On March 2013, Brig. General (ret.) Ariel Karo was appointed at Rafael as Director of ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Reconnaissance) Systems Directorate, responsible for Programs, Marketing and Business Development of the Directorate in the areas of Intelligence, Cyber, Big Data solutions and HLS.

Brig. General (ret.) Ariel Karo joined Rafael after 30 years of service in the IDF. In his last position he served as the Chief Intelligence Officer and IDI Chief of staff.

Karo joined the IDF in 1983 and has been assigned to numerous positions:
- Chief Intelligence Officer of the Judea and Samaria Division
- Head of Research and Analysis Branch in the Intelligence Corps
- Commander of the Intelligence Officers' Course
- Chief Intelligence Officer of the Central Command, during the Second Intifadah and Operation Defensive Shield
- Deputy Head of the Strategy Department in the IDF's Planning Division (J5)
- Head of campaign design department in the Operation Branch at the General HQ (J3)
- Chief Field Intelligence Officer during Operation Cast Lead

Karo is a graduate of the IDF Interdisciplinary Staff & Command College. He holds a B.A. (with Honors) in Middle Eastern Studies and Political Science from TEL AVIV University. He also holds an M.A (with Honors) in Political Science from Haifa University.