| Artillery Corps (Israel) | |
|---|---|
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| Active | |
| Country | Israel |
| Allegiance | Israel Defense Forces |
| Branch | GOC Army Headquarters |
| Motto | "Sophistication and Might" (Hebrew: תחכום ועצמה, Tih'cum Ve'otzma) |
| Engagements | War of Independence Sinai War Six-Day War War of Attrition Yom Kippur War First Lebanon War Second Lebanon War Operation Cast Lead[1] |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
David Swisa |
| Insignia | |
| Cap badge | |
The Israeli Artillery Corps (Hebrew: חיל התותחנים, Chayel HaTothanim) is the Israel Defense Forces corps responsible for operating medium and long-range artillery. The current commander of the Artillery Corps is Brigadier General David Swisa. He replaced Brig. Gen. Mishel Ben Baruch.[2]
The corps is tasked with two principal missions:
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The Artillery Corps is an integral corps of GOC Army Headquarters. It is a diverse corps, with its lion share consisting of high-trajectory barrel artillery. The corps consist of three main support regiments:
The coprs also operates the Field Artillery School and a training center. The corps' importance to the IDF is growing due to the rapid evolvion of modern technology. The corps is amongst the most advanceded components of the IDF, using advanced technology to improve its precision and effectiveness. During the Second Lebanon War the Israeli Artillery Corps was second only to the Israeli Air Force in the firepower it expended.
Artillery Corps soldiers wear Turquoise berets and Black army boots.
The primary equipment used in most regular and reserve batteries is the M109 "Doher" (Gallop or Fast Rider) Self-Propelled Howitzer. To assist with ammunition carriage and transport, regular batteries use the M548, a modified version of the M113 carrier, nicknamed "Alpha". In addition, batteries also use Humvees and M113 carriers.
Also in service is the M270 MLRS multiple rocket launcher, the Spike NLOS missile system mounted on M113 chassis for precision strike, as well as the Elbit Hermes 450 and IAI Sky Rider UAVs for artillery spotting.[3] On order are the IMI Lynx and JUMPER multiple rocket launchers to bolster its strike capability against enemy positions and rocket-launching cells.[4]
In addition, the corps also possesses radar and navigation system, some of which are classified.
In 1977 the IDF began developing another self-propelled howitzer, the "Sholef" (to draw (a weapon)), based on the M109 with a Merkava chasis. The main advantage of the "Sholef" was it's self loading ability, which reduced the number of crewmen from 7 to 4. The project was completed but the IDF decided not to mass produce the "Sholef" because of its high cost, preferring to purchase the M270 MLRS multiple rocket launcher instead. Its main focus switched to improving the precision systems of the "Doher". The "Sholef" was used operationally only once in 1990.
The Israeli Artillery Corps holds it's basic training, commanders course and officers school at the Field Artillery School (Hebrew: ביסל"ת, Bislat), better known as Shivta, after the ancient Nabataean town of the same name.
New recruits go through four months of basic training, in which they learn basic infantry weaponry and drills, as well as basic theoretical artillery training. At the end of the basic training stage, the recruits receive their Turquoise berets, symbolizing their acceptance into the corps. They then advance to an additional 4 months of advanced training, throughout which they participate in IDF operations. After completing their training, soldiers either join operational batteries or advance to the commanders course, for an additional 4 months of training.
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