In 1950, just two years after the founding of Israel, Israel’s first commercial delegation set off for South America.
Israel urgently needs trading partners. Unlike Arab rivals, Israel has no natural resources to finance its economy. No oil or minerals, nothing.
The Israeli delegation held several meetings abroad, but most people laughed. They tried to sell their own oranges, kerosene tops and dentures. For countries like Argentina, they grow their own oranges and connect them to the grid, which are quite useless.
It's hard to imagine that this is just the way Israel exported it 67 years ago. Today, Israel is a high-tech superpower and one of the world's largest arms exporters with annual arms sales of about $6.5 billion.
Since 1985, Israel has been the world's largest exporter of drones, accounting for about 60% of the global market, followed by the United States, with a market share of less than 25%. Its customers are located all over the world - Russia, South Korea, Australia, France, Germany and Brazil.
Israel, a country that is not yet 70 years old, how to become a superpower and have one of the most technologically advanced troops in the world, is changing the way of modern warfare?
Why does Israel have the most technologically advanced army on the planet?
I believe that the answer is a combination of some of Israel's unique ethnic characteristics.
First, despite Israel's small size, about 4.5% of GDP is spent on research and development, almost twice the average of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Of these, approximately 30% are for military products.
Another major contribution is Israel’s culture of innovation and creativity. Israelis are more willing to take risks than other countries. When the 19-year-old Israeli began to act in the enemy's back, their Western companions played games in the dorm.
Finally, Israel has been in a state of permanent conflict since its inception, and war has been waged almost every decade. This reality has made Israel's mind more acute. It forces Israelis to be creative and come up with innovative ways and weapons to survive.
This is the story of Israel...
Robot border patrol
Why does Israel have the most technologically advanced army on the planet?
Guardium is a combat robot developed by Israel. Israel is the first country in the world to use these robots to replace mission soldiers such as border patrols.
Combat robots have been deployed along the border between Israel and northern Syria and the southern Gaza Strip. Equipped with a range of sensors, cameras and weapons. It can be driven by a soldier who sits in a command center a few miles away or accepts a pre-designated patrol route to make it completely autonomous.
The increasing use of robots by the Israel Defense Forces is part of a larger strategy to minimize the risk of soldiers. In addition, soldiers need rest, food and water. All that is needed for combat robots is a can of gasoline.
In the face of terrorists tunneling from the Gaza Strip to Israel, Israel also relies on unmanned ground vehicles like machine snakes to enter the underground passages and enemy headquarters. The robot will then draw a structural map that allows the soldiers to accurately depict a combat area before being attacked.
The same thing happens at sea. Israeli defense contractor Rafael developed an unmanned patrol boat called the “Protector”, which was used by Israel to protect its strategic port and patrol the country’s long Mediterranean coastline.
"Arrow" type anti-missile system
Why does Israel have the most technologically advanced army on the planet?
In 2000, the Israeli Air Force received the first operational arrow missile battery, making Israel the first country in the world to have a combat system to shoot enemy missiles.
The idea of creating an arrow was born in the mid-1980s after US President Ronald Reagan proposed the Star Wars program and asked US allies to work together to develop a system that would protect the country from Soviet nuclear missile attacks.
"Arrow-style anti-missile" is a revolutionary idea. Due to the small size of Israel and the lack of territory, all ballistic missiles deployed by Syria, Iraq and Iran in the region can reach anywhere in the country and pose a strategic threat and may even be a threat to survival. Developers believe that Israel needs a system that can shoot down neighboring missiles and provide comprehensive protection for this small Jewish state.
After the first Gulf War in 1991, Saddam Hussein fired 39 Scud missiles into Israel, paralyzing the country and forcing millions of Israelis to wear gas masks into the bomb shelter. Ups and downs, but received huge financial support.
The arrow is just the beginning. Today, Israel has some US-funded "arrows" for intercepting long-range ballistic missiles. David's slingshots are used to intercept medium-range rockets and cruise missiles, as well as battle-proven iron domes. In recent years, it has intercepted hundreds of pieces. Katyusha rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.
Israel is the only country in the world that uses a missile defense system during wartime. These systems are more than just saving lives. They also provided the national leadership with the opportunity to “diplomatic mobility”, giving them the opportunity to think and formulate strategies before counterattacking rocket attacks.
Although other countries have also invested in missile defense, no country has established a multi-layered system like Israel.
Small spy satellite
Why does Israel have the most technologically advanced army on the planet?
In 1988, Israel launched its first spy satellite into space, becoming the eight countries with independent satellite launch capabilities.
From the outset, some people doubted Israel's ability to develop, build and launch its own satellites, but in the last 30 years, Israel has grown into a satellite superpower, currently running eight different spies in space. satellite.
Considering that Israel faces threats from countries such as Iran, this is a key capability and it still suspects that Iran plans to make nuclear weapons one day.
Israel has shunned the construction of large satellites and switched to so-called "microsatellites", which weigh about 300 kilograms compared to the 25-ton satellite in the United States.
Israeli spy satellites fall into two categories.
Most of Israel's satellites are equipped with advanced high-resolution cameras, such as the OFEK-9 launched in 2010, which can identify 50 centimeters from hundreds of miles away.
Another type of satellite in Israel is called Tecsar. These satellites use a synthetic aperture sensor, which is basically a radar system that produces almost the same high-resolution image as a normal camera.
This technology offers Israel a huge advantage. The camera can't be seen through the clouds or fog, but the radar can work in all weather conditions, even through the camouflage camouflage net. This means that Israel has the ability to track enemies and gather intelligence through rain, fog or clouds at any time of the day.
Drone
Why does Israel have the most technologically advanced army on the planet?
The Heron TP is Israel's largest drone with a wingspan of 85 feet, the same as the Boeing 737. It can stay in the air for 24 hours and carry a payload of 1 ton. It is called "the drone that can reach Iran" in Israel.
Although Israel did not publicly acknowledge it, it is believed that the Heron TP can also launch air-to-ground missiles.
Israel is the first country in the world to use drones in combat operations. The first use of the drone was in 1969, when the IDF drove a toy plane along the Suez Canal, and the camera was glued to the abdomen of the plane to monitor Egypt. In 1982, it drove the first drone called "Reconnaissance Aircraft" in Lebanon and played a key role in locating and suppressing the Syrian air defense missile system.
This action caught the attention of the whole world. In 1986, Israel provided the US Navy with the first drone, the so-called "Pioneer". A few years later, a pioneer attacked a group of Iraqi soldiers during the first Gulf War and created history. The soldiers saw the plane, took off the white sweatshirt, and waved in the air. This is the first military unit in history to surrender to robots.
Israeli drones have revolutionized the modern battlefield.
Top secret tank
Why does Israel have the most technologically advanced army on the planet?
To this day, the Merkava tank is still one of Israel's most secret projects. It is said to be one of the most lethal and protected tanks in the world, and its construction is entirely out of necessity – the British and other countries refused to sell Israeli tanks. So in the 1970s, it started building its own company.
The latest model, called the Merkava MK-4, is the most impressive. It can reach speeds of up to 40 mph and is equipped with a new modular armor kit, which means the tank can be equipped with the required armor depending on the specific task it is performing.