Boeing and Ben-Gurion University (BGU) of the Negev have established a dedicated aviation cybersecurity research center in Beersheba under a five-year, $10 million agreement aimed at protecting next-generation aerospace systems from emerging cyber threats.
The center will operate within BGU’s Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, bringing together university researchers, graduate students, and Boeing experts to focus on securing increasingly autonomous, digital, and connected aviation and space platforms. The collaboration will concentrate on developing secure architectures, protected communications, resilient autonomous systems, and trusted technologies suited for complex cyber-physical environments.
Dr. Brendan Nelson, President of Boeing Global, said aviation and space systems are becoming more connected and autonomous, making cybersecurity central to future aerospace innovation. He said partnering with BGU, known internationally for cybersecurity and engineering research, helps Boeing remain at the forefront of secure aerospace development.
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BGU President Prof. Daniel Chamovitz described the initiative as a milestone for the university, saying the partnership demonstrates how academic research and global industry can work together to drive innovation, strengthen the Negev as a technology hub, and train future cybersecurity specialists.
The agreement was signed through BGN, BGU’s technology transfer company, which facilitated the framework for long-term research cooperation. Prof. Dan Blumberg, BGU’s Vice President for Regional and Industrial Development, said the project reflects the university’s leadership in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and related fields and will contribute new capabilities to the broader aerospace sector.
Prof. Yuval Elovici, head of BGU’s Cyber Security Research Center, said years of collaboration with global partners on complex cybersecurity challenges provide a foundation for addressing aviation-specific threats, including those linked to AI-driven systems.
The center was inaugurated at a ceremony at the Advanced Technologies Park adjacent to BGU’s Marcus Family Campus, attended by Nelson and Boeing Israel President Ido Nehushtan. Nehushtan said Israeli technologies and suppliers already play a significant role in Boeing systems worldwide, generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually and supporting both civilian and defense aviation platforms.