The IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, has approved a sweeping new force-building plan involving extensive structural changes across all branches of the military. The goal is to ensure readiness, operational fitness, and adaptation to future threats. The year 2025 will be designated as a “year of security stabilization.”
Approved during wartime and based on lessons learned since October 7, the new plan was led by the Deputy Chief of Staff and the Planning Directorate and presented to the General Staff Forum. It includes significant changes across ground, air, and naval forces, as well as in border defense. The plan aims to rehabilitate and strengthen the capabilities of conscripted, career, and reserve personnel.
Among the key changes: the establishment of a new regular maneuvering division called the “Training Division,” which will consolidate all combat training bases.
Ground Forces Changes
In the Ground Forces, one major step is the disbanding of the General Staff’s 446th Corps and its subordinate training system. Training responsibilities will shift to the new Training Division under Ground Forces Command.
This division will include all combat training bases. Additionally, a new reserve brigade (Brigade 261) will be established under Division 252 and separated from Officer Training Base 1. Another new brigade, based on that same training base, will be created with units operationally ready for deployment.
Also planned is a new reserve tank brigade, to be called Brigade 500, which will be formed gradually beginning in 2026.
The IDF is expected to create three new regular armored reconnaissance (Plasar) companies, contingent on approval for extending mandatory service to 36 months. A special project, approved by the General Staff and starting this October, will fund the rehabilitation of armored forces in both regular and reserve units.
Additionally, a significantly sized new engineering battalion will be formed, as well as a fifth mixed-gender Home Front Command rescue battalion, with the first recruitment round set for August 2025.
New companies using JLTV light tactical vehicles will also be established, along with another ultra-Orthodox reserve battalion.
Border Defense Reforms
In the border sector, two new regional divisions will be established, incorporating reserve brigades 91, 769, and 300.
One of them, “Gilat Formation,” is expected to take up deployment in an eastern sector starting in August, with a future expansion of responsibility to additional border areas.
This change will allow each regional command to focus on just two fronts. Plans are also being made to create a barrier along the eastern border and to form a special combat company for the Hermon region (Regional Brigade 810).
Ongoing projects aim to strengthen border defense through drone acquisition, improved troop mobility, enhanced lethality, and construction of additional barriers.
Air Force and Navy
The Air Force will expedite planning for a new offensive UAV system and establish another air defense base.
For the Navy, the plan includes strengthening its strategic capabilities and expanding operational flexibility across multiple theaters.
The IDF emphasized that this is only the first stage of a comprehensive reform, with subsequent stages to be finalized over the next year. The full plan will be incorporated into a new multi-year defense plan (Tnufa), shaping the military's structure for the next decade.