Director and General Manager, Israeli Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), IL
Moshe Patel is a retired colonel of the Israeli Air Force and currently serves as Director and General Manager of the Israeli Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), part of the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s Directorate for Research and Development (DDR&D). Patel joined the Israeli Defense Forces in 1979 and, after basic training, attended the Technion in Haifa, earning a B.Sc. in computer engineering (cum laude).
In 1983, Patel joined the Israeli Air Force as a computer engineer and program manager, contributing to multiple projects until 1996. He earned an MBA in Business Management and Information Systems from Tel Aviv University in 1989. Following his MBA, he joined the Israeli Air Force engineering team at General Dynamics in Fort Worth, Texas, overseeing the development of Israeli-specific avionics software for the F-16 C/D models delivered to Israel.
Promoted to lt. colonel in 1996, Patel became head of the system integration department at IMDO, leading the integration of the Arrow weapon system. Between 1999 and 2002, he served as IMDO liaison and assistant to the R&D Attaché at the Embassy of Israel in Washington D.C., supporting Arrow development and fostering collaboration with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
In 2002, Patel became head of the Interceptor Department, developing the Arrow missile, launcher, and launch control center. Promoted to colonel in 2003, he led IMDO’s Technical Division, overseeing the development, integration, testing, and deployment of the Arrow weapon system. Patel retired from the Air Force in 2007.
In 2008, Patel joined ELBIT Systems-ELISRA as Director of the C4I Systems Business Unit, managing development for command and control systems including Arrow, David’s Sling, artillery, and tactical intelligence systems. In 2015, he was promoted to vice president, leading the IR Missile Warning Solution Division, which develops comprehensive infrared-based passive warning systems for airborne platforms.
In May 2016, Patel returned to IMDO as Director and General Manager, leading Israel’s missile defense research, development, and integration programs.