Military equipment of Israel

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The military equipment of Israel includes a wide array of arms, tanks, planes, cannons, armored vehicles. Many of these are purchased overseas. Up until the Six-Day War of 1967, the Israel Defense Forces' principal supplier was France, since then, it has been the United States government and defense companies. Even more recently, Israeli companies such as Soltam Systems have been selling arms to the United States.[1] Much of the military equipment undergoes improvements in Israeli workshops. In addition to weapons purchased overseas and indigenous products, Israel also operates and maintains large stockpiles of Soviet equipment captured from Arab armies over the course of the Arab-Israeli Conflict.

Contents

[edit] History

During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the military equipment in the IDF was very diverse and inconsistent. This was due to the severe limitation in obtaining war material (the British Mandate and the Arab Embargo). During the 1950s, the IDF began the process of standardization, relying primarily on French military equipment.

During the Six Day War, the military cooperation with France ceased (the French Weapons Embargo of 1967) and Israel began to rely on American weaponry and on local research and developments. During the 1980s and 1990s, the IDF increased its supplies of American arms, armor and aircraft, aiming for technological superiority over Arab countries, toward "a smaller, smarter army."

The reliance on locally manufactured military equipment has also greatly increased. Today, the overwhelming majority of Israel's military equipment is either manufactured in the United States (and often modified in Israeli workshops), or is developed and manufactured locally, with an increasing emphasis on advanced technology, including aerospace and electronics.

[edit] Local military development

Some of the military equipment developed locally have been:

[edit] Ground forces equipment

[edit] Small arms

Name Type Caliber Origin Notes
Jericho 941[2] Semi-Automatic Pistol 9x19mm  Israel
Glock 17[3] Semi-Automatic Pistol 9x19mm  Austria
Glock 19[4] Semi-Automatic Pistol 9x19mm  Austria
Browning Hi-Power[4] Semi-Automatic Pistol 9x19mm  Belgium
Beretta M951[2] Semi-Automatic Pistol 9x19mm  Italy
Heckler & Koch P11[2] Underwater pistol 7.62x36mm  Germany
IMI Uzi[5] Submachine Gun 9x19mm  Israel Uzi, Mini-Uzi and Micro-Uzi used.
Ingram Mac-10[2] Submachine Gun 9x19mm  United States
IMI Micro Tavor MTAR-21[2] Submachine Gun and Bullpup Assault Rifle 9x19mm / 5.56x45mm  Israel Variant of the Tavor Assault Rifle, replacing the Uzi, and becoming the standard issue assault rifle
IMI Tavor TAR-21[2] Assault Rifle 5.56x45mm  Israel Variants used are TAR-21, GTAR-21, STAR-21 and CTAR-21
M4 Carbine[2] Assault Rifle 5.56x45mm  United States
M16A1[6] Assault Rifle 5.56x45mm  United States
CAR-15[4] Assault Rifle 5.56x45mm  United States
IMI Galil[2][5] Assault Rifle 5.56x45mm  Israel Variants used are Galil AR and Galil SAR
IMI Micro Galil Assault Rifle 5.56x45mm  Israel Highly compact version of the Galil
AKM[2][5][7] Assault Rifle 7.62x39mm  Soviet Union Captured from Arab armies over the course of the Arab-Israeli Conflict and used by Special Forces.
AK-47[2][5][8] Assault Rifle 7.62x39mm  Soviet Union Captured from Arab armies over the course of the Arab-Israeli Conflict and used by Special Forces.
M14[2] Battle Rifle 7.62x51mm  United States
IMI Negev[2] Light Machine Gun 5.56x45mm  Israel
M1919 Browning Light Machine Gun .30-06 Springfield  United States of America
FN MAG[9] General Purpose Machine Gun 7.62x51mm  Belgium
PKM[4] General Purpose Machine Gun 7.62x54mmR  Soviet Union Captured from Arab armies over the course of the Arab-Israeli Conflict and used by Special Forces.
Browning M2[2] Heavy Machine Gun 12.7x99mm  United States
Remington 870[4] Shotgun 12 Gauge  United States
Mossberg 500 Shotgun 12 Gauge  United States
SR-25[4] Sniper Rifle 7.62x51mm  United States
IMI Galatz Sniper Rifle 7.62x51mm  Israel Sniper variant of the Galil
M24[4] Sniper Rifle 7.62x51mm  United States
HTR 2000 Sniper Rifle .338 Lapua  United States
M89SR[4] Sniper Rifle 7.62x51mm  Israel
Barrett M82 Anti Materiel Rifle 12.7x99mm  United States
M26A2 Fragmentation Grenade n/a  Israel Based on the American M26 grenade
IDF M48 Stun grenade n/a  Israel Based on the American M84 stun grenade
Suppressed Ruger 10/22[4][10] Semiautomatic rifle .22LR  United States Adopted for non-lethal crowd control, though not always used as such
Armsel Striker Revolving Shotgun 12 Gauge  South Africa Used for riot control

[edit] Rocket and grenade launchers

Name Type Caliber Origin
B-300 Shoulder-launched Rocket 82mm  Israel
RPG-7 Shoulder-launched Rocket 85mm  Soviet Union
Shipon Shoulder-launched Rocket 83mm  Israel
M72 LAW Shoulder-launched Rocket 66mm  United States
MATADOR Shoulder-launched Rocket 90mm  Israel/ Singapore
M79[2] Stand-alone Grenade Launcher 40mm  United States
M203[2] Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher 40mm  United States
Mk 19[2] Automatic Grenade Launcher 40mm  United States
Mk 47 Striker Automatic Grenade Launcher 40mm  United States

[edit] Missiles

Name Type Origin
Spike Anti-Tank Missile  Israel
BGM-71 TOW Anti-Tank Missile  United States
LAHAT Anti-Tank Missile  Israel
MAPATS Anti-Tank Missile  Israel
Nimrod Long-range anti-tank missile  Israel
M47 Dragon Anti-Tank Missile  United States

[edit] Vehicles

Name Type Number in Service[11] Origin Notes
Merkava Mark IV Main Battle Tank 320  Israel Additional 300 in production
Merkava Mark III Main Battle Tank 780  Israel
Merkava Mark II Main Battle Tank 400  Israel
Merkava Mark I Main Battle Tank 180  Israel
Magach 7 Tank 1,040  Israel/ United States In reserve, based on the American M60 Patton
Magach 6 Tank 310  Israel/ United States In reserve, based on the American M60 Patton
Magach 5 Tank 200  Israel/ United States In reserve, based on the American M48 Patton
M113 Armored Personnel Carrier 5,500  United States
IDF Achzarit Heavy Armored Personnel Carrier 215  Israel\ Soviet Union Based on the T-54 Tank
Nagmachon Heavy Armored Personnel Carrier N/A  Israel\ United Kingdom Based on the Centurion Tank
Nakpadon Heavy Armored Personnel Carrier N/A  Israel\ United Kingdom Based on the Centurion Tank
Namer Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicle 60  Israel 250 ordered. Based on the Merkava chassis.
M1126 Stryker Infantry Fighting Vehicle 3  United States Israel has received three Stryker variants for trials
Wolf Armored Vehicle 300  Israel
Puma Heavy Combat Engineering Vehicle N/A  Israel\ United Kingdom Based on the Centurion Tank
CAT D9 Combat Armored Bulldozer 175  Israel/ United States Bulldozer manufactured by Caterpillar Inc., military conversion and armor by Israel. Exists in 3 models: L, N and R
AIL Storm Utility vehicle 700  Israel
HMMWV Utility vehicle 5,000  United States
MDT David Utility vehicle 400  Israel\ United Kingdom Based on the Land Rover Defender
Plasan Sand Cat Utility Vehicle 79  Israel
AIL Abir 4x4 Truck N/A  Israel
M35 8x12 Truck N/A  United States
Unimog 437 Heavy Truck N/A  Germany
HEMTT 8x8 Heavy Truck N/A  United States
KamAZ-6350 8x8 Heavy Truck N/A  Russia
M548 Alfa Cargo & Ammunition Carrier N/A  United States Based on the M113
M60 AVLB Armored Bridge Layer N/A  United States
Nemmera Armored Recovery Vehicle N/A  Israel Based on the Merkava
M88 Armored Recovery Vehicle N/A  United States
Nagmapop Command & Surveillance vehicle N/A  Israel\ United Kingdom Based on the Centurion Tank
AIL Desert Raider Dune Buggy N/A  Israel
VIPeR Unmanned Ground Vehicle N/A  Israel
Guardium Unmanned Ground Vehicle N/A  Israel
Black Thunder Unmanned Bulldozer N/A  Israel\ United States Based on the Caterpillar D9[12]

[edit] Artillery

Name Type Number in Service[11] Origin Notes
M109 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer 600  United States/ Israel Upgraded as the M109 Doher
M110 203mm Self-Propelled Howitzer 36  United States
M107 175mm Self-Propelled Howitzer 70  United States
Soltam M-71 155mm Towed Howitzer 300  Israel
Soltam M-68 155mm Towed Howitzer 50  Israel In reserve
M-46 130mm Towed Howitzer 100  Soviet Union/ Israel In reserve, upgraded by Soltam Systems
D-30 122mm Towed Howitzer N/A  Soviet Union In reserve
M270 Multiple Rocket Launcher 48  United States
BM-21 Grad 122mm Multiple Rocket Launcher 60  Soviet Union Israel In reserve, upgraded
MAR-290 290mm Multiple Rocket Launcher N/A  Israel\ United States Based on the M4 Sherman Tank
Cardom SP 120mm Self-Propelled Mortar 64  Israel
Soltam M-65 120mm Mortar 250  Israel
M113 Tamuz Missile Launching Vehicle N/A  Israel Spike Missiles launched from an M113 chassis[13]

[edit] Air defense

Name Type Number in Service[11] Origin Notes
Machbet Air Defense Vehicle 400  Israel\ United States Based on the M163 VADS
FIM-92 Stinger Shoulder-launched Surface-to-air missile 500  United States
FIM-43 Redeye Shoulder-launched Surface-to-air missile N/A  United States
ZSU-23-4 Air Defense Vehicle 60[14]  Soviet Union
Bofors L/70 40mm Anti-Aircraft Gun N/A  Sweden
ZU-23-2 23mm Anti-Aircraft Gun N/A  Soviet Union
TCM-20 20mm Anti-Aircraft Gun N/A  France\ Swiss\ Israel

[edit] Air forces equipment

[edit] Combat aircraft

[edit] Special mission aircraft

[edit] Auxiliary aircraft

[edit] Trainer aircraft

[edit] Attack helicopters

[edit] Utility helicopters

[edit] Unmanned aerial vehicles

[edit] Weaponry

[edit] Naval forces equipment

Below are the IDF's active service watercraft. The year of service, speed, full load displacement, and crew members, are in parentheses.

[edit] Missile boats

[edit] Corvettes

[edit] Patrol boats

[edit] Unmanned naval vehicles

[edit] Submarines

  • Germany Dolphin (1992; 11 kt, 20 kt underwater; 1,640 tons, 1,900 tons underwater; 30 crew members)

[edit] Commando boats

[edit] Remote weapon systems

[edit] Space systems

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/US-Army-Wants-120mm-GPS-Guided-Mortars-to-Fight-Afghan-Insurgents-05990/
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Jones, Richard (2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group. pp. 36, 380, 897. ISBN 0710628692. 
  3. ^ Valpolini, Paolo (June 2009). "There are Two Types of Men in this World...". Armada International (Online). Archived from the original on June 2009. http://www.webcitation.org/5nWZl0BMW. Retrieved 2010-02-13. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Israeli Special Forces Weapons Guide". http://www.isayeret.com/guides/weapons.htm. Retrieved 2010-10-13. 
  5. ^ a b c d Katz, Sam (1986). Israeli Defence Forces since 1973. Osprey Publishing. pp. 22, 56, 49. ISBN 0850456878. 
  6. ^ John Pike (2003-12-17). "Israel's army phases out country's iconic Uzi submachine gun". Globalsecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2003/031217-uzi.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  7. ^ Sweeney, Patrick (2005). The Gun Digest Book of the AR-15. Gun Digest Books. p. 131. ISBN 0873499476. 
  8. ^ Sweeney, Patrick (2005). The Gun Digest Book of the AR-15. Gun Digest Books. p. 131. ISBN 0873499476. 
  9. ^ Katz, Sam (1988). Israeli Elite Units since 1948. Osprey Publishing. p. 55. ISBN 0850458374. 
  10. ^ "Ruger 10/22 Suppressed Sniper Rifle" at ruger1022.com
  11. ^ a b c "The Institute for National Security Studies", chapter Israel, 2010, [1] September 20, 2010.
  12. ^ Page, Lewis (31 March 2009). "Israelis' invulnerable, 60-tonne robot bulldozer force to double". The Register. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/31/idf_robot_d9_revelations/. Retrieved 7 August 2010. 
  13. ^ http://www.jpost.com/VideoArticles/Video/Article.aspx?id=231945
  14. ^ "Jane's" (Subscription required). IHS (Global) Limited. http://www8.janes.com/Search/documentView.do?docId=/content1/janesdata/yb/jlad/jlad0057.htm. Retrieved 7 August 2010. 
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