The Israel Police are running critically low on ammunition for ARAD 7 marksman rifles used by special and elite units, with only about 2,000 rounds left in storage.
Police are now seeking an urgent purchase of roughly 130,000 rounds, 65 times the amount currently remaining, after increased operational use sharply depleted supplies.
An Israel Police marksman
(Photo: Israel Police)
The shortage comes about two and a half years after police began equipping units with the rifles. Despite their use by specialized forces since then, the stockpile has now fallen to what officials describe as an unusually low level.
The situation is raising concerns over ammunition planning and readiness, particularly during a period of heightened security tension in which a sudden escalation, multiple simultaneous incidents or prolonged operations could quickly increase demand.
Police attribute the decline to what they described as a “change in professional doctrine” and greater ammunition use in the field, including in incidents involving people attempting to enter Israel illegally.
Marksman ammunition is used by forces that require greater accuracy during operational incidents, meaning a limited reserve could become a serious problem if police units are required to sustain intensive activity across several locations.
The Israel Police said in response: “For information security reasons, we do not provide details about operational methods and equipment.”