Key Elements Group CEO Criticizes Lengthy Weapons Development Cycles as 'Unacceptable'
David Zaikin, the founder and CEO of Key Elements Group, addressed the Jerusalem Post 2026 New York Conference, emphasizing the need for countries to adapt technologies in real-time and develop independent defense ecosystems. Zaikin highlighted the inadequacy of traditional defense procurement models in modern conflicts, citing examples from the Ukrainian battlefield where advanced Western technologies failed to perform as expected. He argued that the speed of adaptation is now more crucial than lengthy development cycles, as demonstrated by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Zaikin pointed out that countries can no longer rely solely on purchasing advanced systems from abroad but must instead focus on building complete defense ecosystems capable of sustaining innovation, production, and deployment during wartime. 
