IDF
21-11-2007, 06:49
OOC: For obvious reasons such as a population of over 6 billion, I RP that my Israel is much larger than the real Israel.
IC:
Be'ersheva, Israel: Military News Service
For hundreds of miles south of here, there is nothing but barren desert and a few assorted villages. It is in the barren Negev Desert where Israel plans on bringing its army into the best trained fighting force in the world.
For the past decade and a half, the Israeli Army Corp of Engineers has reshaped the landscape in an area that is 100 miles by 150 miles. The land is now restricted to all but military personnel, but we were given a rare tour of the new National Military Training Center.
From the back of a UH-60I helicopter, we saw rolling hills, flat terrain, and even empty cities. The artificial cities were built to allow troops to practice urban combat with an entire division instead of just practice as a platoon. Engineers expect the cities to be destroyed many times over in life fire exercises that will occur on the site.
Four airbases were constructed for the new NMTC. Given the history of the IAF, Close-Air Support is a mission that is being stressed. Having Israeli pilots practice in situations that are close to combat will help them train for the real thing. The fact that the OPFOR will be armed with aircraft and AA weapons only add to the realism and will help pilots learn proper CAS techniques under fire.
The only force that isn't benefiting from the NMTC is the Navy, but CNO ADM Joseph Jacobson isn't worried. "The Navy doesn't need a closed off area. We can go in the middle of an ocean and wargame against our own ships or allies. The fact that merchantmen are out there makes the situation more real and they aren't endangered as no live weapons are used in most of our wargames. Besides, our sailors need to learn to differentiate in combat. We would like a place to practice landings, but we have been using allied nations for that and allow them to practice defense against amphibious assaults."
While the Navy is left out, the Air Force, Marines, and Army are all going to reap benefits from the training center. The space has been designed to allow units as large as field armies face off against eachother. No word has been given yet if foreign armies will be allowed to train at the NTMC, but it is likely that allies will be invited to act as the OPFOR.
IC:
Be'ersheva, Israel: Military News Service
For hundreds of miles south of here, there is nothing but barren desert and a few assorted villages. It is in the barren Negev Desert where Israel plans on bringing its army into the best trained fighting force in the world.
For the past decade and a half, the Israeli Army Corp of Engineers has reshaped the landscape in an area that is 100 miles by 150 miles. The land is now restricted to all but military personnel, but we were given a rare tour of the new National Military Training Center.
From the back of a UH-60I helicopter, we saw rolling hills, flat terrain, and even empty cities. The artificial cities were built to allow troops to practice urban combat with an entire division instead of just practice as a platoon. Engineers expect the cities to be destroyed many times over in life fire exercises that will occur on the site.
Four airbases were constructed for the new NMTC. Given the history of the IAF, Close-Air Support is a mission that is being stressed. Having Israeli pilots practice in situations that are close to combat will help them train for the real thing. The fact that the OPFOR will be armed with aircraft and AA weapons only add to the realism and will help pilots learn proper CAS techniques under fire.
The only force that isn't benefiting from the NMTC is the Navy, but CNO ADM Joseph Jacobson isn't worried. "The Navy doesn't need a closed off area. We can go in the middle of an ocean and wargame against our own ships or allies. The fact that merchantmen are out there makes the situation more real and they aren't endangered as no live weapons are used in most of our wargames. Besides, our sailors need to learn to differentiate in combat. We would like a place to practice landings, but we have been using allied nations for that and allow them to practice defense against amphibious assaults."
While the Navy is left out, the Air Force, Marines, and Army are all going to reap benefits from the training center. The space has been designed to allow units as large as field armies face off against eachother. No word has been given yet if foreign armies will be allowed to train at the NTMC, but it is likely that allies will be invited to act as the OPFOR.