Computer Service Directorate
The Israeli J6/C4i Directorate (Hebrew: אגף התקשוב Agaf Ha-Tikšuv, seldom abbreviated to Atak) is the Israel Defense Forces body which charts the communication, wireless transmission, computerization, command and control over and defense of information in the IDF. The Directorate was created on March 3, 2003, on the basis of some functions previously held by the C4I Corps. The directorate is headed by Aluf Nadav Padan.
Units
The J6/C4i Directorate comprises four main brigade-level units: the C4I Corps, the Operating Brigade (Hebrew: חטיבת ההפעלה, Hativat HaHaf'ala), which deals with operational communications and electronic warfare, the Cyber Defense Brigade (Hebrew: חטיבת ההגנה בסייבר, Hativat HaHagana Be'Saib'er), which is responsible for the cyber defense of internal IDF networks[1], and Lotem (Hebrew: לוט"ם, an abbreviation for Unit for Telecommunications and Information Technology).
Lotem lists the following units:
- Mamram (ממר"ם) – Center of Computers and Information Systems – responsible for managing military software and computer infrastructure.
- Hoshen (חושן) – responsible for operating the army's communication systems.
- Matzov (מצו"ב) – Center of Encryption and Information Safety – responsible for the protection of digital military data.
- Ma'of (מעו"ף) – Systems and Projects – responsible for planning and engineering telecommunication systems.
- Matzpen (מצפ"ן) – Military Systems for Command and Control and management of logistics and human resources. The army's biggest software house that consists of the unification of Leshem (לשם) and Shoham (שהם) units.
Commanders
- Aluf Yitzhak Harel (March 30, 2003 – December 20, 2003)
- Aluf Udi Shani (December 21, 2003 – November 12, 2006)
- Aluf Ami Shafran (November 13, 2006 – October 24, 2011)
- Aluf Uzi Moscovitch (October 24, 2011 – March 28, 2016)
- Aluf Nadav Padan (June 13, 2016 – current)