Israel Defense Forces

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: ??? ????? ?????? {{Audio|He-Israeli Defense Forces.ogg|Ts'va Ha-Ha'ganah Le-Yisrael}} (" Force for the Defense of Israel"), often abbreviated ??"? Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israel's armed forces, comprising the Israel army, Israel air force and Israel navy. It was formed following the founding of Israel in 1948 to "defend the existence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state of Israel" and "to protect the inhabitants of Israel and to combat all forms of terrorism which threaten the daily life." The predecessors to the IDF were the Haganah (in particular, its operational branch, the Palmach) and former elements of the Jewish Brigade that fought under the British flag during World War II. See also Jewish legion.

Israeli military technology

The IDF is considered to be one of the most high-tech armies in the world, possessing top-of-the-line weapons and computer systems. Besides purchasing American-made weapon systems (such as the M4A1 assault rifle, F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon jets and Apache helicopter), the IDF has several large internal R&D departments.

Related Topics:
M4A1 - F-15 Eagle - F-16 Fighting Falcon - Apache helicopter

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IDF also purchases many technologies produced by the Israeli security industries including IAI, IMI, Elbit, El-Op, Rafael, Soltam and dozens of smaller firms. Many of these developments have been battle-tested in Israel's numerous military engagements, making the relationship mutually beneficial, the IDF getting tailor-made solutions and the industries a very high repute.

Related Topics:
IAI - IMI - Elbit - El-Op - Rafael - Soltam

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Main Israeli developments

Israel's military technology is most famous for its guns, armored fighting vehicles (tanks, tank-converted APCs, armoured bulldozers etc) and rocketry (missiles and rockets). Israel also designs and in some cases manufactures aircraft (Kfir, Lavi) and naval systems (patrol and missile ships, Dolphin class submarine). Much of the IDF's electronic systems (intelligence, communication, command and control, navigation etc.) are Israeli-developed, including many systems installed on foreign platforms (esp. aircraft, tanks and submarines). So are many of its precision-guided munitions.

Related Topics:
Armored fighting vehicles - Tank - APC - Bulldozer - Kfir - Lavi - Dolphin class submarine - Precision-guided munition

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Currently Israel is the only country in the world with an anti-ballistic missile defense system ("Hetz", or Arrow) and working with the USA on development of a tactical high energy laser system against medium range rockets (called Nautilus THEL).

Related Topics:
Hetz - Laser - Nautilus THEL

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Israel has the independent capability of launching reconnaissance satellites into orbit (a capability which only Russia, USA, UK, France, China, Japan and India hold). Both the satellites (Ofeq) and the launchers (Shavit) were developed by the Israeli security industries.

Related Topics:
Reconnaissance satellites - Russia - UK - France - China - Japan - India - Ofeq - Shavit

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Israel is also said to have developed an indigenous nuclear capability, although no official details or acknowledgement were ever publicized.

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Specific weapon systems

• Small Arms
• Tavor TAR-21 bullpup assault rifle
• "Refaim" advance rifle grenade
• Galil assault rifle
• Uzi submachine gun
• Micro Uzi
• Para Micro Uzi
• Mini Uzi
• Uzi pistol
• IMI Negev light machine gun
• Jericho 941 "Baby Eagle" handgun
• Magnum Research "Desert Eagle" large-caliber handgun
• T.C.I. M89-SR semi-auto bullpup sniper rifle (based on a M-36 Sardius rifle)
• SR-99 semi-auto sniper rifle
• RCWS - remote control weapon station
• OWS - overhead weapon station (also known as "Mag Refael")
• Armoured Fighting Vehicles
• Merkava - Main battle tank
• Mk 1
• Mk 2
• Mk 3
• Mk 3 Baz (improved armour and fire control system)
• Mk 3 LIC (modified for low intensity warfare, i.e. urban warfare).
• Mk 4
• Nammer ARV - Merkava armoured recovery vehicle
• Magah (upgraded M60 Patton) - Main battle tank
• Multi purpose tank-chassis based IFVs/CEVs
• Puma - Combat engineering armoured vehicle
• Achzarit - APC (armored personal carrier)
• NagmaShot - an APC based on the Centurion tank
• Nagmachon
• Nakpadon
• Caterpillar D9 Bulldozer - an up-armoured military version
• Machbet - self propelled anti aircraft system
• Self-propelled artillery systems
• All-terrain vehicles and other wheeled vehicles
• Abir
• Sufa
• Desert Raider
• Rockets and Missiles
• Gil/Spike - ATGM (anti-tank guided missile)
• Shifon - ATGM
• Jericho missile - ballistic missile
• Shavit - satellite launch missile, based on Jericho
• Rafael Python 4 and Rafael Python 5 - advance air-to-air missiles
• Popeye (AGM-142) - advance guided air-to-ground missile
• Gabriel anti-ship missile
• Hetz (Arrow missile) - part of a ballistic missile defense system, able to shot down ballistic missiles
• Electronics and High-Tech
• Oren Yarok (Green Pine) - radar system used by the Arrow system
• Phalcon - intelligence gathering systems installed on large airplane
• Satellites
• Ofeq - reconnaissance satellite
• Amos - communications satellite (civilian, used by the IDF)
• Katbam - unmanned naval vehicle
• LITENING targeting pod - enhance fighter jets offensive capabilities
• F-4 Phantom, F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet electronic systems
• Barak Zoher - advance tank firing system, installed on Merkava tanks
• Dolphin class submarine electronic and warfare systems
• Aircraft platforms
• Nesher fighter jet (upgraded Mirage V)
• Kfir fighter jet (upgraded and improved Mirage V)
• Nammer fighter jet
• Lavi fighter jet (original design, prototype flown but project cancelled due to cost)
• Arava STOL medium transport aircraft
• Mazlat (UAV) - unmanned small aerial vehicle
• Naval platforms
• Dabur/Dvora/Tsir'a/Yatush patrol craft
• Sa'ar-class missile boat
• Saar 2
• Saar 3
• Saar 4
• Saar 4.5
• Saar 5

Nuclear capability

See also: Israel and weapons of mass destruction

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It is generally believed that Israel has nuclear weapons. The weapons were thought to have been developed at the Dimona nuclear reactor since the 1960s. The first two nuclear bombs were probably operational before the Six-Day War and Prime Minister Levi Eshkol ordered them armed in Israel's first nuclear alert during that war. It is also believed that, fearing defeat in the October 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Israelis assembled thirteen twenty-kiloton nuclear bombs.

Related Topics:
Nuclear weapon - Dimona - Six-Day War - Prime Minister - Levi Eshkol - 1973 - Yom Kippur War - Kiloton

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The current size and composition of Israel's nuclear stockpile is uncertain, and is the subject of various estimates and reports. FAS estimates that Israel probably has 100-200 nuclear warheads, which can be delivered by airplanes (A4 Skyhawk or converted F-4 Phantom II), or ballistic missiles (Lance, Jericho, or Jericho II missiles). The Jericho II is reported to have a range between 1,500 and 4,000 km, meaning that it can target sites as far away as central Russia, Iran and Libya.

Related Topics:
A4 Skyhawk - F-4 Phantom II - Ballistic missile - Jericho, or Jericho II - Russia - Iran - Libya

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It has also been speculated that the Israeli Navy's three Dolphin class submarines may be capable of carrying nuclear-armed specially-modified Popeye Turbo cruise missiles. These missiles are purported to have a 1,500 km range and are supposedly fired out of what are suspected to be unusually-sized additional torpedo tubes that were allegedly installed on the Dolphin submarine and are otherwise larger than what is required to accommodate any currently known western torpedo design in existence. A test of such a missile is alleged to have taken place off the coast of Sri Lanka in May 2000. Nevertheless, some military analysts have labeled such rumors to be highly unlikely and impossible given the logistics of the submarines. Furthermore, there is no factual basis for the origins of the alleged test firing.

Related Topics:
Dolphin class submarine - Cruise missile - Sri Lanka - 2000

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The Israeli government has neither acknowledged nor denied that it possesses nuclear weapons, an official policy referred to as "ambiguity". However, a formerly imprisoned ex-Dimona employee, Mordechai Vanunu, confirmed much of the earlier speculation.

Related Topics:
Ambiguity - Mordechai Vanunu

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