Future of the IDF

The IDF is planning a number of technological upgrades and structural reforms for the future for its
land, air, and sea branches. Training has been increased, including in cooperation between ground, air,
and naval units.[172]
The Israeli Army is phasing out the M-16 rifle from all ground units in favor of the IMI Tavor variants,
most recently the IWI Tavor X95 flat-top ("Micro-Tavor Dor Gimel").[173] In addition, the IDF is now
replacing its outdated M113 armored personnel carriers in favor of new Namer APCs, with 200 ordered
in 2014, the Eitan AFV, and is upgrading its IDF Achzarit APCs.[174][175] The IDF also announced
plans to streamline its military bureaucracy so as to better maintain its reserve force, which a 2014
State Comptroller report noted was under-trained and may not be able to fulfill wartime missions. As
part of the plans, 100,000 reservists and will be discharged, and training for the remainder will be
improved. The officer corps will be slashed by 5,000. In addition, infantry and light artillery brigades will
be reduced to increase training standards among the rest. [176] The backbone of the IDF Artillery Corps,
the M109 howitzer, will be phased out in favor of a still-undecided replacement, with the ATMOS
2000 and Artillery Gun Module under primary consideration.[177] The IDF is also planning a future tank
to replace the Merkava. The new tank will be able to fire lasers and electromagnetic pulses, run on a
hybrid engine, run with a crew as small as two, will be faster, and will be better-protected, with
emphasis on protection systems such as the Trophy over armor.[178][179] The Combat Engineering
Corps assimilated new technologies, mainly in tunnel detection and unmanned ground
vehicles and military robots, such as remote-controlled IDF Caterpillar D9T "Panda" armored
bulldozers, Sahar engineering scout robot and improved Remotec ANDROS robots.
The Israeli Air Force will purchase as many as 100 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets from the United States.
The aircraft will be modified and designated F-35I. They will use Israeli-built electronic warfare systems,
outer-wings, guided bombs, and air-to-air missiles.[180][181][182] As part of a 2013 arms deal, the
IAF will purchase KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft and V-22 Osprey multi-mission aircraft
from the United States, as well as advanced radars for warplanes and missiles designed to take out
radars.[183] In April 2013, an Israeli official stated that within 40–50 years, piloted aircraft would be
phased out of service by unmanned aerial vehicles capable of executing nearly any operation that can
be performed by piloted combat aircraft. Israel's military industries are reportedly on the path to
developing such technology in a few decades. Israel will also manufacture tactical satellites for military
use.[184]
The Israeli Navy is currently expanding its submarine fleet, with a planned total of six Dolphin class
submarines. Currently, five have been delivered, with the sixth, INS Drakon, expected to be delivered in
2020.[185] It is also upgrading and expanding its surface fleet. It is planning to upgrade the electronic
warfare systems of its Sa'ar 5-class corvettes and Sa'ar 4.5 class missile boats,[186] and has ordered
two new classes of warship: the Sa'ar 6-class corvette (a variant of the Braunschweig-class corvette)
and the Sa'ar 72-class corvette (an improved and enlarged version of the Sa'ar 4.5-class). It plans to
acquire four Saar 6-class corvettes and three Sa'ar 72-class corvettes. Israel is also developing marine
artillery, including a gun capable of firing satellite-guided 155mm rounds between 75 and 120
kilometers.