Al-Arab Blog - مدونة العرب

IDF offers foreign armies: pay per training

IDF offers foreign armies: pay per training
By Amos Harel

The IDF is offering foreign armed forces training sessions in the training center for field units in the Ze'elim base. The move is intended to improve the relations with friendly states' armies as well as bring income into the IDF's empty coffers.

The IDF has been operating the Tactical Training Center (TTC), an advanced base for training brigade and company headquarters, in Ze'elim for more than five years. The TCC enables simulating battles between various units, under electronic supervision and documentation enabling a thorough scrutiny of the troops' activity.

The TTC is considered one of the best training centers in the world. "There is no reason for foreign armies not to train here. We've already approached a few armies on the matter. The Americans also open their training facilities in Germany to other armies, which pay them a million dollars to train there," a senior officer told Haaretz.

The IDF is planning to build a model of a city in Ze'elim, to enable training for combat in densely populated urban territory.

In March, the IDF will be holding an international conference that will focus on urban warfare. Dozens of representatives from foreign armies have been invited. Several have already accepted. Senior General Staff officers are scheduled to give speeches at the conference and field officers will share their experiences and conclusions from recent fighing in the territories.