C4I (Command, Control, Communications &
Intelligence)
With Arab airfields located only a short distance
from Israel's borders, one question stands out: will the IAF have sufficiently early warning to meet potential threats?
The Intelligence
Branch keeps the IAF's eyes focused on the ever-changing threat, and
provides a warning at the earliest sign of danger.
IAF Intelligence forces utilize the latest technology for gathering
signals and information, but the real trick is to analyze this data
and properly assess enemy intentions. This requires a marriage between
sophisticated electronic equipment and highly skilled professionals.
In many instances, the required technology has been developed in Israel.
One example is the mini-RPV (remotely piloted vehicle). After witnessing
its effectiveness in the IAF, American forces purchased and made excellent
use of mini-RPVs in the Persian
Gulf.
Ground-based radars and airborne control aircraft,
such as the E-2C Hawkeye,
help the IAF Commander control the rapidly developing situation. He
can divide the battlefield into different sectors and effectively utilize
his resources wherever needed by the IDF. Operational flexibility and
rapid response provide for effective decision-making under pressure.
Sources: IDF |