IDF restructures armoured battalions

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have announced a series of major organisational and structural changes in their Armoured Corps as part of a larger reform of its ground forces. The IDF will disband its reservist tank brigades and, beginning from this month, gradually change the structure of its regular units by adding infantry companies to every battalion.

In July Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon approved the army's plan to close down the six reservist tank brigades, thus ending the use of two obsolete tank models: the Merkava Mk 1 and the MAGACH-7 (an Israeli version of the M60). Israeli Ministry of Defence officials refused to comment on the possibility that some of the older tanks would be offered for sale to other countries.

The IDF's chief armour officer, Brigadier General Shmuel Olansky, announced the additional changes in a press conference held in late October. He told Israeli journalists that, under the new structure, every armoured battalion will consist of two instead of three active-duty tank companies, a reserve tank company equipped with the same type of tank, and would get an additional supporting infantry company.

The infantry companies will be composed of three platoons that specialise in observation, reconnaissance and operating Keshet mortar carriers (M113 series vehicles with Elbit Soltam CARDOM 120 mm mortars). The other infantry platoons will also be equipped with M113 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) as the more modern Namers are currently reserved for the infantry brigades.

Gen Olansky said it would be more effective to add the new capabilities at battalion rather than brigade level, but noted that, in the future, each brigade will get a separate reconnaissance company, as well as its own combat engineering battalion.

He said the IDF would begin recruiting soldiers for the new companies in November. They will initially be trained as infantry and later join the restructured tank battalions. There are hopes that the reforms will gradually attract more motivated soldiers to the tank brigades, most of which have struggled to attract recruits, the exception being the 401st Brigade, which operates the latest Merkava Mk 4 tanks. The 7th Brigade is set to become the second of the four active-duty brigades to operate the new tanks in 2014.

Gen Olansky said the Armoured Corps was "entering a new phase and preparing our battalions for the contemporary battlefield". He added that the changes were necessary as future conflicts would see the IDF engaging enemies that operate in heavily populated areas and forested terrain, while using massive amounts of anti-tank weapons and explosives to prevent the Israeli ground units from manoeuvring deep inside their territories.

At the same time, the current conflict in Syria has decreased the threat of conventional tank versus tank engagements, allowing the IDF to focus more on asymmetric warfare against militant groups such as Hizbullah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Budget restrictions have also been a driving factor behind the reduction in the number of tank companies, although Gen Olansky said the cuts had provided the Armoured Corps with an opportunity to upgrade its capabilities and become more effective in battle.

Nevertheless, the Armoured Corps' ability to rapidly develop its new infantry units was doubtful before the Israeli government's decision to add NIS2.75 billion (USD780 million) to next year's defence budget, which was announced at the end of October. The IDF has previously been planning to drastically reduce training, especially for its ground forces, due to planned budget cuts. This could have affected the new support companies, which will need vigorous training before they can work with tank companies as part of a highly professional battalion.