After several years of trial usage by the IDF’s Givati Brigade, the Israeli-made Tavor assault rifle will soon be deployed among infantry units throughout Judea and Samaria.
Soldiers who enlisted November, 2006 and later are the first batch of recruits to be trained with the lightweight, futuristic weapon.
The Tavor is specially designed for urban combat. Its center of gravity is located in the rear and is much lighter and shorter-barreled than the US-made M-16, currently the weapon of choice in most of the IDF.
Can't see above video screen? Click here for Tavor demonstration video.
The Tavor’s body is made from alloy metal substitutes and is very well insulated so that it does not heat up after prolonged firing. The Tavor is not equipped with normal metal sights that require closing one eye for shooting. Instead, the Tavor uses a laser sight in which the soldier sees both the target and the red dot, which, when aligned, will result in a direct hit.
During the several-year trial period with the Tavor, many problems were identified. This led the head of the Givati Brigade to decide at the last minute that the August ’06 recruits would continue to use M-16s due to jamming issues with the Tavor. The latest generation of the weapon, however, has resolved the issues, and the Golani and Kfir Brigades have now received Tavors.
Four versions of the gun are available – the basic assault rifle configuration, a sharp-shooting squad weapon, a short commando version and a micro version for security detail and special forces. The commando version weighs 2.8 kg (6.2 pounds) compared with the Uzi's 3.7 kg (8.2 pounds) and M-16's 3.4 kg (7.5 pounds).
"The Tavor would be useful anywhere where close quarters battle is the rule, and from vehicles," Charles Cutshaw, firearms editor at Jane's International Defense Review Magazine, said. “It has large vents to prevent dust clogs and sights allowing the shooter to aim with both eyes open. The Tavor spells the end, locally, of the M-16, a staple assault rifle supplied to Israel since the early 1970s as part of Washington's annual defense grants.”
The M-16 has long been the subject of complaints by IDF soldiers. It was designed for Vietnam-style tropical climates and frequently jams in the desert. In addition, most of the rifles Israel received from the US were army surplus and in need of refurbishing. Despite this, the M-16 replaced Israeli-made Uzi and Galil guns, which were sold mostly to clients in Africa and South America.
Indian and Georgian special forces, as well as the Columbia army and police forces, have already ordered and phased in the Tavor.
Due to the huge number of M-16s already in the IDF's armories, as well as the cost of producing Tavors, the complete replacement of the M-16 with the Israeli-made weapon is still far off.