The Israel Defense Prize (Hebrew: פרס בטחון ישראל), also known as the Israel Defense Award, is an award presented annually by the President of Israel to people and organizations who made significant contributions to the defense of the State of Israel.
The prize was first awarded in 1958. Three to four prizes are awarded each year. One is a lifetime achievement award, and two or three go to individuals or units whose efforts contributed to an operational field.
Notable Recipients +YearRecipient(s)Notes1958Uziel GalInventor of the Uzi Submachine Gun1959Yevgeny RatnerImprovements on the Bazooka 1960A rocket unit from Rafael Development of the Luz Missile1961Israel Tal1962An electromechanical unit from RafaelDevelopment of a proximity fuze1963A team from unit 515For their dedicated work which has led to significant successes1964David Laskov1965Manes PrattFounding the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center1966Ori Even-Tov1967Pinchas Dagan1968Shlomo Bashan, Sammy Harel, Moshe Meir, Ephraim AshkenaziA development that improved the gunsight of Air Force aircraft and enhanced the operational capabilities of the Mirage aircraft.1969Avraham MakobDevelopment of a runway penetration bomb1970Israel Orieli and Yair Bar OnOn the improvement of radar for naval vessels1971A development team at Rafael, including Nahum Shapira, Ben-Zion Naveh, Dan Tzioni, Naftali Amit, Erwin Reiter, Yitzhak Nudleman, and Uzi RavDevelopment of the 'Tal 1' cluster bomb against soft targets1972Sasson YitzhayekImpressive achievements in the field of codebreaking in Unit 82001973Yisrael Galili and Yacov LeorDevelopment of the 'Galil' rifle1974Avner Avkin, Gedalia Aharoni, Shmuel Elad, Mordechai Chen, Chaim Prion, and David Raz from Israel Military Industries (IMI)Commendation for their contribution to the development of artillery weapons1975A team from Unit 8200 of the Intelligence Corps (Sergio Hart, Micha Sharir, and Nathan Zimmerman)1976Captain Amihud Rabin from the Aeronautical Engineering Branch of the Air Force.Increasing the takeoff weight of Skyhawk aircraft, which improved their range and weapons-carrying capability.1977Caesarea Unit led by Mike HarariA commendation from the Prize Committee for special activity1978An intelligence corps team (including Israel Radomski for the second time)1979Shmuel Shtrikman1980A team from the Intelligence Corps (including Shay Pilpel, Yaakov Yeshua, Ron Shamir, Chaim Wolfson, Nathan Zimmerman, Ora Hadas, Yehuda Hartman, Yonatan Stern, Hanokh Wexler, Doron Edelman, Naftali Tashbi, Mordechai Tenenhaus, and Chaim Held)Impressive achievements in a field vital to the security of the state1981Charlie Attali, David Harari and Michael SchaeferDevelopment of the "Zahavan" — the IDF's first UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)1982Haim LaskovLifetime Achievement Award1983A team of researchers and engineers from the Air Force (including Yohanan Levanon)For the development of intelligence and electronic warfare systems1984A team from the Intelligence Corps (including Noga Alon)1985A team from the missile unit at RafaelDevelopment of the "Red Slope" thermal imaging system1986A development team at Rafael (including Dr. Yosef Levin and Dr. Naftali Amit [for the second time] from Rafael, and Moshe Horev from the Air Force)Development of the "Popeye" ("Hamudon") missile1987Gabriel Ilan, Avi Morgenstern1988Israel RubinFor his work in the Printing Department of the Mossad’s Technology Division.1989A team from the Air Force and from Elta and Keren ElectronicsFor the development and production of a system for the Air Force2020Project involving the Mossad, Rafael, the Israeli Air Force, and the Central Collection Unit of the Intelligence Directorate"Provided the IDF with unique capabilities; achieved technological breakthroughs and demonstrated exceptional vision, creativity, and determination."2020Israel Aerospace Industries project, in collaboration with the Israeli Air Force, the Directorate of Defense Research and Development, Rafael, and Elbit Systems“The project was carried out with exceptional courage and determination, overcame unprecedented technological knowledge gaps, and enabled a significant leap in IDF capabilities.”2020Project of the Intelligence Directorate and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet)“The project includes innovative developments across diverse fields and makes a significant contribution to national security.”2020A Mossad operative, for cyber activityLifetime Achievement Award “for a longstanding contribution to national security and for initiating numerous technological solutions, while demonstrating exceptional talent, creativity, curiosity, and boldness.”2021Project of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development, in collaboration with Rafael, Israel Aerospace Industries, and the Israeli Air Force“Designed to create systemic cyber defense against the threat of cyberattacks, which has become a significant and daily threat in recent years.”2021Project of the Spectrum and Cyber Defense Brigade of the IDF C4I and Cyber Defense Directorate, in collaboration with the Director of Security of the Defense Establishment, the Israel National Cyber Directorate, the Mossad, the Israel Security Agency, and the Intelligence Directorate“The project was carried out with exceptional courage and determination, overcame unprecedented technological knowledge gaps, and enabled a significant leap in IDF capabilities.”2021Project of Unit 81 within the Intelligence Directorate, in collaboration with the Israeli Air Force, the Directorate of Defense Research and Development, Rafael, Israel Aerospace Industries, and the Mossad“The project delivered a professional, unique, and significant capability for the IDF. This capability resulted from breakthroughs and unique, purpose-built developments, achieved through the courage, vision, determination, and creativity of all participating organizations.”2021Project of Unit 8200 within the Intelligence Directorateevelopment of a unique intelligence-access capability: “It provided the IDF and the broader security establishment with a distinctive, groundbreaking, and exceptional capability, significantly enhancing the IDF’s operational capacity.”2022Directorate of Defense Research and Development, Unit 9900, Israel Aerospace Industries, and Elbit SystemsOfek satellite project — Ofek 11 and Ofek 16.2022Unit 8200, including Lt. Col. Matan Derman, the Mossad, the Israel Security Agency, and the Director of Security of the Defense EstablishmentA project aimed at developing powerful, groundbreaking capabilities through diverse and unique methods.2022The Mossad, the R&D Unit of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development, and the defense industriesA project intended to preserve Israel’s qualitative advantage in the face of strategic threats.2023Spectrum and Cyber Defense BrigadeA classified system developed by the Spectrum and Cyber Defense Brigade, with all IDF branches participating in its development and operational deployment, including the C4I and Cyber Defense Directorate, the Air and Space Arm, the Intelligence Directorate, and the Navy. The system is a unique cyber-defense capability that makes breakthrough use of advanced technologies to ensure the IDF’s security and freedom of action in the digital domain against evolving and sophisticated cyber threats.2023Israel Security Agency, in collaboration with Unit 8200Development and implementation of a unique technological system that enables intelligence and security superiority across multiple operational arenas. The system is groundbreaking and makes a significant contribution to the intelligence community’s work in addressing security challenges.2023The Mossad and Unit 8200An initiative with a significant and unique strategic contribution to national security, embodying technological innovation and exceptional, groundbreaking operational boldness.2023Special Operations Array, Air and Space Arm, Navy, Israel Aerospace Industries, and RafaelAn initiative delivering an exceptional technological solution through which a groundbreaking operational capability was achieved. It contributes directly to preserving the IDF’s qualitative advantage and Israel’s national security. The project combines several innovative and unique technological developments made possible through the vision, determination, and creativity of all project partners.2024Elbit Systems
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