IDF Boosts Combat Airlift Training and War Logistics

IDF parachuting drill (Archive: IDF/CC)

The IDF’s 103rd heavy transport squadron has boosted joint training with infantry and elite units in the past year, the Air Force says. In parallel, the IDF logistics branch completed a large project to boost the war readiness of ground forces.

The army has been practicing diverse wartime scenarios requiring a massive airlift of military gear, vehicles, and troops. At this time, the Air Force holds 3 or 4 weekly training sessions with field units, an officer said.

Notably, the IDF’s heavy transport planes can carry Humvees plus 100 soldiers and their equipment. During a war, the Air Force can supply infantry units with huge quantities of equipment and also airlift numerous vehicles, the officer added.

Meanwhile, the army’s logistics branch completed a 5-month project to ensure that dozens of combat battalions are prepared for war operations. As part of the initiative, the IDF mapped and resolved shortages in military, logistic, and medical gear.

The next phase of the project will focus on the Air Force and Navy, the IDF said.