Israeli-based defense company rebrands American subsidiary to Twenty-Six Defense

The U.S. arm of Israeli-based Elbit Systems has rebranded to Twenty-Six Defense, a new name that emphasizes the subsidiary’s American-made brand.

“Launching Twenty-Six Defense underscores our growth in the American market and reinforces our commitment to supporting U.S. warfighters, wherever the mission takes place,” Luke Savoie, president and CEO of Twenty-Six Defense, said in a company statement on Tuesday.

The number 26 refers to the atomic number for iron and is meant to symbolize “resilience and durability,” Savoie said.

The branding change also comes as American support has become divided in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel in October 2023 and the ensuing war in Gaza, which the United Nations classified as a genocide in 2025.

Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, Twenty-Six Defense employs 3,300 people across the United States, according to the company. After General Dynamics sold its tactical aircraft division to Lockheed Martin in 1993, Elbit Systems of America purchased the former General Dynamics manufacturing facility in Fort Worth.

From its Texas headquarters, the company began working on F-16 avionics for the U.S. Air Force. Over the last three decades, the U.S. subsidiary acquired six defense companies, expanding its footprint to include aircraft helmet-mounted display technologies, night vision systems, precision-guided seekers and laser targeting systems.

In 2019, Elbit’s U.S. arm bought Harris Corp’s night vision business as part of an antitrust remedy when Harris and L3 Technologies merged.

Beyond its defense capabilities, Twenty-Six Defense has grown its domestic business in the U.S. as well. In July, the company announced that it scored multiple contracts valued at more than $370 million from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. That work is scheduled through May 2029. The U.S. subsidiary has long provided surveillance systems for CBP along the U.S.-Mexico border.