CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED // DEFENSE LOGISTICS OVERSIGHT
DATE: January 19, 2026
AUTHOR: Senior Defense Logistics Analyst, Special Projects Division
SUBJECT: Comprehensive Assessment of Siemens AG and Subsidiaries Regarding Material Complicity in Israeli Military Operations and Occupation Logistics
This forensic audit was commissioned to evaluate the depth, breadth, and criticality of Siemens AG’s involvement in the State of Israel’s defense, infrastructure, and internal security sectors. The objective is to determine whether the leadership, ownership, or operations of Siemens—encompassing its industrial core, Siemens Energy, and Siemens Healthineers—materially support the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the occupation of Palestinian territories, or the Israeli Prison Service (IPS).
The investigation distinguishes between incidental commercial presence (standard corporate activity) and structural complicity (provision of critical systems without which the defense or occupation apparatus would face significant degradation). The audit utilizes a “System of Systems” approach, analyzing how Siemens’ technologies serve as the digital, energetic, and logistical backbone of the Israeli state’s ability to project power and maintain control over occupied territories.
The forensic analysis indicates that Siemens’ involvement in the Israeli defense and occupation ecosystem is not merely transactional but foundational. While Siemens often operates through local intermediaries such as McKit Systems, Orad Group, and RD Energy, the proprietary nature of the technology provided (Product Lifecycle Management software, industrial gas turbines, and rolling stock) ensures that Siemens retains ultimate control over the sustainment of these capabilities.
The audit identifies four critical vectors of complicity:
Based on the Upper-Extreme scale defined in the audit parameters, Siemens is ranked as UPPER-EXTREME. This ranking is justified by the “replaceability factor”: replacing Siemens’ PLM software or power turbines would require a catastrophic, multi-year restructuring of Israel’s defense and energy sectors. Siemens is not just a vendor; it is a structural pillar.
Modern warfare is increasingly software-defined. The lethality of a weapon system is determined in the design and simulation phase long before it reaches the battlefield. This section analyzes Core Intelligence Requirement 1 (Direct Defense Contracting) and CIR 2 (Dual-Use & Tactical Supply) by examining Siemens’ role as the architect of Israel’s defense engineering environment.
The core of Siemens’ complicity in the defense sector lies in its Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, specifically the Teamcenter Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software. PLM software is the repository for every piece of data related to a weapon system—from the initial CAD drawing of a missile fin to the maintenance schedule of a tank engine.
Siemens AG largely avoids direct prime contracts for sensitive military software in Israel. Instead, it utilizes a strategic channel partner: McKit Systems Ltd., a subsidiary of the Israeli IT giant Malam Team.2 This relationship is not a loose reseller arrangement; it is a deeply integrated partnership where McKit acts as the implementation arm for Siemens’ proprietary technology within the highest echelons of the Israeli security establishment.
The client list for Siemens software via McKit includes the absolute core of the Israeli military-industrial complex:
Forensic Insight: The use of McKit allows Siemens to claim it has “no direct involvement” in specific military projects. However, the software licenses (Teamcenter, NX, Solid Edge) remain the intellectual property of Siemens. Siemens engineers provide the backend support, updates, and patches that keep these systems secure. Without Siemens’ active participation in maintaining the software license validity, the digital archives of Israel’s defense industry would become stagnant and vulnerable.
A critical indicator of material complicity is the behavior of a corporation during active conflict. Evidence indicates that the relationship between Siemens (via McKit) and the IMOD intensified during the Gaza war (2023-2024).
Between November 2023 and June 2024—a period of intense aerial bombardment and ground operations in Gaza—the IMOD executed multiple contract renewals for Siemens software. These contracts, valued at over $1 million, were issued without public tender, citing “modifications and enhancements”.1
To understand the gravity of Siemens’ role, one must analyze how its specific software tools are utilized by companies like Elbit and Rafael.
| Software Module | Functionality | Application in Israeli Defense Systems | Support Evidence |
| Siemens NX | High-end CAD/CAM/CAE (Computer-Aided Design/Manufacturing/Engineering). | Used for the aerodynamic design of missile airframes (Arrow 3, Iron Dome) and UAVs. It allows engineers to simulate airflow, drag, and thermal stress on missile components before physical prototyping. | 2 |
| Teamcenter | Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). | Manages the “Bill of Materials” (BOM) for complex systems like the Merkava tank. It tracks every bolt, sensor, and circuit board, ensuring that maintenance crews have the right data to repair vehicles in the field. It is the “brain” of the logistics supply chain. | 1 |
| Solid Edge | Mainstream CAD. | Utilized for rapid prototyping of tactical gear, vehicle modifications, and sub-systems. Essential for quick-turnaround engineering changes during combat. | 2 |
| FLOEFD | Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). | Embedded simulation tool used to analyze fluid flow and heat transfer. Critical for designing cooling systems for drone engines and missile propulsion systems. | 1 |
| Simatic IT / Opcenter | Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). | Software that controls the factory floor. It dictates the actions of automated machinery producing munitions and electronic components. | 13 |
Case Study: Elbit Systems & The “Digital Thread”
Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest private arms manufacturer, relies on the “Digital Thread”—a concept marketed heavily by Siemens.9 The Digital Thread connects the design team directly to the manufacturing floor. When the IDF identifies a need for a modification to a drone or an artillery piece based on battlefield feedback in Gaza, Elbit engineers use Siemens NX to redesign the part. This data is instantly transmitted via Teamcenter to the manufacturing floor, where Siemens Simatic controllers direct the machines to produce the new part.
The strategic complicity of Siemens is cemented by “vendor lock-in.” Once a defense organization like IAI or Rafael migrates its entire engineering history (terabytes of classified blueprints and data) into Teamcenter, the cost of switching to a competitor (like Dassault Systèmes) becomes prohibitive in terms of time, money, and operational risk.
Core Intelligence Requirement 3 (Logistical Sustainment) focuses on the infrastructure that keeps the state functioning. In modern warfare, the electrical grid is a strategic asset. A reliable power supply is required to run the factories that build bombs, the servers that process intelligence, and the bases that house troops. Siemens Energy is the primary architect of Israel’s transition to energy independence.
Forensic analysis confirms that Siemens technology is responsible for approximately 40% of Israel’s total power generation capacity.3 This statistic places Siemens in the category of a “Systemically Important Vendor.” The Israeli state cannot function at its current capacity without the continued operation of Siemens turbines.
Siemens involvement goes beyond selling equipment; it executes “turnkey” projects, meaning it designs, builds, and commissions entire power plants before handing them over to Israeli operators.
A. Alon Tavor & Ramat Gabriel Power Plants
B. Gezer Power Plant
The physical construction of a power plant is only the beginning of the relationship. Modern gas turbines are complex machines that require specialized maintenance, proprietary spare parts, and remote monitoring.
The Great Sea Interconnector (formerly EuroAsia Interconnector) is a subsea HVDC cable project connecting the power grids of Israel, Cyprus, and Greece.21
Core Intelligence Requirement 4 (Supply Chain Integration) is most visibly engaged in the transportation sector. Transportation infrastructure in occupied territories is a primary tool of annexation, creating permanent physical links between the occupying power and the occupied territory while fragmenting the indigenous population.
In 2018, Siemens secured a landmark contract worth approximately €900 million to supply 60 Desiro HC double-decker electric trains to Israel Railways (ISR), with options to expand the fleet significantly.1 This was a strategic win for Siemens, marking its first delivery of complete trains to Israel.
The primary deployment route for these high-capacity trains is the A1 Fast Train linking Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
A critical component of the ISR contract was the requirement for “reciprocal procurement”—Siemens had to spend 20% of the contract value with Israeli companies.
Historically, Siemens supplied traffic control systems for Israeli roads in the West Bank, including Route 443, which has been described by human rights organizations as an “apartheid road” due to restrictions on Palestinian usage.1
Core Intelligence Requirement 2 (Dual-Use & Tactical Supply) extends to the internal security apparatus. The Israel Prison Service (IPS) manages the detention of thousands of Palestinian political prisoners. The security and safety of these facilities are critical to the state’s ability to suppress resistance.
Siemens maintains its presence in the sensitive security sector through a strategic partnership with Orad Group, an Israeli integrator specializing in security and safety systems.6
The audit identified specific facilities where Siemens technology is deployed via Orad:
Forensic Insight:
Fire safety systems in a prison context are not merely about preventing fires; they are integrated into the automated door control and lockdown mechanisms. A fire alarm triggers specific security protocols—doors locking or unlocking, ventilation changes, etc. By maintaining the “life safety” systems of a prison, Siemens ensures the facility remains operational. A prison that cannot pass fire safety inspection cannot legally (or practically) house inmates. Therefore, Siemens provides the regulatory license to operate for the Israeli carceral system.
Core Intelligence Requirement 2 also covers the medical sector. While often shielded by “humanitarian” exemptions, the integration of the Israeli medical system with the military apparatus during wartime blurs the line between civilian care and military logistics.
Siemens Healthineers (majority-owned by Siemens AG) is a dominant supplier of diagnostic imaging equipment to Israeli hospitals.
Tender Exemptions:
The Israeli Ministry of Health (MOH) frequently grants tender exemptions to Siemens Healthineers for maintenance and spare parts, citing “sole supplier” status.33 This confirms that Siemens equipment is deeply embedded in the national healthcare infrastructure—no third party can service it. This dependency ensures that Siemens remains a beneficiary of the increased healthcare spending driven by the war’s casualty rates.
Siemens manufactures the Mobilett Impact, a ruggedized, portable digital X-ray system.34
Siemens AG consistently cites its adherence to the “UN Guiding Principles” and its internal compliance reviews as a defense against complicity allegations.1 However, this audit finds a stark divergence between corporate policy and operational reality.
| CIR Category | Assessment | Justification |
| 1. Direct Defense Contracting | HIGH | While often routed through McKit Systems, the end-user for Teamcenter/NX is explicitly the IMOD and arms manufacturers. Procurement during the 2023-24 war confirms operational necessity. |
| 2. Dual-Use & Tactical Supply | MEDIUM-HIGH | Medical equipment supports the military-medical complex; Orad Group contracts support the prison system. |
| 3. Logistical Sustainment | EXTREME | Siemens is a structural pillar of Israel’s electricity (40% capacity) and rail infrastructure. The Great Sea Interconnector is a strategic geopolitical asset. |
| 4. Supply Chain Integration | HIGH | The contract with Extal (Mishor Adumim settlement) is irrefutable evidence of direct financial integration with the illegal settlement economy. |
Justification:
The Upper-Extreme ranking is reserved for entities whose withdrawal would cause significant, immediate, and potentially catastrophic disruption to the target’s military or occupation capabilities.
Siemens is not merely a vendor selling “off-the-shelf” goods. It is a Sustainment Partner. Its technologies form the operating system of the Israeli defense industry and the metabolism of its critical infrastructure.
End of Report
Prepared by: Senior Defense Logistics Analyst
Unit: Corporate Forensic Audit Division
Clearance: FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
| Project / System | Entity Involved | Nature of Complicity | Status | Source |
| Teamcenter / NX | IMOD, Elbit, IAI, Rafael | Software backbone for weapon design & lifecycle management. | Active (Renewed 2023/24) | 1 |
| Desiro HC Trains | Israel Railways | Rolling stock for A1 line crossing Green Line. | Active (Delivered 2021+) | 5 |
| Alon Tavor Power Plant | RD Energy | Gas turbines (SGT-800) & Long-term maintenance. | Active (Commissioned 2018) | 3 |
| Fire Detection | Israel Prison Service | Safety systems for prisons (Gilboa, Ktzi’ot). | Active (via Orad Group) | 6 |
| Great Sea Interconnector | EuroAsia / State of Israel | Converter stations connecting Israel/Settlements to EU grid. | Active/Planning | 21 |
| Aluminum Supply | Extal (Mishor Adumim Settlement) | Supply chain integration with illegal settlement industry. | Confirmed (Past Transaction) | 1 |
