Last update - 00:00 03/09/2007
IDF chief approves long-term budget hike for ground forces
By Amos Harel and Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondents
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi approved Monday the army's long-term budget, including a significant increase in expenditure on the ground forces -the first such hike in years.
The program implements many decisions made in the light of conclusions from the Second Lebanon War. One of its key aims is to equip the army with hundreds of heavy Armored Personel Carriers (APCs). The absence of such vehicles severely hampered the IDF's ability to maneuver in southern Lebanon and re-supply troops.
The project will be achieved by redirecting funds already allocated to the Israel Air Force. Military aid from the United States is essential for the project's implementation.
The project will be presented to the government for approval at the end of January 2008.
Heavy APCs of the 'Tiger' model are to be produced using the platform of Israel's Merkava tanks. In addition, Israel will continue to produce Merkava 4 tanks and will install active defense systems against anti-tank missiles in them. Hundreds of existing tanks will also be improved.
The IDF Spokesman announced that F-35 stealth strike fighters will be acquired for the IAF, "alongside upgrading and extending the lifespan of existing forces." The announcement does not explain how these goals, which require massive expenditure, will be achieved after the budget hike for the ground forces. It is possible that they are meant to be attained only after a long period of time.
The project also includes the equipping of the Israel Navy with new all-purpose battleships as well as obtaining and developing systems against missiles and high-trajectory rockets.
Furthermore, Ashkenazi approved increased investment in the fields of intelligence and teleprocessing. He also noted that the army will maintain its identity as a "people's army."
The new budgeting goals follow a recent IDF force structure review which examined recommendations made in May by the Brodet Commission, which was charged with reviewing the defense budget.
The commission ruled that minimum budgets must be set by the army for training and the renewal of supplies - tanks, planes and APCs.