To counter the persistent threat of hostile UAVs and drones, the IDF Northern Command developed a new system called "Shumu Shamayim".
Its purpose: to consolidate data from dozens of drone launches over months of combat, detect enemy patterns, prevent future attacks—and save lives. Following its success in the north, the system is now being adopted in the south as well.
It began with a major challenge. In August 2024, a senior officer convened an emergency meeting after repeated drone and UAV attacks at low altitudes. The Northern Command allocated substantial resources to develop a solution. The IDF's Division 91 control center, MEBA, took the lead in compiling threat data, analyzing each incident from detection to neutralization.
Enter the IDF's information systems team, who were brought in to create a usable, searchable database. Raw data had been collected over months, often in non-standard formats—from verbal reports by local security officers to unstructured records. The analysts built a dedicated system that could absorb this scattered data and present it clearly for field use.
Major D., head of the Northern Command’s IT systems, explained the challenges of implementation: getting frontline soldiers to change their reporting methods after months—or even years—of habit required close cooperation and customization. Within weeks, the first version of “Shumu Shamayim” was operational.
Later, the team added an artificial intelligence model capable of identifying hidden patterns and recommending countermeasures. According to MEBA commanders, these insights have already prevented deadly attacks. In one instance, the system helped detect and neutralize a drone that posed an immediate threat to soldiers, earning a heartfelt thank-you call from a field commander.
Since then, “Shumu Shamayim” has undergone three upgrades and continues to expand as new threats emerge. It now tracks dozens of types of unmanned aerial vehicles across various battle zones. Its users range from Northern Command analysts to officers in the field, who now receive formal training on the system.
Due to its operational success, “Shumu Shamayim” is currently being rolled out in the Southern Command. As one officer put it: “The real magic of the system lies in the cooperation between people and branches. We believe this tool will become standard throughout the military.”