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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Israel
Index
The Israeli government did not disclose information on the
overall size of the IDF, or the identity, location, and strength of
units. In 1988 the International Institute for Strategic Studies in
London estimated the strength of the ground forces at 104,000
troops, including 16,000 career soldiers and 88,000 conscripts. An
additional 494,000 men and women were regularly trained reserves
who could be mobilized within seventy-two hours. The staffs of each
of the ground forces' three area commanders were divided into
branches responsible for manpower, operations, training, and
supply. The authority of the area commanders extended to the combat
units and ground force bases and installations located within their
districts, as well as area defense, including the protection of
villages, especially those near the frontier. During combat, area
commanders also coordinated activities of naval and air force units
operating on fronts within their areas.
The army was organized into three armored divisions, each
composed of two armored and one artillery brigade, plus one armored
and one mechanized infantry brigade upon mobilization. An
additional five independent mechanized infantry brigades were
available. The reserves consisted of nine armored divisions, one
airmobile mechanized division, and ten regional infantry brigades
for border defense. In practice, unit composition was extremely
fluid and it was common for subunits to be transferred, especially
when a particular battalion or brigade was needed in a combat zone
far from its regular divisional station.
The IDF did not organize permanent divisions until after the
June 1967 War. As of 1988, their composition remained flexible,
leading military analysts to regard the brigade as the basic combat
unit of the IDF. Brigade commanders exercised considerable
autonomy, particularly during battle, following the IDF axiom that
the command echelon must serve the assault echelon.
Between 1977 and 1987, the IDF reconfigured its units as its
tank inventory grew, reducing the number of infantry brigades while
increasing the number of armored brigades from twenty to
thirty-three upon mobilization. Although maintained with a full
complement of equipment, most of the armored brigades were only at
cadre strength.
The Israeli ground forces were highly mechanized. Their
equipment inventory included nearly 4,000 tanks and nearly 11,000
other armored vehicles (see
table 12, Appendix A). Their armored
personnel vehicles almost equaled in number those of the combined
armies of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The offensive profile of the
army was bolstered significantly by the artillery forces
(principally self-propelled and equipped with advanced fire control
systems and high-performance munitions). Antitank capabilities had
been upgraded with modern rocket launchers and guided missile
systems.
As of 1988, most Israeli ground forces were positioned on the
northern and eastern border areas facing Jordan, Syria, and
Lebanon. After the Syrian army shifted most of its troops out of
Lebanon following the IDF withdrawal in June 1985, more than six
Syrian divisions were concentrated in the Golan-Damascus area. The
IDF responded by constructing several defensive lines of mines and
antitank obstacles in the Golan Heights, and by reinforcing its
troop strength there, mainly with regular armored and infantry
units. Reserve units training in the vicinity also could be
mobilized in case of need. Other ground forces were deployed in
defending the Lebanese border against infiltration.
Data as of December 1988
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