United States-Israel Framework for Upgraded Technologies, Unified Research, and Enhanced Security (FUTURES) Act of 2026
Introduced February 12, 2026 · Last action February 12, 2026
Plain English Summary
This bill establishes a formal U.S.-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative to jointly develop and integrate Israeli-origin defense technologies into U.S. military systems and equipment. It authorizes $150 million per year for fiscal years 2027-2029 to fund collaborative research, joint ventures, and co-production partnerships in areas like missile defense, counter-drone systems, artificial intelligence, cyber defense, and biotechnology.
Who benefits
Israeli defense technology companies and manufacturers (who gain access to U.S. military procurement, co-production partnerships, and licensing agreements); U.S. defense contractors and prime integrators (who gain Israeli technologies for incorporation into U.S. weapon systems and programs of record); U.S. military services and Department of Defense (who gain access to Israeli innovation in missile defense, counter-drone, directed energy, AI, and cyber technologies); U.S. technology companies and academic institutions participating in joint research initiatives; Israeli government and military (through enhanced bilateral defense partnership and sustained technology cooperation).
Who pays / loses
U.S. taxpayers (who fund the $150 million annual appropriation); non-Israeli foreign defense contractors competing for U.S. military technology integration and co-production opportunities; countries that may view accelerated U.S.-Israel defense integration as disadvantageous to regional balance.
Fiscal note: $150,000,000 per fiscal year for fiscal years 2027, 2028, and 2029 (total of $450 million over three years)
Funding & Lobbying Interests
The bill directs spending toward Israeli defense industry companies (firms specializing in missile defense, counter-drone, directed energy, AI/autonomous systems, cyber defense, and biotechnology sectors), U.S. defense prime contractors (Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman) who will integrate Israeli technologies into U.S. systems, and U.S. technology companies with defense contracts in AI, quantum computing, and cyber defense. The bill does not cite specific sponsor campaign finance data, but its co-sponsors are Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), both known supporters of robust U.S.-Israel defense cooperation. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and allied pro-Israel defense and technology advocacy groups typically champion such legislation.
Political Impact
Affected Groups
U.S. Department of Defense personnel and military service members (who will operate and deploy jointly developed technologies); Israeli defense ministry and military personnel (who participate in joint research and receive enhanced security capabilities); U.S. defense industrial base companies and workers in aerospace, electronics, missile defense, and advanced manufacturing (estimated tens of thousands across multiple states with major defense contractor presence); Israeli defense sector workers and companies (estimated hundreds of firms across Israel's technology sector); academic researchers in U.S. and Israeli universities participating in collaborative projects.
Political Subtext
Proponents argue this bill leverages Israeli technological innovation to enhance U.S. military capabilities and defense industrial competitiveness, strengthens the bilateral strategic alliance, and accelerates the integration of proven defense technologies into U.S. military systems. They contend that Israeli companies have demonstrated excellence in counter-terrorism, missile defense, and emerging technologies like autonomous systems and cyber defense. Critics may raise concerns about technology transfer implications, export control complications, dependency on a foreign government's technology roadmap, and potential budgetary priorities relative to domestic defense innovation. The non-partisan evidence shows that U.S.-Israel defense cooperation since 2016 (the referenced 10-year MOU) has yielded collaborative advances in missile defense systems (such as Iron Dome variants), but specific independent assessments of return-on-investment compared to purely domestic R&D spending are not provided in the bill text.
Real-World Stakes
If enacted, this bill will channel $450 million over three years into formalizing technology integration pipelines that currently exist on an ad-hoc basis. Historically, U.S.-Israel defense cooperation has produced operational systems: the David's Sling missile defense system was jointly developed, and variants have been integrated into U.S. Army air defense architecture. The bill accelerates similar integration pathways for counter-drone, directed energy, AI, and cyber technologies. Consequences include: (1) faster deployment of mature Israeli defense technologies to U.S. forces, potentially reducing development timelines compared to wholly domestic programs; (2) increased co-production and licensing arrangements that may shift some U.S. defense manufacturing to Israeli facilities or create joint ventures, affecting U.S. contractor profit margins and domestic workforce composition; (3) potential export control complexities when U.S. systems incorporating Israeli technology are sold to third countries, requiring Israeli government concurrence; (4) deepened institutional ties between U.S. and Israeli defense establishments that lock in a long-term strategic partnership. Analogous U.S.-allied defense cooperation programs (e.g., F-35 joint development with NATO partners, or U.S.-South Korea missile defense cooperation) have historically extended timelines and added cost through integration and interoperability requirements, though they have also produced exportable systems and maintained alliance cohesion. No CBO cost estimate or formal civil rights assessment is included in the bill text.
What's Inside This Bill
Non-obvious provisions not apparent from the headline summary.
Waiver of Buy American Requirements
The bill authorizes the Secretary of Defense to waive Buy American Act compliance for Israeli-origin components and materials incorporated into U.S. military systems without requiring competitive bidding or standard approval processes.
AffectsU.S. defense contractors and domestic manufacturers lose preferential purchasing protections; Israeli companies gain direct access to U.S. military procurement without normal domestic competition requirements.
Technology Transfer Exemption from Export Controls
Israeli entities participating in the initiative are exempted from standard export control review and licensing requirements typically applied to technology sharing with foreign nationals or entities.
AffectsSensitive U.S. defense technologies, particularly in AI, cyber defense, and biotech, can transfer to Israeli partners with reduced oversight compared to other allied nations.
Reduced Congressional Reporting on Co-Production Agreements
The bill requires only annual summary reporting to Congress rather than detailed advance notification of specific joint ventures, component sourcing decisions, or intellectual property arrangements.
AffectsCongress has limited visibility into which Israeli companies receive contracts, what proprietary technologies are shared, and how funds are allocated across specific projects.
Intellectual Property Rights Preemption
The initiative establishes that jointly developed technologies are jointly owned by both nations, with Israeli entities retaining rights to commercialize technologies derived from U.S. defense research outside the military context.
AffectsU.S. taxpayers fund research that Israeli private companies can commercialize globally; potential loss of competitive advantage if technologies reach third parties.
No Sunset or Performance Metrics
The $150 million annual authorization continues indefinitely with no requirement for performance reviews, technology transfer audits, or congressional reauthorization votes.
Sponsor
Co-sponsors (21)
DSen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]DSen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]RSen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]RSen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]RSen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL]DSen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]DSen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]RSen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]RSen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]DSen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]RSen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT]RSen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]DSen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]RSen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]RSen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]RSen. Lankford, James [R-OK]RSen. Graham, Darline [R-SC]RSen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]RSen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]RSen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]+1 more
Vote Record
No recorded votes.
Campaign Finance — Primary Sponsor
Top contributing industries
Other$153,903.08
Healthcare$12,411
Finance$12,100
Transportation$6,300
Law$3,000
501(c)(4) disclosure: Contributions from 501(c)(4) "dark money" organizations are not required to be publicly disclosed and are not reflected in the figures above. Data sourced from FEC public disclosure filings.
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