IDF: Tank shortage because of Gaza War caused postponement of women's armored unit pilot program to 2025

IDF statement is first admission of losing significant number of tanks during conflict

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Israel Defense Forces announced on Monday that it is delaying a pilot program for female soldiers to serve in the Armored Corps during combat operations due to a shortage of tanks.

The IDF statement came in response to a petition filed with the High Court of Justice on the question of women in combat positions in the Armored Corps.

“During the war, many tanks were damaged, which are disabled at this stage and are not used for combat or training,” the IDF stated. The military also said: “The introduction of new tanks into the force is not expected anytime soon.”

The IDF argued that the ammunition needed for training new female soldiers was limited due to the ongoing Gaza War and the potential for conflict on Israel's northern border with Hezbollah.

“Similarly, the volume of ammunition and resources required to maintain the vehicles are very limited. The IDF is constantly working to expand the scope of ammunition, but it is not possible to prepare at this stage for the opening of the test on time, since it is not possible to guarantee that there will be enough tools and ammunition to meet the objectives of the experiment,” according to the Israeli military.

“This means that the scope of tanks available in the Armored Corps is insufficient, both for war efforts and for simultaneous testing,” the IDF statement clarified.

In September 2023, the IDF announced a pilot program to integrate women into more combat roles. At that time, it also announced plans to open the elite Unit 5515 combat mobility unit to female recruits, possibly beginning in 2025 and dependent upon the number of women able to pass the screening tests.

Combat mobility units are “maneuvering units” intended to operate behind enemy lines, and have different physical requirements due to the need to carry heavy gear over longer distances.

The current mixed-gender battalions in the IDF are not maneuvering units, however, the all-female tank company was expected to be so.

Because tank crews are required to spend many hours confined to the tank during combat operations, and often need to use the bathroom within the tank, for the sake of modesty, the IDF has been planning to have all women tank crews.

While there are already women serving in combat roles in other units, there has not yet been an all-female maneuvering unit in the Armored Corps.

The IDF said it anticipates opening the pilot in November 2025, which is in line with previous plans discussed last September.

However, the IDF’s admission that “many tanks were damaged” during the war so far appears to contradict statements made by the 162nd Division’s chief logistics officer, Lt.-Col. Efrat Baruchyan.

In an interview with Israel's Channel 13 news last month, Baruchyan said the unit had 92% competency with its tanks.

The Times of Israel reported that senior IDF officers noted that “very few tanks had been disabled beyond repair during the fighting.” The officers said vehicles damaged during the fighting were usually repaired quickly and returned to the battlezone.