Military equipment of Israel

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.

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.

Local military development

Some of the military equipment developed locally have been:

Small arms Dror light machine gun IMI Negev light machine gun Uzi submachine gun Uzi pistol Desert Eagle pistol Jericho 941 pistol BUL M-5 pistol BUL Storm pistol SP-21 Barak pistol IMI Galil assault rifle IMI Tavor assault rifle M89SR sniper rifle Hezi SM-1 semi-automatic PDW Anti-tank rockets and missiles MATADOR Shoulder-launched missile weapon B-300 Shoulder-launched missile weapon Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon Shipon Shoulder-launched missile weapon FGM-172 SRAW MAPATS ATGM Spike ATGM LAHAT ATGM Nimrod ATGM Other missiles Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket - Laser Shafrir air-to-air missile Derby air-to-air missile Python air-to-air missile Gabriel naval anti-ship missile ADM-141 TALD Popeye AGM-142 air-to-surface missile Delilah cruise missile / anti-radiation missile LORA theater ballistic missile Jericho medium-range ballistic missile Aircraft IAI Arava cargo aircraft IAI Sea Scan surveillance aircraft IAI Kfir fighter aircraft IAI Namer fighter aircraft IAI Lavi fighter aircraft ATG Javelin jet trainer aircraft Watercraft Shaldag class fast patrol boat Dabur class patrol boat Dvora class fast patrol boat Super Dvora Mk II class fast patrol boat Super Dvora Mk III class fast patrol boat Sa'ar 3-class missile boat Sa'ar 4-class missile boat Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boat Sa'ar 5-class corvette Gal class submarine Dolphin class submarine Spaceflight Shavit spaceflight launch vehicle EROS earth observation satellite Ofeq reconnaissance satellite TecSAR reconnaissance satellite Weapon stations CornerShot SWAT weapon Rafael Overhead Weapon Station Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station Typhoon Weapon System Active protection systems Trophy active protection system Iron Fist active protection system Flight Guard airborne IR countermeasures system Radars EL/M-2032 fire-control radar EL/M-2052 AESA radar EL/M-2075 Phalcon AEW&C radar EL/M-2080 Green Pine target tracking radar EL/M-2083 AEW&C radar Optronics ITL MARS reflex sight LITENING targeting pod Spice EO-GPS PGM guidance kit Skystar 300 ISR system

Tanks Isherman tank Sho't tank Magach tank Sabra tank Merkava tank Fighting vehicles M113 variants Nimda Shoet APC Trail Blazer ARV IDF Nagmachon APC IDF Nakpadon CEV IDF Puma CEV IDF Achzarit APC IDF Namer IFV Nemmera ARV AIL Abir AIL Storm Plasan Sand Cat Wolf Armoured Vehicle Golan Armored Vehicle Artillery Davidka mortar Soltam M-66 mortar Soltam M-68 howitzer Soltam M-71 howitzer Soltam M-120 mortar L-33/39 Ro'em self-propelled howitzer Makmat self-propelled mortar MAR-240/290 rocket artillery launcher LAR-160 rocket artillery launcher LAROM rocket artillery launcher Cardom mortar Rascal self-propelled howitzer ATMOS 2000 self-propelled howitzer Sholef self-propelled howitzer Unmanned aerial vehicles Tadiran Mastiff UAV Casper 250 UAV Silver Arrow Micro-V UAV Silver Arrow Sniper UAV IAI Scout UAV IAI Searcher UAV IAI Harpy UAV IAI Harop UAV IAI Bird-Eye UAV IAI I-View UAV IAI Ranger UAV IAI Heron UAV IAI Eitan UAV IAI Panther UAV IAI RQ-2 Pioneer UAV IAI RQ-5 Hunter UAV Elbit Skylark UAV Elbit Hermes 90 UAV Elbit Hermes 450 UAV Elbit Hermes 900 UAV Aeronautics Dominator UAV Aeronautics Orbiter UAV Urban Aeronautics X-Hawk UAV Unmanned surface vehicles VIPeR UGCV Protector USV Guardium UGV Raam HaShachar unmanned Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozer Air-defense systems Machbet self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon Barak naval surface-to-air missile SPYDER air-defense system Arrow anti-ballistic missile Tactical High Energy Laser Iron Dome short-range rocket defense system David's Sling medium-range rocket defense system Miscellaneous Mitznefet helmet camouflage Tomcar all-terrain vehicle MG251/253 smoothbore tank gun Kilshon anti-radiation missile launcher IDF Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozer Skunk riot control agent SIMON breach grenade Enhanced Tactical Computer

Ground forces equipment

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

Rocket and grenade launchers

Name	Type	Caliber	Origin
RPG-7	Shoulder-launched Rocket	85mm	Soviet Union
B-300	Shoulder-launched Rocket	82mm	Israel
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

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

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]

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]

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

Air forces equipment

Combat aircraft

• USA/Israel F-15I Ra'am
• USA/Israel F-16I Sufa

Special mission aircraft

• USA/Israel G550 Eitam: AEW&C
• USA/Israel G550 Shavit: Electronic Warfare
• USA/Israel RC-12 Kookiya: Electronic Warfare
• USA/Israel B-200 Kookiya: Electronic Warfare
• Israel IAI SeaScan: Maritime Patrol

Auxiliary aircraft

• USA C-130 Hercules
• USA Beechcraft Bonanza
• USA Beechcraft Super King Air
• USA Boeing 707
• USA Gulfstream G550
• Israel IAI Arava

Trainer aircraft

• Germany Grob G-120
• USA T-6 Texan II
• USA Douglas TA-4 Skyhawk

Attack helicopters

• USA AH-64D Apache Longbow
• USA AH-64 Apache
• USA AH-1 Cobra

Utility helicopters

• USA Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
• USA Bell 206
• USA Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion
• France Eurocopter Panther

Unmanned aerial vehicles

• Israel IAI Heron
• Israel IAI Eitan
• Israel IAI Harpy
• Israel IAI Harop
• Israel Elbit Hermes 450
• Israel Elbit Skylark

Weaponry

• USA MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile
• USA MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missile
• Israel/USA Arrow anti-ballistic missile
• Israel PB500A1 laser-guided hard-target penetration bomb
• Israel M-85 cluster bomb
• USA CBU-58 cluster bomb
• USA Mk-20 Rockeye cluster bomb
• USA Mark 84 bomb
• Israel MPR-500 penetration bomb
• USA GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb
• Israel Shafrir missile
• Israel Python air-to-air missile
• Israel/USA AGM-142 Have Nap air-to-surface missile
• USA AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile
• USA AGM-45 Shrike air-to-surface anti-radiation missile
• USA AGM-78 Standard ARM air-to-surface anti-radiation missile
• USA AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface anti-tank missile
• USA AGM-62 Walleye glide bomb
• USA AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile
• USA AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile
• USA AIM-9 Sidewinder heat seeking air-to-air missile
• USA MIM-72 Chaparral surface-to-air missile
• Israel Delilah cruise missile
• Israel Iron Dome anti-rocket and mortar defense missile
• Israel Jericho I short-range ballistic missile
• Israel Jericho II intermediate range ballistic missile
• Israel Jericho III intercontinental ballistic missile

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.

Missile boats

• Israel Sa'ar 4 class missile boat (1970s; 32 kt; 450 tons; 45 crew members)
• Israel Sa'ar 4.5 class missile boat (1980s; 31 kt; 488 tons; 53 crew members)

Corvettes

• Israel/USA Sa'ar 5-class corvette (1990s; 33 kt; 1,227 tons; 64 crew members)

Patrol boats

• Israel Dabur (1970s; 19 kt; 39 tons; 9 crew members)
• Israel Shaldag (1989; ?; 50 kt; 15 crew members)
• Israel Super Dvora Mk II (1996; 46 kt; 54 tons; 10 crew members)
• South Africa Nachshol (1997; 40 kt; 12 tons; 5 crew members)
• Israel Super Dvora Mk III (2004; 47 kt; 54 tons; 10 crew members)

Unmanned naval vehicles

• Israel Protector USV

Submarines

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

Commando boats

• Israel Dolphin type underwater craft
• Israel Maiale type underwater craft
• Israel Snunit boat
• Israel Zaharon boat
• Israel Moulit boat
• Israel Morena rigid-hull inflatable boat

Remote weapon systems

• Israel Typhoon Weapon System
• Israel Rafael Overhead Weapon Station
• Israel Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station

Space systems

• Israel Amos communications satellite
• Israel EROS earth observation satellite
• Israel Ofeq reconnaissance satellite
• Israel TecSAR reconnaissance satellite
• Israel Shavit space launch vehicle

See also

• Nuclear weapons and Israel

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.