated systems. The purchase price was described by Elbit Systems as not material to the company. The acquisition was announced on October 20, 2026.
Headquartered in the Vancouver area, ISE has more than 50 years of experience in subsea robotics and has delivered over 250 underwater vehicles to customers in more than 20 countries. Its products include autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), computer control systems and robotics.
The acquisition is intended to expand Elbit Systems’ capabilities in underwater intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), mine countermeasures (MCM) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW), strengthening its existing naval technology portfolio.
ISE’s Underwater Technology
ISE’s product range includes the Explorer series of modular autonomous underwater vehicles, available in configurations rated for depths of 1,000 metres, 3,000 metres and 6,000 metres. These vehicles support mine countermeasures, hydrographic surveys, pipeline and cable inspections, environmental monitoring and research.
Their modular payloads can accommodate equipment such as side-scan sonar, multibeam echosounders and cameras. ISE also develops ROVs, semi-submersibles, specialised systems and related electronics and tooling for naval, scientific, environmental and offshore applications.
Expanding Elbit’s Naval Capabilities
Elbit Systems’ existing maritime portfolio includes unmanned surface vessels, underwater systems, integrated command-and-control (C2) suites, electro-optical and sonar systems, communications and electronic warfare technologies. Its solutions support missions ranging from coastal security to blue-water operations.
The acquisition adds ISE’s autonomous underwater technologies to Elbit’s existing capabilities in naval electronic warfare, autonomous systems, naval precision munitions and maritime mission systems. Elbit also offers the Seagull unmanned surface vessel, designed for anti-surface warfare and related maritime missions.
Elbit Systems President and CEO Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis said the acquisition marks another milestone in the company’s strategy to expand its naval offerings. He added that combining ISE’s underwater technologies with Elbit’s existing systems would strengthen its position as a global provider of integrated maritime solutions.
The acquisition expands Elbit Systems’ range of unmanned maritime technologies, adding underwater platforms to its existing surface capabilities and supporting its efforts to provide integrated systems for a wider range of naval missions.
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