IDF uses laser technology to improve training quality

The Israel Defense Forces recently held two initial training sessions of Armored Corps battalions employing the "laser firing" method which enables the army to monitor the soldiers' and tanks' performances during the exercise.

The new technology was developed by the Ground Forces' training center and is slated to be widely used in the near future.

"Using four sensors attached to tanks, together with weapons and injury data from the wars, we are able to establish whether a tank has been hit or utterly annihilated during training," a military source told Ynet.

The exercises were conducted at the Tze'elim army base in southern Israel. "Whoever wants to know the level of the IDF's fitness for war should come here," said Colonel Aher Ben Lulu, deputy commander of the Ground Forces training center. "This is extremely accurate and mission-oriented training."

Monitoring the exercise (Photo: Roee Idan)

The drill, performed by a Northern Command reserve division, was observed by no less than three major-generals, including Deputy IDF chief of Staff Benny Ganz, Northern Command Chief Gadi Eisenkot and head of the IDF Planning Branch Amir Eshel.

For the first time in a decade, artillery and armored forces held a joint drill with infantry troops. "This exercise requires a high level of professionalism and adherence to safety guidelines," Colonel Ben Lulu noted. "The artillery assists the armored and infantry forces. It may appear simple, but it requires a high level of coordination."

Training in Tze'elim (Photo: Roee Idan)

Members of the research and exercise control center within the Ground Forces training base monitored the exercise using the censor system, which told them at any given point were the forces were located and which of the tanks hit their targets.

"Recently, we have succeeded in allowing the various units to perform the drill any where they like. We plug in the system and get all the information and data to our center, or to a vehicle deployed on the ground," the military source said.

The sensor system is attached to the soldiers' combat vest and can detect whether the soldier has been hit and where. It can alert if he died using a deafening screeching sound. The system's latest sensation, which was recently tested for the first time, is a sensor band attached to the tanks, monitoring their every move.

A military source explained that the tanks fire harmless and invisible laser beams and each time the laser falls on an enemy tank it means a hit has been made. Otherwise, when a laser beam is only near the enemy tank, it indicates there was no hit. The new technology's great advantage is the ability to detect an enemy tank.

The technology will be further tested as part of Armored Corps drills later this year. Next year, the exercises will become even more challenging with the creation of a mock enemy company simulating the Syrian army or Hezbollah militants.

"This is a giant leap in training quality. Together with other forms of training it will prepare the troops for the real thing."

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