Armed Forces of Israel
Since its founding in 1948, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has gained a reputation among military
experts as being one of the best armed forces in the world.
A relatively small military force, yet well-trained and very
technologically-driven, the IDF has been shaped to be "a
smaller, smarter army" able to repel attacks from numerically
superior forces.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
The IDF is composed of naval, air, and ground forces
(though they are not designated as separate services).
Its mission is to defend the existence and sovereignty of
the state of Israel. At the core of this mission is the belief
that Israel cannot afford to lose a single war.
As a result, the IDF has adopted a defensive strategy.
This strategy is supported by an unrivaled intelligence community
and early warning systems, and executed by well-trained, rapidly
mobilized military forces capable of taking the fight to the
enemy and accomplishing its military objectives expeditiously.
To fulfill Israel's unique requirements, the IDF posseses
world-class equipment and weaponry, some produced by the country's
independent weapons industry. Many of these developments have
been successfully battle-tested in many military engagements,
giving Israeli weapons industries a very high reputation.
The IDF's ground forces, known as Mazi, are a highly
mechanized division. The number of armored personnel
vehicles in Mazi nearly equals the number belonging to Egypt,
Jordan, and Syria combined.
They are also one of the most wired ground forces in the world.
Israeli land forces rely on an extensive network of flying
drones, hidden cameras, and unattended ground sensors to monitor
combat situations.
The Sea Corps, by far the smallest branch of the IDF,
are mandated with protecting Israeli sea lanes, preventing
naval blockades of Israeli ports, and blockading enemy ports
during times of war. They operate chiefly in the Mediterranean
and the Gulf of Aqaba.
IDF's naval fleet does not have large surface vessels. Instead,
it consists of smaller ships with high maneuverability, speed,
and heavier firepower. The Israeli navy also has a few sophisticated
diesel submarines.
The Sea Corps' naval air arm is mostly limited to maritime
reconnaissance, rescue and surveillance missions. Although
the Sea Corps does not have a marine corps, they do possess
an elite naval commando unit highly capable of conducting
amphibious assault and sabotage operations.
Israel's air force, the Air Corps, includes a large
number of electronic countermeasure and airborne early warning
aircraft, cargo transports and utility aircraft, and helicopters.
Regarded as one of the best air forces in the world, the core
fleet of F-15 tactical fighters give Israel total air superiority
over the entire Middle East.
Although it maintains a smaller fleet of combat aircraft than
all of its Arab neighbours combined, Israel's superior maintenance
standards and higher pilot-to-aircraft ratio means they can
fly more missions per aircraft per day. Israel also possesses
highly advanced weapons delivery systems.
The Israeli air force holds many world records with respect
to the number of enemy planes shot down, air combat performance,
special operations, and air-to-ground operations in the modern
fighter era.
A New York-based program allows Americans to live and work
on IDF bases or hospitals, doing tasks normally performed
by Israeli soldiers. For three weeks, volunteers live in army
barracks and maintain their own military lockers – experiencing the same conditions as enlisted
personnel. By mingling with Israel's military, they get a
more diverse view of Israeli society than most tourists.
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