Editing Israel Defense Forces (section)

===Main developments===
[[File:INS Lahav.jpg|thumb|[[Israeli Navy]] [[Sa'ar 5-class corvette]] INS ''Lahav'']]
[[File:IDF-Ground-Forces-AFVs-01.jpg|thumb|IDF's current (2017) [[armored fighting vehicle]]s, clockwise: [[IDF Namer]], [[IDF Caterpillar D9]], [[M270 MLRS]] and [[Merkava|Merkava Mk 4M]]]]
Israel's military technology is  famous for its firearms,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Tavor rifle was made for the Israeli military's unique situation - Service rifles from around the world |url=https://www.sandboxx.us/news/the-tavor-rifle-was-made-for-the-israeli-militarys-unique-situation-service-rifles-from-around-the-world/ |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Sandboxx |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://www.israelhayom.com/2019/12/16/idfs-tavor-is-foreign-armies-favorite-rifle-magazine-says/ |title=IDF's Tavor is foreign armies' favorite rifle, magazine says|date=16 December 2019|access-date=2024-06-22 |website=www.israelhayom.com}}</ref> [[armoured fighting vehicles]] ([[tank]]s, tank-converted [[armoured personnel carrier]]s (APCs), [[armoured bulldozer]]s, etc.),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carlin |first=Maya |date=2024-03-29 |title=Merkava: Israel Just Might Have One of the Best Tanks on Earth |url=https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/merkava-israel-just-might-have-one-best-tanks-earth-210290 |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=The National Interest |language=en}}</ref> [[unmanned aerial vehicle]]s,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Dan |date=2023-02-02 |title=Israel's pioneering drones use free-falling bombs, can carry a tonne |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-drones-use-free-falling-bombs-can-carry-up-tonne-2023-02-02/ |access-date=2024-09-11 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> and rocketry (missiles and rockets).<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Vinograd |first1=Cassandra |last2=Bigg |first2=Matthew Mpoke |date=2024-04-14 |title=What Weapons Did Israel Use to Block Iran's Attack? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/14/world/europe/israel-iron-dome-defense.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Israel also has manufactured aircraft including the [[IAI Kfir|Kfir]] (reserve), [[IAI Lavi]] (cancelled), and the [[IAI Phalcon]] [[Airborne early warning]] [[System]], and naval systems (patrol and missile ships). Much of the IDF's electronic systems (intelligence, communication, command and control, navigation etc.) are Israeli-developed, including many systems installed on foreign platforms (esp. aircraft, tanks and submarines), as are many of its [[precision-guided munition]]s. Israel is the world's largest exporter of [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|drone]]s.<ref name="auto1">[http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-is-world-s-largest-exporter-of-drones-study-finds.premium-1.524771 Israel is world's largest exporter of drones, study finds] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304230631/http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-is-world-s-largest-exporter-of-drones-study-finds.premium-1.524771 |date=4 March 2014 }} ''Haaretz'', Gili Cohen Published: 19 May 2013</ref>

[[Israel Military Industries]] (IMI), as well as its former subsidiary [[Israel Weapon Industries]], are known for their firearms.<ref name=":0" /> The [[IMI Galil]], the [[Uzi]], the [[IMI Negev]] light machine gun and the new [[Tavor TAR-21]] Bullpup assault rifle are used by the IDF. The [[Rafael Advanced Defense Systems]] [[Spike (missile)|Spike missile]] is one of the most widely exported [[anti-tank missile|ATGM]]s in the world.<ref name="auto3">[http://www.army-technology.com/projects/gill Spike Anti-Tank Missile, Israel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020325015701/http://www.army-technology.com/projects/gill/ |date=25 March 2002 }} army-technology.com</ref>

Israel's [[Arrow (Israeli missile)|Arrow]] anti-ballistic missile system, jointly funded and produced by Israel and the United States, has successfully conducted combat intercepts of incoming ballistic missile attacks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frantzman |first=Seth J. |date=2023-11-09 |title=Arrow 3 air defense system notches first successful intercept |url=https://breakingdefense.sites.breakingmedia.com/2023/11/arrow-3-air-defense-system-notches-first-successful-intercept/ |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Breaking Defense |language=en-US }}{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The [[Iron Dome]] system against short-range [[rocket]]s is operational and proved to be successful, intercepting hundreds of [[Qassam rocket|Qassam]], [[BM-21 Grad|122 mm Grad]] and [[Fajr-5]] artillery [[Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel|rockets fire by Palestinian militants]] from the Gaza Strip.<ref name=Johnson>{{cite news|title=How Israel Developed Such A Shockingly Effective Rocket Defense System|author=Robert Johnson|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/how-israel-developed-the-iron-dome-2012-11?op=1#ixzz2Cme6aQn5|work=Business Insider|date=19 November 2012|access-date=20 November 2012|archive-date=25 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725033231/https://www.businessinsider.com/how-israel-developed-the-iron-dome-2012-11?op=1#ixzz2Cme6aQn5|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Tory>{{cite news|title=A Missile-Defense System That Actually Works?|author=Sarah Tory|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2012/11/israel_iron_dome_defense_how_has_missile_defense_changed_battle_in_gaza.html|work=Slate|date=19 November 2012|access-date=20 November 2012|archive-date=20 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120092129/http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2012/11/israel_iron_dome_defense_how_has_missile_defense_changed_battle_in_gaza.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[David's Sling]], an anti-missile system designed to counter [[Medium-range ballistic missile|medium range rocket]]s, became operational in 2017. Israel has also worked with the US on the development of a tactical high energy [[laser]] system against medium-range rockets (called Nautilus or [[THEL]]). [[Iron Beam]] is a short-range laser beam air defence system, created to eliminate rockets, artillery, and mortar bombs. With a range of several kilometres, it complements the Iron Dome system, which is specifically designed for intercepting missiles launched from greater distances.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iron Beam: How Israel's New Laser Weapon Works |url=https://www.wsj.com/video/series/news-explainers/iron-beam-how-israels-new-laser-weapon-works/7FEDC20F-B080-4E7E-B3C7-832702D5F191 |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref>

Israel has the independent capability of launching [[reconnaissance satellites]] into orbit, a capability shared with Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, South Korea, Italy, Germany, the People's Republic of China, India, Japan, Brazil and Ukraine. Israeli security industries developed both the satellites ([[Ofeq]]) and the launchers ([[Shavit 2|Shavit]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/kent-csi/vol44no5/html/v44i5a04p.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426215752/https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/kent-csi/vol44no5/html/v44i5a04p.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 April 2010 |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |title=Israel's Quest for Satellite Intelligence |last=Zorn |first=E. L. |date=8 May 2007 |access-date=19 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=64499 |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |title=Analysis: Eyes in the sky |last=Katz |first=Yaakov |date=11 June 2007 |access-date=20 March 2012 |archive-date=14 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114031411/http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=64499 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Israel is known to have developed [[Nuclear weapons and Israel|nuclear weapons]].<ref name="fas-nuke">{{cite web |url=https://fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/nuke/ |title=Nuclear Weapons – Israel |publisher=Federation of American Scientists |access-date=22 September 2010 |archive-date=12 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190912071921/https://fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/nuke/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Israel [[Policy of deliberate ambiguity|does not officially acknowledge]] its nuclear weapons program. It is thought Israel possesses between one hundred and four hundred nuclear warheads.<ref name="fas-nuke"/><ref>Brower, Kenneth S., "A Propensity for Conflict: Potential Scenarios and Outcomes of War in the Middle East," [[Jane's Intelligence Review]], Special Report no. 14, (February 1997), 14–15. Brower notes that he is making a high estimate of the number of weapons.</ref> It is believed that [[Jericho (missile)|Jericho intercontinental ballistic missiles]] are capable of delivering nuclear warheads with a superior degree of accuracy and a range of 11,500&nbsp;km.<ref name="cns.miis.edu">[http://cns.miis.edu/opapers/op7/op7.pdf Missile Proliferation and Defences: Problems and Prospects] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611081741/http://cns.miis.edu/opapers/op7/op7.pdf |date=11 June 2011 }}. (PDF). Retrieved 4 June 2011.</ref> Israeli [[F-15I]] and [[F-16]] fighter-bomber aircraft also have been cited as possible nuclear delivery systems (these aircraft types are nuclear capable in the [[US Air Force]]).<ref>[http://www.cdi.org/nuclear/database/isnukes.html#f16 F-16 Falcon] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603233606/http://www.cdi.org/nuclear/database/isnukes.html |date=3 June 2011 }}. Cdi.org. Retrieved 4 June 2011.</ref><ref>[http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200208/20/eng20020820_101736.shtml Israel's F-16 Warplanes Likely to Carry Nuclear Weapons: Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605162511/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200208/20/eng20020820_101736.shtml |date=5 June 2011 }}. English.peopledaily.com.cn (20 August 2002). Retrieved 4 June 2011.</ref><ref name=OTA-ISC-559>{{Cite book|url=http://www.princeton.edu/~ota/disk1/1993/9341/9341.PDF |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.princeton.edu/~ota/disk1/1993/9341/9341.PDF |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Assessing the Risks|publisher=[[U.S. Congress]] [[Office of Technology Assessment]]|date=August 1993|id=OTA-ISC-559|access-date=9 December 2008}}</ref> The [[U.S. Air Force]] [[F-15E]] has [[tactical nuclear weapon]] (B61 and B83 bombs) capability.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://thebulletin.metapress.com/content/82558p4j65585158/fulltext.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521144312/http://thebulletin.metapress.com/content/82558p4j65585158/fulltext.pdf |archive-date=2011-05-21 |url-status=live|title=U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe, 1954–2004|author=Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen|date=November–December 2004|publisher=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists|access-date=11 June 2009}}</ref> It has been asserted that [[Dolphin-class submarine]]s have been adapted to carry [[Popeye Turbo]] [[Submarine-launched cruise missile]]s with nuclear warheads, so as to give Israel a [[second strike]] capacity.<ref>{{cite web |last=Plushnick |first=Ramit |url=http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2006/08/25/israel_buys_2_nuclear_capable_submarines_from_germany/ |title=Israel buys 2 nuclear-capable submarines from Germany |work=The Boston Globe |date=25 August 2006 |access-date=20 July 2013 |archive-date=3 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103101901/http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2006/08/25/israel_buys_2_nuclear_capable_submarines_from_germany/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=J'lem and Berlin sign contract for sixth submarine|newspaper=Jerusalem Post|date=5 February 2012|url=http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=256494|access-date=5 February 2012|archive-date=5 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205114828/http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=256494|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2006, Israel deployed the [[Wolf Armoured Vehicle]] [[Armoured personnel carrier|APC]] for use in [[urban warfare]] and to protect [[VIP]]s.