Israel Unveils New Ground Forces Concept: Fast & Very High Tech

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August 19, 2019 | Originally published by Date Line: August 19 on

The first demonstration of Carmel was held Aug. 4 before the Ministry of Defense Director General, the IDF Deputy Chief of General Staff, commander of the Ground Forces, the head of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development, and other senior defense officials.

TEL AVIV: A version of the F-35 pilot’s helmet in a fighting ground vehicle? The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have decided to give its combat vehicles capabilities like that, part of its new concept of fast-moving ground forces equipped with multiple sensors and multiple weapons systems to win the ground battle quickly and decisively.

“In the future, we may see fleets of manned and unmanned ground vehicles equipped with the systems and sensors that we are now evaluating,” said the head of R&D for the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Brig. Gen. Yaniv Rotem. Rotem said three proposals are undergoing field tests on Israel’s Merkava 4 Main Battle Tank, the Namer heavy troop carrier, and the new 8×8 Eitan APC.

The first demonstration was held Aug. 4 before the Ministry of Defense Director General, the IDF Deputy Chief of General Staff, commander of the Ground Forces, the head of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development, and other senior officials from the IDF and defense establishment.

The Carmel concept has already been briefed to the U.S Army and representatives of other, unnamed foreign armies will be briefed on it today. (The US is seeking a high level of automation in its future ground force, with work proceeding on an automated turret, an Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle to replace the M2 Bradley troop carrier, and fully automated Robotic Combat Vehicles — ed.).

The growing involvement of the three major Israeli defense companies in the U.S may make the U.S armed forces potential clients for the innovative concept, based on the IDF’s vast combat experience.