IDF Infantry Uniform & equipments (by OttawaLoneWolf)

[OTTAWAlonewolf]

I wrote this little journal. Many information is from you guys, and I merely put them together. I still have a lot of work to do; this is just the first edition. Please forgive me if I made any mistake, after all it is very hard to find information online.

Question:
the material of Alief and Beth ?
which company made the Ep10 Efod ?





IDF Infantry Uniform & equipments




Intro :
In the humble beginning of IDF in 1948, weapons and infantry equipments were scarce. Anything from black market or captured arms was used by the IDF. Weapons were not strictly standardized nor were uniform. The soldier on the right might use a Kar 98 masseur while the one on the left was firing British Stern machine gun. Uniform and bearing were generally British but it was not contributed equally among the troops. 59 years after the war of Independence, the chaotic system of soldier’s uniform had been replaced with Israel design and Israel made uniforms and infantry equipments, which suit the requirement of IDF specficially. Uniforms and kits are simple, reliable, cheap and easily mass produce. After all, IDF conscripted soldiers had no luxuries as professional soldiers in North America had with many fancy kits but only with the simplest equipment that will do the job.
Israel uniform:




The first impression of IDF uniform maybe is its simplistic and some people might even consider it ugly. Its olive brown color seems old fashioned compared to today’s modern camouflage or even digital camouflage ( Jordan Army changed to digital camouflage in 2006 Jordan KA2 camouflage ). Many people question the reason behind it. In theory: Israel Defense Force, one of the best and most advance military should have most advance uniforms as well. However, Israel’s environment, defense budget and the practical use of camouflage in its operating environment made IDF kept its old olive brown color uniforms.
Israel is a country with various different environments. It has desert in south, snow in Hermon in the north, but generally Israel’s land mass is olive brownish. Israel has no heavy vegetarian growth in its territory. Sands and dirt instead of trees and bushes are the most common things in the place where IDF soldiers operated. Those Olive brown uniform works pretty well in those semi-desert or desert areas and work satisfied in urban environment in Gaza or West Banks. The enemy in where IDF operated in is also an important factor why IDF did not use camouflages. Many Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza or West Bank wear camouflages such as American BDU or tiger strip. By wearing single color uniform can be prevent friendly fire.
When you ask why IDF not having camouflage ? You have to ask an old question why does common soldiers need camouflage at all？Almost every major battles fought by Israel were base on momentum and movement. In the battle of momentum and movement hidden from the enemies’ eyes is not the first task. Camouflage served little affect when you are moving, because movement would break the affect of camouflage and give away your position. Only Special Forces such as Sarayet or Egoz which require to be hidden from enemy’s eyes need camouflage. Because of that there is very little reason to replace every soldier’s uniform in IDF for only few people’s need; when this budget could be used on some where more needed. ( The special force do occasionally change into the US desert camouflage )

There are two types of uniform for both female and male. The first one is call “Alief “ . Alief is dress uniform which used is ceremony occasion, office, and on public transportation. “Beth” is the combat and utility uniform that used for in field work or on base. However, Beth and Alief shared almost identical design. They look almost identical other then the material is different.

The “ Alief “ uniform(male):



The “Beth” uniform (male):




The “Alief” uniform (female): Difference between female “Alief” from “male” Alief is that female “Alief” only has one pocket on the left and slightly tighter than the “male” Alief.







The “Beth” uniform (female):




Beret(cumtot):
Unlike Canadian army or British army, berets in IDF were use very rarely and served no practical function in the field. Berets were only wear in ceremony occasion and roll calls, most of time berets set on the left shoulder but not in the field. Due to lack of practice and bad beret design; IDF soldiers look not so fasionable when they wear berets.





Colors of beret:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_...orces_insignia

shoulder tag:
The shoulder tag used by the IDF is made out of plastic. Shoulders tags are not sewing on the uniform. They were hang on the shoulder. Shoulder tags represent the unit the soldier is in. The are many different type of shoulder tags currently. You can say almost every unit in IDF has its own shoulder tag.

http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpa...1&bScope=False
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_...e_Forces_ranks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli...ry_decorations
Helmet :
The mushroom shaped Israeli RBH 100 series helmet perhaps is the most recognizable item of an IDF soldier. Currently the helmets used by front line troops are: the IDF RBH103 Infantry helmet and some PASGT helmets. IDF issued Helmets were made by Rabintex industries Ltd, Orlite and other contract companies, located in Israel. However, both old IDF RBH 100 series and PASGT series still in service in non-frontline and reserve unit.


Protection level: II / IIIA according to NIJ standards.
V-50 2,100 FPS according to IDF Standard
Weight: 1,280 gr
(RABINTEX http://www.rabintex.com/ )



webbing : A 10 Ephod (LBV) Load Bearing Vest



The A10 Ephod vest is the oldest vest still serving in the IDF. There are many variation of the A10 Ephod. The soldiers could modify their own A10 according to the mission or their position. Today the A10 is mainly use by the recruits and reservist. Due to most infantry ride armor vehicle into battle; tactical vest would serve better than A10 LBV in a crowded APV.


Boots:
There are two colors of boots use in IDF; black and red. Black boots are worn by the two major infantry brigade: Golani and Giviti and any other branches of IDF. The red boots are only worn by Nahal infantry brigade and paratrooper (Tzanhannim). It is a symbol of elite. The way you tie an IDF boots is not to cross each laces like the Canadian army does but one lace stay on one side then only the other one lace go though the hole. Therefore, it is quick to cut the laces in case of emergency. The IDF solders do not tie their boots instead there are two little hole above the ankle. Soldiers put the laces though those little holes instead tie it.



Mit'znefet("Clown Hat" in Hebrew):
Shape of human or helmet could be detected easily in forest or urban environment. After all a perfect round object is not so common in both forest and urban environment. Mit’znefet is a nylon camouflage cover that is placed above the helmet to disfigure the helmet’s identical rounded shaped. It will break the shape of helmet and make soldier’s helmet less able to be detected.The Mit'znefet has two sides. On one side is woodland pattern and the other a desert pattern.











This article is by OttawaLoneWolf

[HaZarD SFD]

Damn nice writeup Lonewolf.

I like this one