Tzahal Defense Army. Army of Israel. Israel Defense Forces. Israeli ground forces

The Israel Defense Forces, which is also the army of the State of Israel and the main body of its security, is known throughout the world under the acronym IDF

Israeli military doctrine

The IDF was founded two weeks after the foundation of the state, during the War of Independence. The interim government led by David Ben-Gurion decided to create an army, and on May 26, 1948, David Ben-Gurion signed the "Decree on the Israel Defense Forces". Let me remind you that since 1948, the Israeli army has taken part in more than 10 major military conflicts in the Middle East.

By the beginning of June 1948, an agreement was signed between the leadership of the Haganah (Israel Galili and Levi Eshkol) and the leaders of other underground paramilitary organizations, the Irgun (Menahem Begin) and Lehi (Nathan Yalin-Mor, Israel Eldad), that their combat units will be integrated into the IDF. The exception was the subdivisions of these organizations in Jerusalem, which was then not subject to Israeli sovereignty. Since most of the IDF were members of the Haganah, it basically retained its organizational structure.

The way the Israeli army is used- the doctrine of action - was developed in 1949 by a committee chaired by Colonel Khaim Laskov. The doctrine proceeded from geopolitical realities:

Israel is inferior to its neighbors in terms of population and in the foreseeable future will always be forced to wage war against a numerically superior enemy.
The dispute with neighbors does not consist in disagreement over borders, but in rejection of the very fact of the existence of Israel. Israel's enemies will wage war against it to annihilate.
Given the geographical realities, as well as the superiority of the enemy in manpower and equipment, Israel in the event of war cannot count on victory through the destruction of the enemy. The real aim should be to inflict such damage on his armed forces that would put them out of action for the longest possible time.
Small territory, very indented borders and the proximity of population centers to the front lines deprive Israel of any strategic depth. In the narrowest zone, the distance from the border to the sea is only 14 km. There are no natural barriers to defense.
Israel cannot wage a long war. The war makes it necessary to mobilize such a huge percentage of the population that the economy will simply cease to function in a few weeks.

Conscription service in the Israeli army

The Military Service Law establishes two types of compulsory military service in the Israel Defense Forces - active duty and reserve service.

By law, all citizens of Israel, including those with dual citizenship and living in another country, as well as all permanent residents in the territory of the state, upon reaching the age of 18, are subject to conscription in the IDF. The term of military service is 36 months, for women - 24 months. The law applies to Jews and (non-Jewish citizens of the state), Druze and Circassians. Bedouins, Christians and Muslims can serve as volunteers in the army.

Exemptions from conscription women who are married by the time of conscription or for health reasons receive it, men only for health reasons, and repatriates only those who arrived in the country at the age of more than 26 years or have children.

Men who study in Jewish religious schools (yeshivas) receive a deferment for the duration of their studies, which can last a lifetime. Religious girls have the right to exemption from military duty or to alternative service - in hospitals, educational institutions, volunteer organizations. Thus, despite the fact that officially all Jewish citizens of Israel are required to do military service, the vast majority of ultra-religious Jews do not serve in the army, which serves as a source of tension in society.

The difference from many other armies is that in The Israel Defense Forces serve most of the country's women(Women in Israel are liable for military service). However, about a third of women receive a deferment or complete exemption from the army (pregnancy, religious reasons). At the end of military service, most women are exempted from annual military dues.

In the war of independence in 1948, due to the difficult situation of the country, women took an active part in the defense of Israel. With the end of the war, women practically ceased to be sent to combat operations. Currently, most women are drafted into non-combat units. As of 2005, women are allowed to serve in over 83% of the Israel Defense Forces.

For 2009, women serve in the artillery troops, the Magav border service. There are also infantry units where men and women serve together, such as the Caracal Battalion.

Reserve Service mandatory in the Israeli army. After the end of regular service, all privates and officers are called up annually for reservist duties for up to 45 days. Active reserve service - "Shirut Miluim Pail" continues until the reservist reaches the age of 45 years. It is these reservists that Israel is now mobilizing in an amount of under 100 thousand people.

The structure of the current army of Israel

The Israeli army consists of three types of armed forces: land, air force and naval forces. The army is headed by the General Staff. The Ground Forces, the Air Force and the Naval Forces have a separate command subordinate to the General Staff.

The ground forces are divided into three military districts: Northern, Central and Southern. After the Gulf War, a Logistics Directorate was also created.

The General Staff consists of 6 directorates: Operational, Planning Directorate, Personnel Directorate, Intelligence Directorate, Computer Service Directorate and Technology and Logistics Directorate.

Some figures for the current Israeli army as of 2011:

The country's military budget is $15.8 billion

The total number of regular armed forces: 176.5 thousand people

Paramilitary formations: 8.05 thousand people (including the border guard - 8 thousand, coast guard - 50 thousand people)

Service life: officers - 48 (men) and 36 (women) months, military personnel of other categories - 36 (men) and 24 (women) months

Reserve: 565 thousand people (ground forces - 380 thousand, air force - 24.5 thousand, naval forces - 3.5 thousand people)

Mobilization resources: 3.11 million people, including 2.55 million fit for military service

Ground Forces: 133 thousand people, 3 territorial commands, command of border protection, 4 headquarters of the corps, 2 armored, 4 infantry divisions, 15 tank, 12 infantry and 8 airmobile brigades. The organizational structure of formations depends on the operational situation.

Reserve: 8 armored divisions.

Armament of the Israeli army

As of 2010, the Israeli army consisted of:

Ground forces: more than 20 operational-tactical missile launchers; 3,657 main battle tanks (including 1,681 Merkava, 711 M60A1/3, over 100 T-55s, over 100 T-62s, 111 Magah-7s, 561 M-48s), about 10,420 infantry fighting vehicles and Armored personnel carrier, 408 armored personnel carriers, 456 towed artillery pieces of 105, 122, 130 and 155 mm calibers, 960 self-propelled howitzers (105, 155, 175 and 203 mm), 212 MLRS, 4,132 mortars (2,000 52 mm, 1,358 81 mm, 652 120 mm, 122 160 mm), more than 1225 ATGM launchers, more than 1,300 anti-aircraft artillery guns, 1,250 MANPADS.

Air Force: 35 thousand people (of which 20 thousand military servicemen are mainly in air defense), 460 combat aircraft, 100 combat helicopters.

Aircraft and helicopter fleet: 72 F-15 air superiority fighters (A, B, C, D), 25 heavy attack multirole fighters - F-15 I bombers, 260 light multirole fighters - F-16 bombers (A, B, C and D), 102 F-16I light multirole fighter-bombers equipped with Israeli avionics. These are the planes of the so-called first line, which are in a state of full combat readiness.

In addition, there are about 140 “Phantoms” of various modifications in “safe custody”, that is, there are about 140 “Phantoms” of various modifications (F-4E “Phantom II”, RF-4E “Phantom II”, F-4E-2000 (“Phantom-2000″ )), about 120 Skyhawk attack aircraft of various models (A-4H / N, TA-4H, TA-4J), and about 140 Israeli-made Kfir multi-role bomber fighters (C-2 / TC-2 / C-7 /TC-7/CR)

Auxiliary and special aviation The IDF has the following fleet of combat vehicles: 5 RD-10, Boeing 707, 2 Boeing 707 Falcon, 3 (according to other sources -6) Gulfstream G550 (electronic intelligence aircraft), 2 EU-130, 3 IAI-1124 "Sea scan", 5 KS-130N, 11 S-47, 6 IAI-202 "Arava", 8 Do-28, 2 "Islander", 4 Beach 200 "Super King Air", 20 Cessna U-206 , 12 Beach 80 Queen Air, 43 CM.170, 17 Grob G-120 (training), 26 TA-4H and J, 55 AH-1E and F Cobra, 33 Hughes 500MD, 40 AH-64A, AH -64D (18 vehicles on order), 7 AS-565SA, 41 CH-53D, 24 S-70A, 14 UH-60, 34 Bell 212, 43 Bell 206.

UAVs: Scout, Sicher, Pioneer, Firebee, Samson, Deline, Hunter, Hermes-450, Sky Eye, Harpies.

SAM: "Arrow", "Hawk", "Patriot", "Chaparel" (withdrawn from service in 2003).

Navy: 8.5 thousand people. (including 300 commandos and 2.5 thousand cf.), 3 Dolphin submarines, 3 Saar-5 corvettes, 10 missile boats (8 Saar 4.5 and 2 Saar-4), 41 patrol boats (15 Dabur, 13 Super Dvor MM/2, 6 Super Dvor Mk3, 4 Shaldag, 3 Stingray), experimental vessel.

Naval aviation: 25 helicopters (8 Eurocopter AS-565SA, 17 Bell 212).

American military assistance to Israel

On July 23, 1952, the United States and Israel concluded bilateral agreement on military assistance- "Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement" (TIAS 2675), in accordance with which the supply of American weapons and military equipment to Israel began.

On September 26, 1962, the US government, in a change in its previous policy, agreed to sell Israel a division of the Hawk air defense system (thus Israel became the first country that was not part of the NATO bloc and received this weapon). The State Department, however, said that this supply was intended to compensate for the supply of offensive weapons by the countries of the Soviet bloc to Israel's Arab neighbors and maintain a balance of power in the Middle East.

In 1968, the US government authorized the sale to Israel of 48 A-4 Skyhawks and 50 F-4 Phantoms.

In November 1971, the United States and Israel entered into an agreement under which Israel received the right to manufacture certain types of American weapons, ammunition, military equipment and military equipment under license.

In 1973, after the start of the Yom Kippur War, the United States delivered a significant amount of weapons, ammunition and military equipment to Israel via an "air bridge" (Operation Nickel Grass).

In 1976, the US Congress passed the "Symington Amendment", and in 1977 - the "Glenn Amendment", according to which a ban on the supply of weapons from the United States to countries that carry out nuclear weapons programs. However, the Symington-Glenn amendments have never been applied to Israel, which allegedly possesses such weapons and considers them as a means of inflicting a "second blow" on the aggressor in the event of an attack.

On November 30, 1981, the United States and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation.

In 1990, Israel signed an agreement with the United States on participation in the "storage of military reserves for US allies" program, according to which six warehouses for storing weapons, armored vehicles and ammunition were equipped on the territory of the country. Initially, the cost of weapons in warehouses was $100 million, in 1991, after the Gulf War, this amount was increased to $300 million, then to $400 million, and in December 2009 to $800 million. Although the weapons do not belong to Israel, under the agreement, the IDF can access the warehouses and use the stored weapons "with US permission" or "in an emergency."

In preparation for the Gulf War (1991) and the creation of a coalition against S. Hussein with the participation of Arab countries (and, accordingly, without Israel), the United States guaranteed the destruction of Iraqi Scuds during the first days of the operation and protection from shelling by Iraq. To this end, 7 batteries of the Patriot air defense system were deployed on the territory of Israel, which, in the end, failed to intercept the missiles launched at Israel.

In 1995, as part of the “special supply program”, the United States was “ready to donate” to Israel 14 Cobra combat helicopters and 30,000 M-16 assault rifles in addition to the “previously delivered” two batteries of the Patriot air defense system, 75 F-15 fighters and F-16, 450 TOW ATGM launchers, 336 trucks and tractors, 10 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, a batch of Harpoon anti-ship missiles and 650 AH-64 anti-tank helicopter missiles.

In 2000, the US provided $200 million to build and equip two training bases designed to train reservists.

In 2008, electronic equipment was received from the United States (an AN-TRY-2 centimeter range radar and a JTAGS mobile data receiving terminal).

Military assistance from the "fraternal" United States continues to this day, no one knows its real volumes.

Weapons of the Future: Special Israel

The geographical location of Eretz-Israel, which is a key one in the entire Middle East, has made the State of Israel from the moment of its inception one of the centers of world geopolitics. Israel's location, combined with its military potential, makes it the dominant military-political factor in the Eastern Mediterranean region. If necessary, Israel can serve as a strategic base for the defense of the southern flank of NATO, block the main routes to South and East Asia, in particular the Suez Canal; within reach from Israeli territory is almost half of the oil resources of the Western world, concentrated in a triangle between Libya in the west, Iran in the east and Saudi Arabia in the south.

Successful raids from Israel into Uganda (Operation Entebbe to free the passengers of the Air France aircraft taken hostage on July 4, 1976) and Iraq (bombing of a nuclear reactor on June 7, 1981) once again showed the importance of Israel as an operational base , allowing the Air Force stationed here to effectively control vast areas of the Middle East and East Africa.

Unusually high - compared to the size of the country and population - Israel's military potential is the result of the need to counter the permanent military threat from the Arab countries. The feeling that the armed forces of the Jewish state are preserving the ancient tradition of Jewish warriors - Ye X oshua bin Nun, King David, the Maccabees (see Hasmoneans), the defenders of Masada and the fighters of Bar Kokhba (see the Bar Kokhba uprising) - and the awareness of the inadmissibility of repeating the tragic experience of the centuries-old galut, when the Jewish people were defenseless in the face of their enemies, contribute educating an Israeli soldier of high motivation and awareness of historical responsibility to the Jewish people and its state. Among other factors of the high combat capability of the Israeli army are an effective military infrastructure, technological capabilities that no other country in the world commensurate with Israel has, and a wealth of combat experience. At the same time, the insignificance of the territory and limited human resources, the concentration of the population in a limited number of urban centers, long borders and the lack of strategic raw materials make Israel militarily vulnerable.

Organization of the Israel Defense Forces

Israel Defense Forces ( צְבָא הֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , Tsva X aganah le-israel, abbreviated צַהַ״ל , Tsa X al). According to the Law on Conscription of 1986, active service, and after its passage, annual military training (milluim) are mandatory. Boys serve 3 years and girls serve 2 years. A deferment from conscription may be granted to especially successful students of higher educational institutions (as part of the so-called academic reserve, atud akamait). Repatriates may also be granted a deferment or reduction in service depending on age and marital status at the time of arrival in the country (girls who repatriated over the age of 17 are not subject to conscription; young people who arrived in the country over the age of 24 are not called up for emergency service). After completing their mandatory service, each soldier is assigned to a reserve unit. Men under the age of 51 serve no more than 39 days a year; this period may be extended in extraordinary circumstances. Recently, there has been a policy aimed at facilitating the service of reservists: reservists who served in combat units can retire at the age of 45. At the end of military service, persons of interest to TA X ala, may remain in the army on a contract basis. The main command and administrative personnel of the Central Administration are recruited from the re-enlisted X ala. Graduates of officer and flight courses, as well as special military-technical schools, are required to serve a specific (usually three-year) term under a contract.

The conscription of women is a specific feature of the Israel Defense Forces, which makes it possible to release a greater number of men for military service and thereby, to a certain extent, compensate for the numerical superiority of the armies of the Arab countries hostile to Israel. Women are employed in communications, maintenance of electronic equipment, assembling parachutes, in instructor, clerical and administrative positions, etc. Women serve in all branches of the military and many (mostly in long-term service) hold officer ranks and occupy responsible positions.

Compulsory military service applies to Jewish and Druze citizens of Israel; citizens of the Muslim and Christian faiths (Arabs and Bedouins) can enter the military service as volunteers. The voluntary service of the Bedouins is especially encouraged, whose tracking skills are used to protect the borders of the state and military installations. The number of Druze in active and extended service is very large compared to the size of the Druze community as a whole. Yeshiva students who have fully devoted themselves to religious studies, and girls from religious families (optional) are exempted from military service (or, like new repatriates, serve a shorter period than usual).

Military ranks in the Israel Defense Forces

Soldier: turai - private; turai rishon (tarash) - corporal; rav-turai (rabbat) - senior corporal; Rav Turai Rishon - junior sergeant; sammal - sergeant; sammal rishon - senior sergeant; rav-sammal--foreman; rav sammal rishon(rasar) - ensign. Officers: memale-maqom katsin(mamak) - sub-lieutenant; segen-mishne (sagam) - junior lieutenant; segen - lieutenant; seren - captain; rav seren (resen) - major; sgan-alluf (sa'al) - lieutenant colonel; alluf-mishne (alam) - colonel; tat-alluf (ta'al) - brigadier general; alluf - major general; rav alluf - lieutenant general (general of the army). The rank of Rav-Alluf is only the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.

Army management

The Israel Defense Forces is subordinate to the Israeli government, represented by the Minister of Defense. The Ministry of Defense is responsible for long-term defense policy and strategic planning, determined by a special ministerial committee on defense affairs, and is in charge of the production and procurement of weapons. The Ministry has the largest departmental budget in the country.

The operational leadership of the armed forces is in the hands of the General Staff ( X a matte X a-put) headed by the Chief of the General Staff ( rosh X a matte X a-put, abbreviated ramatkal), appointed by the Minister of Defense in agreement with the Cabinet for three years (renewable for a fourth year). The General Staff consists of six main directorates: the Main Operational Directorate; Main Intelligence Directorate; the Main Directorate of Personnel, responsible for the training of personnel, planning and implementation of mobilization; Main Directorate of Technology and Supply; Main Directorate of Research and Development of Armaments, Main Directorate of Planning. To the structure of the General Staff of Tsa X ala also includes the Combat Training and Special Operations Department. The rabbinate of the Israel Defense Forces provides for the religious needs of soldiers and officers. Shabbat violations are prohibited in the Israeli army and kosher laws are observed.

In operational terms, the armed forces are subdivided into three territorial districts (Northern, Central and Southern), and according to the types of troops - into land, air and naval forces.

National Army

The Israeli army has a relatively small number of regular soldiers and consists mainly of conscripts and reserves (the number of regular soldiers is relatively large in the Air Force and Navy). For this reason, the Israeli armed forces, unlike most other armies, do not form a closed professional corporation, but in the full sense of the word are a nationwide army. The consequence of this is the interest of the Israel Defense Forces in raising the professional and general educational level of the country's population. The mobilized receive in army technical schools the knowledge and skills necessary in modern military affairs; special educational programs are aimed at expanding and deepening the knowledge of soldiers in the field of Jewish history, geography, archeology of Israel, etc.; the army makes sure that new immigrants and recruits, whose formal education has not been completed, better master the skills of reading and writing; the army sends specially trained female instructors to development cities to eliminate educational disparities.

In Tsa X In addition, there are a number of special service programs, including:

Yeshivot X a- X esder- a special version of military service, in which service is combined with studies in a yeshiva. This service is intended for yeshiva high school students ( Yeshivot Tikhoniyot), Tsa conscripts X ala. The term of such service is 4 years, including 16 months of military service, and the rest of the time is studying in a yeshiva. In August 2005, the number of soldiers and officers serving in Tsa X Ale under this program, has reached six thousand people, of which 88% - in combat units.

Air defense missions include:

Ensuring the air defense of the country. This task is performed by Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems and advanced HAWK systems in cooperation with the command and control system and fighter aircraft.
Ensuring the country's missile defense. A ballistic missile warning against Israel comes from a network of American early warning satellites. The interception is carried out by specialized Hetz-2 anti-missiles, and in case of failure, by Patriot missiles.
Defense of individual military and civilian facilities (for example, air force bases, nuclear center in Dimona).
Air defense of the ground forces. This task is performed by mobile air defense systems, their divisions are armed with Stinger and Chaparel anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as Makhbet missile and artillery systems.
Security and ground defense of air force bases.

The first air defense systems (40 mm L-70 anti-aircraft guns) were supplied to Israel by the German government in 1962; in the same year, the first HAWK anti-aircraft missile systems arrived in Israel from the United States. It was Germany and the United States that supported the development of Israel's air defense throughout all subsequent years. As of 2002, Israel had 22 batteries of heavy anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as approximately 70 portable launchers of light anti-aircraft missile systems.

Israeli Navy for a long time remained the least developed branch of the armed forces. However, after unprecedented successes in 1973 (19 enemy ships destroyed without loss on the Israeli side), a period of rapid development began, and at present the Israeli Navy is considered not only one of the most operational in the world, but also the dominant maritime force in the Eastern Mediterranean basin.

About 9,500 people serve in the Israeli navy; during the mobilization of the numerical strength of the Navy, they reach 19,500 people. The Israeli navy (data for 2002) has six submarines (three of the obsolete Gal model, laid down in 1973-74, commissioned in 1976-77) and three of the Dolphin model, laid down in 1994-96, put into operation in 1999-2000), fifteen (according to other sources - twenty) corvettes of the Eilat type and missile boats of the Hetz, Aliya and Reshef types and thirty-three patrol boats.

In Tsa X ale and the police created several units, the main task of which is resistance to terror. Among them: Yamam - a special unit of the police to combat terror, responsible for anti-terrorist operations in Israel; Saeret Matkal (General Staff Intelligence), responsible for anti-terrorist operations outside the country; Shaetet-13 (13th flotilla, special forces of the Navy, responsible for anti-terrorist operations abroad with the participation of naval forces); Lothar Eilat (Lothar - lohma be-terror / fight against terror /, unit 7707, responsible for anti-terrorist operations in Israel in the area of the city of Eilat; due to the geographical remoteness of Eilat and its proximity to the Egyptian and Jordanian borders, it was decided to create a separate subdivision). In addition, anti-terrorist special forces were created in each of the military districts: Saeret "Golani" (reconnaissance of the Golani infantry brigade) - in the North, Saeret Tsankhanim (reconnaissance of the parachute brigade), Saeret Nahal (reconnaissance of the Nahal infantry brigade) and Saeret " Duvdevan "(special unit of the so-called mistarvim, operating in Arabic camouflage in controlled territories) - in the Central and Sayeret "Giv'ati" (reconnaissance of the infantry brigade "Giv'ati") - in the Southern Military District. In 1995, to counter the "guerrilla war" in Lebanon, Saeret "Egoz" was recreated (disbanded in 1974 together with Saeret "Cheruv" and Saeret "Shaked"); subsequently, the fighters of this detachment made an invaluable contribution to the fight against Palestinian terror in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) and Gaza.

Nuclear potential

The existence of a constant threat to national security from the Arab neighbors forces Israel to maintain powerful armed forces in the country, equipped with modern means of armed struggle, including weapons of mass destruction. Although Israel has never conducted open nuclear tests, it is estimated that Israel is now the world's sixth largest nuclear power after the US, Russia, Britain, France and China. Israel's nuclear program dates back to the 1950s; D. Ben-Gurion and S. Perez stood at its origins. The scientific support of the nuclear program was carried out by a team of scientists from. In 1952, the Nuclear Energy Commission, headed by E. D. Bergman, was established under the control of the Department of Defense. In 1956, Israel entered into a secret agreement with France to build a plutonium nuclear reactor. The reactor began to be built in a remote corner of the Negev desert, near Dimona. The plant for reprocessing irradiated fuel was created in 1960, and the 26 MW reactor was put into operation in 1963. (Now the reactor power reaches 150 MW, which, according to experts, makes it possible to obtain weapons-grade plutonium in an amount sufficient to produce more than ten bombs average yield per year.) By the Six Day War, the first two nuclear devices had already been assembled, starting in 1970, Israel began to produce from three to five nuclear charges per year. At the same time, Israel refused to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, having reached an understanding with the US administration (and personally with President R. Nixon), according to which, "it was assumed, but not recognized" that Israel was a state possessing nuclear weapons. Only on July 13, 1998, at a press conference in Jordan, S. Peres, who was then Prime Minister of Israel, publicly admitted for the first time that Israel possesses nuclear weapons, but neither he nor any other Israeli leader, either then or later did not release any details relating to this area. According to various estimates, by now Israel could potentially have from one hundred to five hundred nuclear warheads, the total TNT equivalent of which could be up to fifty megatons. Since 1963, Israel has been developing ballistic missile systems capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Back in 1989, the Jericho-2B ballistic missile with a range of up to 1,500 km, capable of hitting targets, including throughout Libya and Iran, was successfully tested. The Israeli Armed Forces also have aircraft delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons (including American-made F-16, F-4E Phantom and A-4N Sky Hawk aircraft). Israel is the only power in the Middle East with a high degree of probability having ground, sea and air-based nuclear weapons systems.

Israeli defense spending

Israeli defense spending in 2002 amounted to $9.84 billion (1984 - $4.3 billion). Although Israel's defense spending has been steadily rising, on a per capita basis, it has remained relatively stable, albeit quite high, at about $1,500 a year.

A major contribution to the maintenance of Israel's defense capability is made by military assistance received by Israel from the United States. For the first time, Israel received gratuitous military aid from the United States in 1974 (worth one and a half billion dollars). For the period from 1974 to 2002. Israel received $41.06 billion in free military aid from the United States. At the same time, Israel is obliged to spend most of the military aid funds in the United States for the purchase of military equipment, spare parts, ammunition and equipment, which hinders the development of defense industry enterprises in Israel itself.

Procurement, production and export of weapons

The first major purchases of weapons were made in 1948 in Czechoslovakia (rifles, machine guns, and later fighters of the Messerschmidt type). At the same time, Israel was buying weapons from France and other countries, as well as acquiring surplus US military equipment. In 1952, Israel signed an agreement with the US government on the purchase of military equipment, but during this period the share of Israeli military purchases in the US was insignificant. The first jet planes of the Israeli Air Force - "Meteor" - were bought from Great Britain, which eventually became the main supplier of naval equipment, primarily destroyers and submarines. In the 1950s France is gradually becoming the main supplier of weapons to the Israel Defense Forces (primarily jet aircraft) - up to the embargo on the supply of weapons to Israel, imposed on June 2, 1967 by President de Gaulle. In the 1960s the role of the United States as a supplier of weapons for the Israel Defense Forces is growing - however, the United States becomes the main supplier only after the Six Day War.

The power of the Israel Defense Forces is determined not only by modern weapons purchased from abroad, but to a large extent depends on the industrial infrastructure with which the Israeli armed forces form a single military-industrial complex: the armed forces set technical tasks for the Israeli military industry, and the military industry enriches the arsenal Tsa X ala with its technical achievements, opening up new operational possibilities. The high level of the Israeli military industry is the result not so much of economic factors as of political decisions, since from the very first days of the existence of the Jewish state it became obvious that in emergency circumstances one cannot rely on the delivery of weapons and equipment ordered from abroad. Today, Israeli industrial products cover almost all major branches of military production and include electronic and electrical equipment (in particular, radar and telecommunications equipment - an area in which Israel is among the world's best manufacturers), precision optical equipment, small arms, artillery pieces and mortars, rockets, some of which are the most advanced in their class, tanks, aircraft (light - for operational communications and maritime patrols, transport, unmanned aerial vehicles, fighters and fighter-bombers), warships, ammunition, personal equipment, military medical equipment and etc.

By the beginning of 2002, the total number of enterprises of the military-industrial complex (MIC) of Israel was about one hundred and fifty, and the total number of employees in defense enterprises exceeded fifty thousand people (of which about twenty-two thousand people are employed in three state-owned companies: the Aviation Industry Concern ”, the association“ Military Industry ”and in the Office for the Development of Arms“ Rafael ”).

The total volume of production of the Israeli military-industrial complex in 2001 exceeded $3.5 billion, and Israeli defense enterprises signed contracts for the export of their products in the amount of $2.6 billion (Israel accounts for 8% of world arms exports). The Israeli military industry not only provides a significant part of the needs of Tsa X ala in arms, equipment and equipment, but also exports its products worth hundreds of millions of dollars to South (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru) and Central (Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Mexico) America, South Africa, East Asia (Singapore , Taiwan, Thailand) and many other countries that avoid publicizing their military purchases in Israel, as well as in NATO countries, including the United States. In recent years, Israel has been successfully developing military-technical cooperation with China, India, Turkey and the countries of Eastern Europe.

The products of the Israeli military industry are in demand on the world market due to their high quality. The aircraft converted by Israeli enterprises in recent years are in service with Croatia, Romania, Turkey, Zambia, Cambodia, Burma, Sri Lanka and other countries. Israel controls 90% of the world market for unmanned aircraft, with the United States being the main buyer; many other countries also acquire this technique. Among the important objects of Israeli exports of military equipment, one should also note the means of communication (for example, systems for searching and detecting ejected pilots of aircraft and helicopters, as well as reconnaissance and special forces soldiers, allowing them to locate them with an accuracy of 10 m); sights and night vision devices for both small arms and armored vehicles and helicopters; electronic combat control systems for units of various levels; radar installations for different types of weapons; means of searching and detecting mines, unexploded ordnance (which is very important for many countries in Asia and Africa); robots for the safe detonation of detected explosive devices; small arms and many other types of military equipment and equipment. The advantage of Israeli weapons and military equipment supplied to the foreign market is that almost all of it has been tested in real combat operations, modified in accordance with the requirements of the field conditions of its operation and therefore is very reliable. The proceeds from the export of the Israeli military industry serve its further development.

UPDATED VERSION OF THE ARTICLE IS PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the emergence of the Jewish State on the world political map. Throughout their modern history, starting in 1947, the Israelis had to constantly wage an armed struggle for survival. Israel, being in a hostile environment of political regimes, managed not only to withstand a superior enemy, but also to become a regional political leader in the Middle East. The Israeli army has the most extensive combat experience among the modern armed forces, and is considered one of the best armies in the world in terms of training and technical equipment. The IDF or the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) can rightfully be called an exemplary model of a modern army, where combat effectiveness is determined not by the number of soldiers and officers, but by the level of training and the pace of mobilization of the necessary resources. The Israeli army is one of the few in which girls serve along with men.

The Israel Defense Forces is the main instrument of the security of the State of Israel. This title was given to the Israeli armed forces not in advance, on the contrary, throughout its history, it was the IDF that became a stumbling block for opponents who sought to destroy the new state formation in the Middle East. The history of the IDF began in 1948, and since that time the main function - the protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity, has been carried out brilliantly. The Israeli army had to be a participant in six major wars, and each time the Israeli armed forces proved their superiority on the battlefield.

Today, when there has been no active hostilities in the Middle East for more than 30 years, Israel is forced to fight alone against the terrorist threat emanating from radical Islamic groups. The IDF at this stage is an effective tool to curb the expansion of the Islamic world in the region, remains a security factor and a guarantor of the peace agreements reached.

Reasons for the high efficiency of the Israel Defense Forces

Analyzing historical facts that testify to the activity of Israel in the political arena, one involuntarily comes to the conclusion that a strong and modern army is the key to a successful foreign policy of the state. Israel's military doctrine is defensive in nature. This is written in the charter of the IDF, the officers and soldiers of the IDF are guided by this. The defensive policy of the State of Israel is fundamentally different from traditional tactical defense in the usual sense of the term.

The actions of the armed forces, strategic planning and mobilization resources are aimed at conducting offensive operations. In other words, the Israeli army adheres to offensive tactics, acting as part of a strategic defense. The reason why the leadership of the country chose such a tactic is easy to explain. A small territory with a complex configuration, the geographical position of Israel does not have the ability to organize strategic defense in full depth. The main weapon used by the Israelis in previous armed conflicts was to seize the strategic initiative. The army command has always sought to transfer hostilities to enemy territory, thereby protecting its own territory and population from destruction and suffering.

This tactic has been repeatedly successfully demonstrated in all the wars raging in the Middle East. Moreover, it is surprising that the IDF was opposed by numerous and well-armed armies of the Arab states. The qualitative superiority of the Israeli troops contributed to the successful implementation of the offensive defense. This is not only technical equipment and competent qualified command. The main factor in the high defense capability of the IDF is the high morale of its soldiers and high fighting spirit.

Israel has never been able to boast of large human resources that can be thoughtlessly thrown into the furnace of armed conflict. In such a situation, the only correct decision was made - to have a small and technically trained professional army. The basis of the army is made up of regular military personnel and conscripts, who form the backbone of regular army units. Behind the back of the regular military there is a large mobilization reserve, which allows in a matter of hours to triple or quadruple the size of the army. Reservists for the Israeli army not only undergo training, but are also periodically called up for service. The Air Force and the Navy have a permanent staff and strength.

Such a structure for the formation of the armed forces has repeatedly proved its effectiveness, and this despite the fact that in Israel the army is recruited only on a conscription basis. Another distinguishing feature of the Israeli military's recruiting system is the recruitment of both men and women. The fair sex can be found not only at communication centers and in headquarters. Women serve in combat units of the ground forces, serve in the navy and air force. The ratio of girls to representatives of the strong half in the Israeli army is 1 to 5.

In other words, in the form in which the Israeli Army exists today, it owes the consequences of the geopolitical situation that has developed from the very first days of the existence of the State of Israel. Only this principle of building our own army, the constant improvement of weapons and the maintenance of troops in constant combat readiness, became the conditions and guarantors of the country's survival.

IDF structure

Today, the Israeli army is the main figure in the chess game played in the Middle East for more than half a century. The entire Middle East theater of operations is under the control of the IDF, given the increased military-technical capabilities of the army. In peacetime, the size of the army does not exceed 186 thousand people, of which 140 thousand are in the ground forces. The army in emergency situations can rapidly increase the number to 600 thousand people, most of whom will go to the disposal of the ground army units.

The structure of the IDF includes:

ground troops;
Air Force (together with air defense forces);
Naval Forces.

All three components of the Israel Defense Forces are under a single command. This is one of the main advantages that the Israeli army can boast over other armies. The main command and control of the troops comes from the Chief of the General Staff, who, in turn, reports to the Minister of Defense of Israel and the Prime Minister. The position of Chief of the General Staff is administered by the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, and is appointed by the Israeli government. As a rule, the term of office is limited to three years. In a number of cases, the term of office of the Chief of the General Staff is extended for another year, until the end of the powers of the current government.

The entire territory of the country is divided into three operational districts - the northern, central and southern military districts. During hostilities, the headquarters of the districts automatically become the headquarters of the fronts. The main tactical unit of the Israeli army is the division. Each division in the ground forces is a small army with its own strike units, logistics, front-line aviation and air defense forces. When conducting large-scale military operations, a corps administration is formed on the basis of the headquarters command of the district, which includes several divisions.

The Navy consists of surface and submarine forces, which equally carry out the combat missions assigned to them. The main function of the Israeli Navy is to protect maritime borders and prevent the blocking of ports and naval bases by the forces of a potential enemy.

The IDF Air Force is the military elite. Pilots are only military personnel drafted into the army on a contract basis. Squadrons are formed by conscripts only for the needs of the logistics and technical support of aviation units.

Armament of the IDF. Features of acquisition and technical equipment

It should be noted that Israel has always been in a privileged position, receiving technical support from everywhere. Despite the fact that Israel has always adhered to a pro-Western orientation, military assistance to the country was provided by two main opposing camps, the Western and Eastern blocs. Initially, Israel's military power was formed by captured weapons inherited from the British colonial army that left Palestine after the end of World War II.

The basis of the Israeli Air Force at that time was only a couple of transport aircraft. The ground forces were armed with only a dozen British Mk.VIII Cromwell vehicles. Only with the outbreak of hostilities did Israel begin to receive military-technical assistance. True, it was of a specific nature, however, this was enough to increase the combat capability of the IDF.

After the start of the first Arab-Israeli war of 1947-49, the USSR began to provide military assistance to the young state. Through their intermediaries in Eastern Europe, through Czechoslovakia, captured German weapons flowed into Israel. Basically, it was captured small arms, anti-tank artillery and aircraft. The Israelis won their first victories over the Arabs in the air, fighting on captured German Messerschmitt 109 fighters. Even in such a difficult situation, the IDF managed to defeat the Arab coalition, which included Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

After the end of hostilities, it became obvious that the success achieved would only temporarily delay another military conflict. The Arab countries were eager for revenge, so Israel faced the acute issue of equipping the army, aviation and navy with modern and combat-ready weapons. From that moment on, the orientation of the warring parties in the Middle East takes clear directions. Arabov supports the USSR and the Warsaw Pact countries. Israel falls under the responsibility of the United States.

Since then, Israel has become the exclusive military-technical partner of the United States. American weapons flowed into the country. In addition to the captured military equipment captured from the Arabs during the hostilities, the main weapon of the Israeli army becomes either American or of its own, Israeli production.

As a result, the IDF began to receive means of armed struggle from other countries. Until 1980, Israel was one of the first buyers in the arms market, buying up almost all the latest models of aviation, missile and armored vehicles. Starting from the 70s, own developments began to arrive on the equipment of the AOI. First, the Israeli Merkava tank appeared first, replacing the American M60 tanks. Then came the turn of the Air Force, which received its own quite modern fighter "Kfir". This suggests that by this period, Israel managed to create in its country a powerful Military-Industrial Complex, sharpened for a full production cycle. Armaments and military equipment of all classes began to be produced at factories and factories in Israel, which went directly to equip their own armed forces.

However, Israel did not abandon the old equipment that was in service with the army in the 50s and 60s of the XX century. Most of the captured equipment, mostly Soviet-style, is located in arsenals located in the border areas.

The basis of the ground forces of the IDF is the armored forces. These units have glorious fighting traditions and are the backbone of the Israeli army. According to preliminary data, the army units have up to 3,000 tanks, of which half are their own Merkava tanks. The rest of the vehicles are American M60s, upgraded M48s, British Centurions and captured Soviet-made vehicles.

Most of the captured equipment captured during the Arab-Israeli wars (tanks T-55, T-62) was converted into engineer equipment and heavy armored transporters. The Israeli army is equipped with a large number of armored personnel carriers and vehicles that provide high mobility to the ground forces. The IDF uses self-propelled artillery units as the main element of fire support. More than 1000 self-propelled guns with calibers of 100-203 mm are the basis of the firepower of the ground forces. In most cases, this is American-made equipment. Recently, the MAR 290 and MAR 350 multiple launch rocket systems of our own production began to be supplied to the ground forces. Mortars are an indispensable means of strengthening the combat capability of army tactical units, as are anti-tank weapons. American anti-tank systems TOW-1 TOW-2 became the grave-diggers of Arab tanks during the last large-scale Arab-Israeli war "Judgment Day". In addition to them, the IDF infantry units are equipped with US-made Dragon light anti-tank systems.

Each army unit at the battalion, regiment and division level is equipped with a melee air defense system. The army has up to 48 Chapparelle and Avenger launchers. The composition of tactical battalion groups includes self-propelled launchers "Volcano" and towed anti-aircraft artillery installations. The army units are armed with portable air defense systems "Stinger" and "Red Eye".

The main air defense system is part of the Air Force. Quantitatively, the air defense forces are represented by the Arrow anti-aircraft missile systems, which protect the country's territory from missile strikes. Recently, the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system (48 launchers) and up to 200 Improved Hawk anti-aircraft missile systems have entered service with air defense systems. Both anti-aircraft missile systems have a medium and long range, designed to intercept ballistic delivery vehicles on the territory of neighboring states.

State of the Israeli Air Force and Navy

Traditionally, in the Israeli armed forces, the ground forces are in close cooperation with the Air Force and the Navy. The IDF Air Force is the strongest in the Middle East. This is confirmed by the qualitative and quantitative composition. Israeli Air Force pilots are considered the elite of the armed forces. The technical equipment of military aviation looks no less brilliant. The Air Force is armed with American F-15 Eagle fighters. Front-line aviation is represented by 240 F-16 Fighting Falcons. Since 2005, aviation has been supplied with the latest F-16I Sufa fighters.

Front-line aviation, whose function is to support the ground forces, also has helicopter units. Basically, the fleet of combat helicopters is represented by American-made AH-64 Apache and AH-1 Cobra machines.

In addition to front-line aviation, the Israeli Air Force has a large number of aviation reconnaissance aircraft, and there is a fairly large fleet of transport aircraft. Starting in 2010, the Israeli Air Force began a large-scale program to equip aviation units with unmanned aerial vehicles. As an operational reserve, the Air Force has 2nd and 3rd generation aircraft, including 140 F-4E Phantom-IIs, about a hundred A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft and more than a hundred Israeli Kfir fighter-bombers.

Summing up, we can say that Israeli aviation is technically strong. The latest technology is in the capable hands of pilots who rely on a well-functioning control system. The use of long-range radar reconnaissance aircraft as a means of guidance increases the combat capabilities of the IDF Air Force, making Israeli aviation the dominant deterrent in the region. The pilots and maintenance personnel of the Israeli Air Force have a high level of military-technical and combat training that meets the requirements of modern air combat.

The Israeli Naval Forces include formations of surface ships and a formation of submarine forces. The surface component is represented by German-built Saar 4.5 missile boats, and Saar 5 corvettes also built at German shipyards.

Corvettes provide stability to the connection of missile boats, perform the function of the command and staff centers of the Navy in the Red and Mediterranean Seas. The strike force of the fleet can be considered submarine forces. Three Dolphin-class submarines built in Germany belong to the 4th generation submarines and can carry both torpedo and missile weapons. Submarine forces include subdivisions of divers. Patrol and security functions are performed by patrol boats and whaleboats equipped with small arms and anti-aircraft weapons. In general, the Israeli Naval Forces are considered combat-ready and meet the requirements of modern naval weapons. With close cooperation with the Air Force, the Navy can successfully confront a potential enemy in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

Service in the Israeli army

It has already been said above that the IDF is completed on the basis of universal military service. All persons over the age of 18, boys and girls, are considered fit for service. For men, the term of military service is defined as 3 years, for girls of military age - 2 years. All citizens of Israel are subject to conscription, including those who have dual citizenship and those persons who temporarily reside outside the country.

Repatriate citizens aged 18-24 undergo an abbreviated military training course, which is determined depending on family composition, health status and age qualification. Persons over the age of 24 who have arrived for permanent residence in Israel serve in the reserve, having previously completed a military training course. Those citizens who, before arriving in the country, have already completed military service in the armies of other states are also involved in military service under a shortened program. The term of service in the IDF is determined by a special commission, which evaluates the professional suitability of a person liable for military service and his civilian usefulness.

An interesting fact: girls over the age of 20 who are married, people with health problems, repatriates over 26 and with children in care are exempt from conscription. Persons studying in religious schools are not drafted into the army. There is no threat of conscription for boys and girls who cannot serve in the army for religious reasons and beliefs. This category of citizens without fail undergoes alternative service.

Persons who are in the reserve may be annually involved in military training, which lasts 45 days. This approach to the configuration of the Israeli armed forces allows the country to deploy a combat-ready wartime army within two days.

A distinctive feature of the configuration of the IDF is the ability of the recruit to choose a place of service and a military unit. The direction to the troops is carried out after the conscripts pass the test for professional suitability. The recruit himself has the right to choose a military specialty, respectively, the army command is forced to take into account his interests.

The first acquaintance with weapons begins from the moment a soldier is enrolled in the staff of a military unit. Each serviceman receives at his disposal a machine gun or other type of small arms, which is surrendered after being transferred to the reserve. During leave, in dismissals, all military personnel are considered soldiers and are obliged, in case of emergency, to appear in their military units.

The AOI has an interesting system of training officers and commanders. Every soldier who has expressed a desire can become an officer. Having completed a course of initial military training and having proved in practice his military abilities, a soldier, after the recommendation of his commanders, can be sent to an officer training course. The course of education and training lasts from six months or more, depending on the type of troops, position and place of service. Combat unit officers undergo a longer training course. Not surprisingly, the majority of career officers in the IDF are former ordinary soldiers.

There is a staff college for senior officers in the country. For senior officers in Israel, there is the National Defense Academy. Often, IDF officers are trained in military schools in the United States, France, Great Britain and Germany. The term of service of each officer is determined by the term of the signed contract, which is defined as 5 years. The constantly updated officer corps of the Israeli army stimulates the promotion of young people through the ranks. In the military units of the IDF, you rarely see a general over 50 years old, which is the norm for most armies of post-Soviet states.

Introduction

Among other factors of the high combat capability of the Israeli army are an effective military infrastructure, technological capabilities that no other country in the world commensurate with Israel has, and a wealth of combat experience. At the same time, the insignificance of the territory and limited human resources, the concentration of the population in a limited number of urban centers, long borders and the lack of strategic raw materials make Israel militarily vulnerable.

Organization of the Israel Defense Forces

Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Lieutenant General M. Levy (center) with a group of officers. 1985. Photo by N. Harnik. State Press Bureau. Israel.

Withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon. 1985. Photo by N. Harnik. State Press Bureau. Israel.

Israel Defense Forces soldiers return home after an operation against terrorists based in Lebanon. 1993 Photo by A. Ohayon. State Press Bureau. Israel.

Prime Minister E. Barak, in the past - Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, bypasses the soldiers; behind him - the commander of the ground forces, Major General M. Sukenik. 2000 Photo by A. Ohayon. State Press Bureau. Israel.

Israeli troops in the Jerusalem area of Gilo, which was shelled from the neighboring Arab village of Beit Jala. 2000. Photo by M. Milner. State Press Bureau. Israel.

Prime Minister I. Shamir with a group of officers at one of the training bases of the Israel Defense Forces. 1987. Photo by M. Ayalon. State Press Bureau. Israel.

Preparing for the flight of the F-16 fighter aircraft. 1991 Photo by Ts. Israel. State Press Bureau. Israel.

Defense Minister M. Ahrens with a team of technicians serving F-16 fighter aircraft. 1991 Photo by Ts. Israel. State Press Bureau. Israel.

Demonstration flight of Israeli Air Force aircraft at a military parade dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the State of Israel. 1998. Photo by M. Milner. State Press Bureau. Israel.

Recruitment

According to the Law on Conscription of 1986, active service, and upon completion of it, annual military training (miluim) are mandatory. Boys serve 3 years and girls serve 2 years. A deferment from conscription can be granted to especially successful students of higher educational institutions (as part of the so-called academic reserve, atudaʹakaʹmait).

The distribution of conscripts by branch of service depends on their physical condition, which is indicated by the medical profile.

Repatriates may also be granted a deferment or reduction in service depending on age and marital status at the time of arrival in the country (girls who repatriated over the age of 17 are not subject to conscription; young people who arrived in the country over the age of 24 are not called up for emergency service).

After completing their mandatory service, each soldier is assigned to a reserve unit. Men under the age of 51 serve no more than 39 days a year; this period may be extended in extraordinary circumstances. Recently, there has been a policy aimed at facilitating the service of reservists: reservists who served in combat units can retire at the age of 45.

At the end of military service, persons of interest to the Tzahal may remain in the army on a contract basis. The main command and administrative personnel of the Tsahal are recruited from the re-enlisted. Graduates of officer and flight courses, as well as special military-technical schools, are required to serve a certain (usually three-year) term under the contract.

Yeshiva students who have fully devoted themselves to religious studies, and girls from religious families (optional) are exempted from military service (or, like new repatriates, serve a shorter term than usual).

Military ranks in the Israel Defense Forces

Soldier: turai - private; turai rishon (tarash) - corporal; rav-turai (rabbat) - senior corporal; Rav Turai Rishon - junior sergeant; samal - sergeant; samal rishon - senior sergeant; rav-samal - foreman; rav-samal rishon (rasar) - ensign.

Officers: memale-maqom katsin (mamak) - sub-lieutenant; segen-mishne (sagam) - junior lieutenant; segen - lieutenant; seren - captain; rav-seren (resen) - major; sgan-aluf (saal) - lieutenant colonel; aluf-mishne (alam) - colonel; tat-aluf (taal) - brigadier general; aluf - major general; rav-aluf - lieutenant general (general of the army).

The rank of Rav Aluf is only the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.

Army management

The operational leadership of the armed forces is in the hands of the General Staff (ha-mate ha-klali), headed by the Chief of the General Staff (rosh ha-mate ha-klali, abbreviated ramatkalʹ), appointed by the Minister of Defense in agreement with the Cabinet for three years (with the possibility renewal for a fourth year).

The General Staff consists of six main directorates:

Main Operational Directorate;
Main Intelligence Directorate;
the Main Directorate of Personnel, responsible for the training of personnel, planning and implementation of mobilization;
Main Directorate of Technology and Supply;
Main Directorate of Research and Development of Armaments,
General Directorate of Planning.

The structure of the General Staff of the Tsakhal also includes the Department of Combat Training and Special Operations. The rabbinate of the Israel Defense Forces provides for the religious needs of soldiers and officers. Shabbat violations are prohibited in the Israeli army and kosher laws are observed. In operational terms, the armed forces are subdivided into three territorial districts (Northern, Central and Southern), and according to the types of troops - into land, air and naval forces.

National Army

The consequence of this is the interest of the Israel Defense Forces in raising the professional and general educational level of the country's population. The mobilized receive in army technical schools the knowledge and skills necessary in modern military affairs; special educational programs are aimed at expanding and deepening the knowledge of soldiers in the field of Jewish history, geography, archeology of Israel, etc.; the army makes sure that new immigrants and recruits, whose formal education has not been completed, better master the skills of reading and writing; the army sends specially trained female instructors to development cities to eliminate educational disparities.

There are a number of special service programs in Tsahal, including:

Yeshivat-hesder - a special variant of military service, in which the service is combined with studies in a yeshiva. This service is intended for students of yeshivot secondary schools (yeshivot tihniyot), Tzahal recruits. The term of such service is 4 years, including 16 months of military service, and the rest of the time is studying in a yeshiva. In August 2005, the number of soldiers and officers serving in Tsakhal under this program reached six thousand people, 88% of them in combat units.
Nahal - special regular units in which military service is combined with agricultural work in new settlements. The strongholds of Nahal are located along the borders and in kibbutzim; when the settlement created by Nahal is economically strong enough, the army turns it over to the civil authorities. At the end of their service, the soldiers of Nahal can remain in its composition and continue to live in the settlement they founded. The service life for women is 23 months, for men - 40 months. The fighters of the Nahal units founded dozens of new settlements in the peripheral regions of the country.
Public pre-army service (shnat sherut - literally “year of service”) - a deferment from military service for up to one year for boys and girls who volunteer to work as instructors in one of the youth movements or engage in other recognized socially useful activities.
Pre-war preparatory courses (mechinot kdam tzvayot) - a deferment from military service for up to one year as part of studying at secular or religious preparatory courses.

The Israel Defense Forces operates hundreds of Gadna clubs (where noar - youth battalions), in which young people of pre-conscription age (mostly who have not completed formal education) undergo general education and military training. Many members of the organization take special courses for the preliminary training of pilots, sailors, paratroopers, etc.

The number and weapons of the Israel Defense Forces

Information of a defensive nature in Israel is not subject to publication; thus, the data given below are based mainly on the estimates of authoritative foreign sources, as well as Israeli researchers.

The number of Israeli armed forces with full mobilization (excluding territorial defense units, civil defense units, border and coast guards) is estimated at 631,000 people; about 186 thousand people are in active service (see table 1).

Table 1. The number of soldiers and officers of the military service of the Israel Defense Forces (in thousands of people)

A comparison of the number of soldiers and conscripts shows that the Egyptian army (450 thousand people) is 2.4 times larger than the Israeli one, and the Syrian army (289 thousand people) is 1.5 times larger. The superiority is partially corrected by the fact that the number of reservists in the Israeli army (445 thousand) exceeds the number of reservists in the Egyptian (254 thousand) and Syrian (132 thousand) armies combined. The troops of Jordan (101 thousand soldiers and officers of military service) and Lebanon (61 thousand) are inferior in size to the Israel Defense Forces.

The distribution of the number of soldiers and officers of the Tsahal (including both the forces of the regular army and the reservists) by type of service is presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Distribution of the number of soldiers and officers of the Israel Defense Forces by branches of service, 2002

The Israeli army is capable of mobilizing most of the reserve units in 24 hours, which to a certain extent compensates for Israel's strategic weaknesses - a small territory, a limited size of the regular army and long borders, allowing reinforcements to be delivered to the regular army units holding the front in a matter of hours.

Other important aspects of the Israeli strategic doctrine, designed to solve the problem of a small country surrounded by a numerically superior enemy, are the offensive nature of hostilities, the transfer of hostilities to enemy territory and, if possible, moving them away from the country's borders, the rapid transfer of troops from front to front, the concentration maximum forces in the place of the main threat, the concentrated and coordinated use of the Air Force against the ground forces and rear of the enemy (which, among other things, reduces human losses), the delivery (in favorable political conditions) of preventive strikes, as well as the maximum use of technological achievements of the world and domestic military industry.

According to estimates for 2002 (more recent data has not yet been published), with full mobilization, the Israeli ground forces number about 521 thousand people (141 thousand military personnel in active service and 380 thousand reservists) - 16 divisions (including 12 armored), and also 76 brigades.

Tsahal is armed with 3930 (according to other sources - 3700) tanks - more than in the army of any of the countries bordering Israel (Syria - up to 3700, Egypt - about three thousand, Jordan - 970, Lebanon - 280), a significant some of which (about 1400) are Israeli-made Merkava tanks of models I, II, III and IV (after purchasing 300 units of M60A3 tanks in 1979, delivered in 1980-1985, Israel does not buy tanks abroad - update tank fleet is carried out at the expense of the production of "Merkava").

Israel has 8040 (according to other sources - 7710) armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles, most of the American production - more than in the army of any of the countries bordering Israel (Syria - about 5060, Egypt - 3680, Jordan - 1815, Lebanon - 1235 ). The artillery force has about 1350 guns, mostly self-propelled: heavy 203 mm howitzers (36 pieces) and long-range 175 mm caliber guns of American production (140 pieces), about 720 155 mm guns made in France according to an Israeli project, as well as a significant number captured Soviet guns of 130 and 122 mm caliber. A large number of mortars are in service, in particular, self-propelled guns of 160 mm caliber.

About 36,000 people served in the Air Force in 2002. During the mobilization, the personnel of the Israeli Air Force reaches approximately 91 thousand people. According to various sources, the Israeli Air Force has up to 800 combat aircraft, including 628 in service and 172 (57 - Skyhawk models and 115 - Kfir models) - in operational storage (that is, they are maintained in combat-ready condition; intended for sale abroad or use in an emergency) - more than in the army of any of the countries bordering Israel (Egypt - 505, Syria - 451, Jordan - 97, Lebanon has no combat aircraft). The number of Israeli Air Force combat vehicles, including missile-equipped helicopters, is detailed in Table 3.

Table 3. The number of Israeli Air Force combat aircraft of various models, 2002

original name	Israeli name	Quantity
F-15 models A-D "Eagle"	"Baz" ("Falcon")	72
F-15 Model I "Strike Eagle"	"Ra'am" ("Thunder")	25
F-16 Models A-B "Fighting Falcon"	"Nets" ("Hawk")	110
F-16 models C–D "Fighting Falcon"	"Barack" ("Lightning")	138
F-16 Model I "Fighting Falcon"	"Sa'ar" ("Storm")	120 aircraft on order, due by 2008.
F-4E "Phantom II" and F-4E-2000 ("Phantom-2000")	"Kournas" ("Hammer")	140
A-4H/N, TA-4H and TA-4J Skyhawk	"Ait" ("Kite")	175, of which 118 are in service and 57 are in operational storage
Kfir C-2/TC-2/C-7/TC-7/CR	"Kfir" ("Lion cub")	140, of which 25 are in service and 115 are in operational storage

In addition to combat aircraft, the Israeli Air Force has 57 (according to other sources - 79) Boeing 707, C-130H Hercules, Arava and Dorenye Do-28B-1 transport aircraft; 6 tanker transport aircraft; 138 training aircraft; 22 communications aircraft; as well as electronic reconnaissance and patrol aircraft. The country's air force also has 135 AH-64A Apache, AH-1G/E/F/S Cobra and 500MD Defender combat helicopters, as well as transport helicopters of various modifications. In Israel, all specialized air defense systems, except for ships, are concentrated in the air defense forces (Hale nun-mem; "nun-mem" - an abbreviation of neged matosim - literally "against aircraft"), which are part of the Air Force.

Air defense is a military branch of the military, a high medical profile is required from recruits. Combat personnel are trained at the Air Defense School (BISNAM-833, formerly located in Herzliya, later transferred to Mashavey Sad), technical personnel - at the Air Force Technical School in Haifa. Air defense systems are maintained by the Air Force Systems and Weapons Service Center (Matnam, Merkaz tahzukat neshek u-maarahot), as well as civilian firms.

Missile testing and most air defense firing exercises are conducted at the Missile Testing Unit (YANAT, Yehidat Nisway Ha-Tilim) in Palmachim. Other shootings are carried out at the Shedma training ground (in the south of Israel, in the Mitzpe Ramon region). Air defense missions include:

Ensuring the air defense of the country. This task is performed by Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems and advanced HAWK systems in cooperation with the command and control system and fighter aircraft.
Ensuring the country's missile defense. A ballistic missile warning against Israel comes from a network of American early warning satellites. The interception is carried out by specialized Hetz-2 anti-missiles, and in case of failure, by Patriot missiles.
Defense of individual military and civilian facilities (for example, air force bases, a nuclear center in Dimona). Air defense of ground forces. This task is performed by mobile air defense systems, their divisions are armed with Stinger and Chaparel anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as Makhbet missile and artillery systems. Security and ground defense of air force bases.

The Israeli navy has long been the least developed branch of the military. However, after unprecedented successes in 1973 (19 enemy ships destroyed without loss on the Israeli side), a period of rapid development began, and at present the Israeli Navy is considered not only one of the most operational in the world, but also the dominant maritime force in the Eastern Mediterranean basin.

Several units have been created in Tsakhal and the police, the main task of which is to counter terror. Among them: Yamam - a special unit of the police to combat terror, responsible for anti-terrorist operations in Israel; Saeret Matkal (General Staff Intelligence), responsible for anti-terrorist operations outside the country; Shaetet-13 (13th flotilla, special forces of the Navy, responsible for anti-terrorist operations abroad with the participation of naval forces); Lothar Eilat (Lothar - lohma be-terror / fight against terror /, unit 7707, responsible for anti-terrorist operations in Israel in the area of the city of Eilat; due to the geographical remoteness of Eilat and its proximity to the Egyptian and Jordanian borders, it was decided to create a separate subdivision).

In addition, anti-terrorist special forces were created in each of the military districts: Saeret "Golani" (reconnaissance of the Golani infantry brigade) - in the North, Saeret Tsankhanim (reconnaissance of the parachute brigade), Saeret Nahal (reconnaissance of the Nahal infantry brigade) and Saeret " Duvdevan" (special unit of the so-called Mistarvim, operating in Arabic camouflage in controlled territories) - in the Central and Sayeret "Givati" (reconnaissance of the infantry brigade "Givati") - in the Southern Military District. In 1995, to counter the "guerrilla war" in Lebanon, Saeret "Egoz" was recreated (disbanded in 1974 together with Saeret "Cheruv" and Saeret "Shaked"); subsequently, the fighters of this detachment made an invaluable contribution to the fight against Palestinian terror in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) and Gaza.

Nuclear potential

The existence of a constant threat to national security from the Arab neighbors is forcing Israel to maintain powerful armed forces in the country, equipped with modern means of armed struggle, including weapons of mass destruction. Although Israel has never conducted open nuclear tests, it is estimated that Israel is now the world's sixth largest nuclear power after the US, Russia, Britain, France and China. Israel's nuclear program dates back to the 1950s; D. Ben-Gurion and S. Perez stood at its origins.

The scientific support of the nuclear program was carried out by a team of scientists from. In 1952, the Nuclear Energy Commission, headed by E. D. Bergman, was established under the control of the Department of Defense. In 1956, Israel entered into a secret agreement with France to build a plutonium nuclear reactor. The reactor began to be built in a remote corner of the Negev desert, near Dimona.

The plant for reprocessing irradiated fuel was created in 1960, and the 26 MW reactor was put into operation in 1963. (Now the reactor power reaches 150 MW, which, according to experts, makes it possible to obtain weapons-grade plutonium in an amount sufficient to produce more than ten bombs average yield per year.) By the Six Day War, the first two nuclear devices had already been assembled, starting in 1970, Israel began to produce from three to five nuclear charges per year.

At the same time, Israel refused to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, having reached an understanding with the US administration (and personally with President R. Nixon), according to which, "it was assumed, but not recognized" that Israel was a state possessing nuclear weapons. Only on July 13, 1998, at a press conference in Jordan, S. Peres, who was then Prime Minister of Israel, publicly admitted for the first time that Israel possesses nuclear weapons, but neither he nor any other Israeli leader, either then or later did not release any details relating to this area.

According to various estimates, by now Israel could potentially have from one hundred to five hundred nuclear warheads, the total TNT equivalent of which could be up to fifty megatons. Since 1963, Israel has been developing ballistic missile systems capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Back in 1989, the Jericho-2B ballistic missile with a range of up to 1,500 km, capable of hitting targets, including throughout Libya and Iran, was successfully tested. The Israeli Armed Forces also have aircraft delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons (including American-made F-16, F-4E Phantom and A-4N Sky Hawk aircraft). Israel is the only power in the Middle East with a high degree of probability having ground, sea and air-based nuclear weapons systems.

Israeli defense spending

In 2002, they amounted to 9.84 billion dollars (1984 - $4.3 billion). Although Israel's defense spending has been steadily rising, on a per capita basis, it has remained relatively stable, albeit at a very high level, at about $1,500 a year.

A major contribution to the maintenance of Israel's defense capability is made by military assistance received by Israel from the United States. Israel first received gratuitous military aid from the United States in 1974 (worth $1.5 billion). For the period from 1974 to 2002. Israel received $41.06 billion in gratuitous military aid from the United States. At the same time, Israel is obliged to spend most of the military aid funds in the United States for the purchase of military equipment, spare parts, ammunition and equipment, which hinders the development of defense industry enterprises in Israel itself.

Procurement, production and export of weapons

In 1952, Israel signed an agreement with the US government on the purchase of military equipment, but during this period the share of Israeli military purchases in the US was negligible. The first jets of the Israeli Air Force - "Meteor" - were bought from Great Britain, which eventually became the main supplier of naval equipment, primarily destroyers and submarines.

In the 1950s France gradually became the main supplier of weapons to the Israel Defense Forces (primarily jet aircraft) - until the embargo on the supply of weapons to Israel, imposed on June 2, 1967 by President de Gaulle. In the 1960s the role of the United States as a supplier of weapons for the Israel Defense Forces is growing, but the United States became the main supplier only after the Six Day War.

The high level of the Israeli military industry is the result not so much of economic factors as of political decisions, since from the very first days of the existence of the Jewish state it became obvious that in emergency circumstances one cannot rely on the delivery of weapons and equipment ordered from abroad.

Today, Israeli industrial products cover almost all major branches of military production and include electronic and electrical equipment (in particular, radar and telecommunications equipment - an area in which Israel is among the world's best manufacturers), precision optical equipment, small arms, artillery pieces and mortars, rockets, some of which are the most advanced in their class, tanks, aircraft (light - for operational communications and maritime patrols, transport, unmanned aerial vehicles, fighters and fighter-bombers), warships, ammunition, personal equipment, military medical equipment and etc.

The total volume of production of the Israeli military-industrial complex in 2001 exceeded 3.5 billion dollars, and Israeli defense enterprises signed contracts for the export of their products in the amount of 2.6 billion dollars (Israel accounts for 8% of world arms exports). The Israeli military industry not only provides a significant part of the needs of the Tsahal in weapons, equipment and equipment, but also exports its products for hundreds of millions of dollars to the South (Argentina China

means of communication (for example, systems for searching and detecting ejected pilots of aircraft and helicopters, as well as reconnaissance and special forces soldiers, which make it possible to establish their location with an accuracy of 10 m);
sights and night vision devices for both small arms and armored vehicles and helicopters; electronic combat control systems for units of various levels;
radar installations for different types of weapons; means of searching and detecting mines, unexploded ordnance (which is very important for many countries in Asia and Africa);
robots for the safe detonation of detected explosive devices; small arms and many other types of military equipment and equipment.

The advantage of Israeli weapons and military equipment supplied to the foreign market is that almost all of it has been tested in real combat operations, modified in accordance with the requirements of the field conditions of its operation and therefore is very reliable. The proceeds from the export of the Israeli military industry serve its further development.

Which is called the IDF.

IDF - Israel Security Defense Army was created immediately after the founding of an independent, two weeks after the proclamation of a sovereign and independent state during the War of Independence of the state. Then in 1948, under the leadership of David Ben Gurion, the interim government adopted a resolution on the creation of a state army, and already on May 26 this year, the interim government signed a document called the “Decree on the Israel Defense Forces”. Since the entry into force of this decree, it is customary to consider the emergence of the armed forces of Israel.

How is the Israel Defense Forces organized? I must say that its main composition is members of the Haganah, and therefore the organizational and structural structure of the new Jewish army remained mainly from the Haganah. Over time, members of the Irgun and Lehi also joined the IDF - the new army of the State of Israel.

Today, in the armed forces of Israel, according to Israeli laws, all citizens of Israel, as well as everyone who lives on its territory. They are drafted into the army, they serve in the IDF army, including girls.

But there are some population groups that, with the special permission of the Minister of Defense of Israel, can be exempted from service in - in the IDF.

These special categories include citizens of Arab nationality who are exempt from military service, but young people can volunteer to serve in the army if they wish. For citizens of Israel - Bedouins, who traditionally adhere to the Muslim religion, there are also discounts, they can serve in the army voluntarily.

But at the same time, the Druzes and Circassians who live on and are its citizens are subject to conscription into the Israeli armed forces and service, just like the Jews.

Who else is included in the special groups exempted from the army? These special groups also include men who study in special Jewish religious schools. They can receive a deferment from military service for the period of study in religious educational institutions, which, by the way, can last a lifetime.

Girls from religious families can also be exempted from serving in the Israeli armed forces. Service in the active army of Israel can be replaced by alternative service in educational institutions of Israel, in hospitals and hospitals, in various volunteer organizations.

In Israel, all citizens of the state must serve in the army, but despite this, the majority of believing Jews belonging to the ultra-Orthodox still do not serve in the Israeli army.

The duration of service in the Israeli army for men is 3 years, for women - 2. Every year, all those who have served in the regular army are called up for retraining at the training camp. The rank and file of the IDF army can undergo retraining for almost two months - 45 days.

The Israeli Armed Forces is the most developed and most high-tech army. About 50% of the state budget is allocated to armaments in Israel, this is the largest percentage in the world.

The Israeli army consists of: ground forces, air force and navy and troops. There are 210 military personnel in the ground forces, 52 thousand in the air force, and 13 thousand in the naval forces.

One of the most elite parts of Israel is the Shayetet 13 unit. It is part of the secret military operations, both on land and at sea, and the operations are carried out behind enemy lines. In a word - a group that is engaged in sabotage work and intelligence. Neither the number, nor the composition of the unit, nor its location is disclosed and is classified information. The name of the unit, translated into Russian, means “13th Flotilla of the Israeli Naval Forces”.

The military unit "Shayetet 13" can be called "Israel's secret weapon."

In order to get into the unit, the recruit must go through a huge competition, special checks, and meet the highest requirements. After the initial selection, the recruit is allowed to a four-day selection, where he will undergo physical, psychological and intellectual tests. Having passed all the stages, and these are tasks of super-increased complexity, the recruit is enrolled in the Shayetet 13 unit.

The main activity of the secret part is carrying out reconnaissance operations, liquidation of objects, seizures and sabotage of ships of the enemy side during hostilities.

The army and weapons of Israel are considered among the most powerful and powerful in the world. In addition, Israel is a nuclear power, which has Israeli nuclear weapons in service. And although no one has officially stated this, the leadership of the state of Israel itself does not refute the information about the presence of nuclear weapons in Israel.

We can provide official information that allows us to identify the most important objects - the components of the military nuclear potential of the Israeli state. These are the Sorek nuclear weapons research and development center and the Dimona and Yodefat factories, where nuclear weapons are assembled and dismantled. You can name such missile bases, and warehouses of nuclear weapons and atomic bombs, as Kefar Zekharya and Eilaban. Such a small state and so powerful in its armament.