IDF to cut down on Air Force squadrons, armored units
Due to budget cut, army forced to put on hold multi-year plan to improve intelligence gathering capabilities, boost air defense
The IDF released Wednesday evening the principles of its planned cuts for the next five years, against the background of the cuts to the budget of the Defense Ministry. According to the military, a number of Air Force squadrons will be shut down, some immediately and others in the next year and a half.
Also, several armored units and an operational unit in the Air Force will also be dismantled. In addition, the number of battleships will be decreased, as well as the number of tanks. The standing army will be reduced by 3000-5000 troops.
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The plan, which will soon be submitted for the government's approval, is expected to save the army some NIS 7 billion ($1.92B) over the next five years.
F-15 jet (Photo: Reuters)
The IDF claims the NIS 3 billion cut to the Defense Ministry's budget will significantly hurt arrays the army was planning to bolster in order to adapt to the threats facing Israel.
According to the army, the budget cut will hurt its plan to improve intelligence gathering capabilities, as well as to maintain and boost the strength of the Air Force.
The IDF said the cut will also prevent it from strengthening the ground forces and improving its air defense capabilities (the IDF hoped to deploy 10 Iron Dome batteries and four Magic Wand batteries) and will also hurt its cyber warfare capabilities.
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