THE WAR THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

THE WAR THAT CHANGED THE WORLD The 1973 Arab-Israeli War OLLI Fall 2017, Week 3 Frank Chadwick THE ARMED FORCES (and how they work)

Week 3 Overview: The Armed Force 1. Basics 2. The Israeli Defense Force 3. The Egyptian Armed Forces 4. The Syrian Armed Forces

Part 1: The Basics How the Armed Forces work, and why it s important to know Many of the things which happened during the war won t make sense unless you have a very basic grounding in how the military functions It s also a handy knowledge base to have, given the state of the world today The Combat Arms Infantry, Armor, Artillery, and what they do. The weapons, and how they work Tanks, missiles, planes, and more Military Organization (and the rule of threes) From squad to division, what are those things?

BASICS I: Combat Arms The principle ground combat arms are Infantry, Armor and Artillery.

Combat Arms: Infantry Infantry: Individually armed personnel, and teams of personnel with heavier weapons, trained to fight mostly dismounted, taking advantage of terrain and able to go where vehicles cannot.

Combat Arms: Infantry Airborne/Parachute: Some infantry is additionally equipped for air insertion, either by parachute or (more often in 1973) by helicopter.

Combat Arms: Infantry Infantry is sometimes carried in lightly-armored vehicles, called Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs). In this case the infantry is called Mechanized Infantry.

Armored Personnel Carriers

Combat Arms: Armor Armor: Mostly built around tank units. Tanks are tracked, fullyenclosed armored vehicles mounting the largest direct fire gun practical in a rotating turret. Direct fire means the target can be seen by the gunner.

The Most Common Tanks in the 1973 War

Combat Arms: Artillery Artillery: Gun, rocket, and missile systems which engage the enemy with indirect fire. Indirect fire means the targets are not visible to the firing weapon, usually over the horizon, but sometimes behind hills, forests, towns, etc.

BASICS II: Weapons Infantry Weapons Infantry Weapons Assault Rifle (basic weapon of most infantry): selective fire rifle with effective range of about 300 yards. Selective Fire means it can fire single shot or burst. Machine-Gun: Crew-served fully-automatic, usually belt-fed, capable of sustained automatic fire with ranges up to 800 yards in the light role and 1800 yards on a sustained fire mount (usually a tripod). Can deliver 750-1000 rounds a minute. Grenades: Usually hand-thrown (to about 50 yards) but sometimes fired by launchers (150-400 yards range). Most grenades are anti-personnel fragmentation grenades, but some are shaped-charge anti-tank grenades. A shaped-charge round explodes on contact with the armor but is built to channel the explosion forward which blows a hole in the armor. Also called HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank). Rocket Launchers: Also called bazookas (in WW2 and Korea) and RPGs (Rocket-Propelled Grenade). Almost always used as a short range (200-500 yards) anti-tank weapon of last resort. Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM): Light missiles with shaped charge warheads capable of hitting a tank at much longer ranges (2000-3000 yards). In 1973 only the Arabs had ATGMs.

Arab Infantry Anti-Tank Weapons

Armor Weapons Armor Weapons Main Gun: In the 1970s most modern g=tank guns were fired a round which was about four inches in diameter (100mm for the Arabs, 105mm for the Israelis). This could fire either a high explosive round against ingfantry or the most powerful antitank round on the battlefield. Machine Guns: A tank usually mounted a machine gun in the turret which could be fired by the gunner and which was lined up with the main gun, so he used the same sight. Some tanks also had an exposed machiune gun on top of the turret to use against aircraft. Crew: Tanks had a crew of four men: driver, gunner, loader, and tank commander. Visibility was very restricted and so usually the commander was the only one who could spot new targets and developing danger. The Israeli tank commander were trained to fight with the turret hatch open and the head exposed, to get a better view of the battlefield. Arab crews tended to fight buttoned up.

Artillery Weapons Artillery Weapons Field Guns and Howitzers: The workhorse weapon of artillery. Throws largecaliber (5-inch to 8-inch diameter shells) to long range (6 to 17 miles), and can generally sustain a rate of 1 to 3 rounds per minute. Almost all Arab guns were towed; almost all Israeli were self-propelled. Multiple Rocket Launchers: Can fire salvoes of large-caliber (5-10-inch) rockets out to medium range (6 miles). Cannot deliver the same sustained rate of fire of guns and howitzers, but when I fires, all the rockets arrives at nearly the same time. Used mostly by the Arabs. Artillery Missiles: Very large rockets fired at key targets (like airfields) deep behind enemy lines. The Arabs had a few Soviet-supplied FROG-7 missiles in service. (FROG stands for Free Rocket Over Ground).

Artillery Weapons (2) Specialized Artillery Weapons Anti-Tank Guns: Heavy towed or self-propelled high velocity guns, usually 85mm tp 100mm in bore. Could double as conventional artillery. The towed guns were very vulnerable to enemy fire. Only the Arabs used heavy anti-tank guns in 1973. Air-Defense Artillery (also called AA Guns): Both towed and self-propelled, most were light automatic guns (20-57mm). Given speed of aircraft, most AA guns were vengeance weapons, but they were so wide-spread they caused most of the air casualties in the war. Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs): Radar-guided missiles fired at long range (15-30 miles), sometimes homing on the heat of the jet exhaust in the final phase of interception. A light shoulder-fired heat-seeking version (Strella) with a range of 2 miles was used by Arab infantry

BASICS III: Military Organizations Military organizations are convenient ways of understanding the size and capability of a particular unit. Each such organization had a single leader, and much depends on the skill and judgment of the unit s leader. Most military units are made up of three to five of the next smaller unit. The leader of any one unit can give his orders to his three to five subordinate leaders, instead of having to explain it to everyone.

BASICS: Military Organizations Squad: about 12 infantry, one tank, or 1 field gun (Sergeant) Platoon: three squads (40 infantry, 3 tanks, or 2 field guns (Lieutenant) Company: three platoons (150 infantry, 10 tanks, or 4-6 field guns (Captain) Battalion: three companies (500-700 infantry, 33 tanks, or 12-18 field guns (Lieutenant Colonel) Brigade: three battalions (2,000 infantry, 100 tanks, or 36-72 field guns (Colonel) Division: three brigades, plus a brigade of artillery and other supporting units (10,000 men, 100-300 tank, 36-72 field guns) (Brigadier general or major general)

PART 2: The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) Relationship between regular forces and reservists. Increased mechanization of the infantry branch of the ground forces. Modernized and expanded the Air Force Modernized and expanded the armored branch. (Key area of operational focus.) Modernized and mechanized the artillery branch. Tried to institute a new divisional organization. Expanded capabilities for cross-canal assaults. Sayaret (Reconnaissance/Commandoes)

Regulars and Reserves Israeli practices mandatory service/conscription. Soldiers serve one term as trainees and active soldiers, then enter the reserves. At this time the term of service was 36 months for men and 24 months for women. (Before 1968 it had been 30 months and 18 months, respectively). This means the Regular army has a professional long-service cadre, but most of its troops are conscripts undergoing training. The actual veteran components of the Israeli Defense Force (aside from a few permanent elite units) were the reservists.

Israeli Regular and Reserve Brigades in 1973 Regular 4 0 1 1 Reserve 10 6 3 1(+8 district ) Total 14 6 4 2(+8 district )

Israeli Air Force Modernized and expanded the Air Force Increased active combat aircraft by 25% (from 286 to 360) Most older aircraft retired or sold. Replaced by new and highly capable aircraft types never seen before in the Middle East. 140 A-4 Skyhawks and 150 F-4 Phantoms provide the bulk of the air strengths. A-4 Skyhawk dedicated strike aircraft F-4 Phantom excellent all-around air superiority aircraft which could double as a fighter bomber. (Could carry heavier bomb load than a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress.) Hawk SAM (surface to air missile) system employed to defend key targets. More lethal than Arab systems, but less numerous (75 launchers)

IDF Infantry Branch Increased mechanization of the infantry branch of the ground forces. Most infantry brigades converted to mechanized infantry. Total of six mechanized brigades, each with two mechanized infantry battalions and one tank battalion. Purchased 500 M-113 armored personnel carriers from USA, but preferred the older World War II-era US halftracks. Scoured Europe for used and scrap halftracks. By 1973 had assembled 4,000 personnel carrier versions, plus more as self-propelled mounts for heavy mortars and air defense guns. Enough halftracks to mount most paratroopers as well as th mechanized infantry. Training of mechanized infantry taken over by armor branch: better mounted/mobile skills, deterioration of traditional dismounted infantry skills.

IDF Armor Branch Modernized and expanded the armored branch. (Key area of operational focus.) Starting tank park: 350 Shermans, 250 M-48 Pattons, 380 Centurions. Purchased about 300 M-48/M-60 Pattons from USA and 600 Centurions from UK (about 900 new main battle tanks) Upgraded all M-48 and Centurion to 105mm guns, and upgraded most power plants to US diesel engines. Reconditioned 150 captured T-55 tanks (many re-armed with 105mm) Total: 1,650 main battle tanks and 350 Shermans Main battle tanks equip 14 armored brigades and five armored reconnaissance battalions. Shermans equip the tank battalions in the mechanized infantry brigades.

IDF Artillery Branch Modernized and mechanized the artillery branch. Almost all towed artillery and mortars made self-propelled (on halftracks or old Sherman tanks chassis) New self-propelled 155mm and 175mm long-range artillery purchased from USA. Israeli armament industry manufacturing new heavy mortars and long-range howitzers, all on self-propelled mounts. Only towed artillery is captured Arab/Soviet artillery intended to be used with airborne troops and carried by helicopters.

IDF Organization Ground Forces Organization: Battalions in a brigade 4 Parachute and 2 Infantry Brigades 6 Mechanized Brigades 14 Armored Brigades

IDF Organization Ground Forces Organization: Brigades in a division (and separate) 6 Armored Divisions Separate Brigades x 2 x 2 x 4

IDF Combat Engineers Expanded capabilities for cross-canal assaults 18 Timsahk amphibians (French Gillois EWKs, called Gillowas by the Israelis. (60 purchased for scrap. Only 18 renovated.) Three Timsahks could ferry a single tank. 20 Unifloat rafts: 60 tons each. Towed by two tanks, and could carry two tanks across canal. Nine rafts could be assembled to make a bridge. Roller Assault Bridge, 180-meters long, 400 tons, 16 tanks needed to tow/push it. Did not corner well.

ISRAELI BRIDGING EQUIPMENT

The Roller Bridge on Display (post-war)

The Roller Bridge in use on the Suez Canal

Israeli Commandoes (Sayeret) Israeli term Sayeret means (roughly) reconnaissance, but the mission has evolved into special warfare operations. In 1973 there were (at least) four battalion-sized elite reconnaissance/commando units: one for each regional command (North, Center, and South) and one subordinated directly to the General Staff/main intelligence directorate. There may also have been a Sayeret unit for the parachute branch, and possibly one for the infantry branch, but I am uncertain about those. The known (by me) Sayeret units in 1973 were: General Staff: Unit 269 Sayeret Maktal Northern Command: Unit 483 Sayeret Egoz Central Command: Unit 484 Sayeret Kheruv Southern Command: Unit 424 Sayeret Shaked ( or Ha-Sinai)

PART 3: The Egyptian Armed Forces Rebuild Air Force, and build a SAM network Ground Combat Forces Expanded and Reorganized. Infantry extensively trained and re-equipped to defeat Israeli armor. (Key area of operational focus.) Armor expanded, but not the focus of the build-up. Artillery greatly expanded, trained to fight a positional war. Engineering branch called upon to deliver the impossible. And they did.

The Egyptian Air Force (and Air Defense) Rebuild Air Force Had only 75 combat aircraft left after 1967 War. Increased to 598. Major investment in establishing a SAM network Backbones are SA-2 and SA-3 (same as North Vietnam used around Hanoi and Haiphong) 800 SA-2 and SA-3 launchers deployed in batteries west of the Suez canal. 2,000 light man-portable SA-7 Strella launchers with infantry. Not nearly As lethal as heavier missiles.

The Egyptian Air Force (and Air Defense) New element is introduction of SA-6 launchers Israel did not know they were there. Neither Israel nor US knew anything about their radar 80 mobile launchers deployed west of the canal but ready to move across to support a limited offensive past the range of the SA-2 and SA-3 network.

PART 3: The Egyptian Armed Forces Ground Forces Expanded and Reorganized. Infantry extensively trained and re-equipped to defeat Israeli armor. (Key area of operational focus.) Armor expanded (by about 70%), but was not the focus of the build-up. Artillery greatly expanded, trained to fight a positional war. More than doubled the number of artillery pieces (from 575 to 1,210) In addition to divisional artillery, assembled an artillery reserve of four brigades of heavy guns and howitzers and two brigades of heavy mortars (about a third of the total) Almost all artillery towed, not self-propelled. More vulnerable to counter-battery fire. Intended to fire from fixed positions in support of a short advance. Would be at a disadvantage moving forward to support a deep advance or fighting in a mobile battle.

PART 3: The Egyptian Armed Forces Ground Forces Organization: Battalions in a brigade 14 Infantry Brigades 10 Mechanized Brigades 11 Armored Brigades

PART 3: The Egyptian Armed Forces Ground Forces Organization: Brigades in a division (and separate) 5 Infantry Divs 3 Mechanized Divs 2 Armored Divs Separate Brigades x2 x5 x4 x2

PART 3: The Egyptian Armed Forces Engineering branch called upon to deliver the impossible. Moshe Dayan, Israel Defense Minister, declared early 1973 that it would take the combined engineering corps of the United States and Soviet Union to bridge the Suez Canal in force. Canal is lined with tall packed sand ramparts not crossable by vehicles. Israeli engineers estimate it will take two to three days to create a few breaches in the embankments with explosives and earth-moving equipment. Each opening required moving about 1,700 cubic meters of sand and earth (about 2,500 tons of material) Large-scale crossing would require creating a minimum of 20-40 such openings. Lack of sufficient openings will limit rate at which forces on far bank can be reinforced and supplied. 15,000 well-trained engineering troops in 80 battalions and separate bridging companies. Soviet-designed bridges and amphibious vehicles as well as locally-manufactured expedients A really great idea nobody but the Egyptians thought would work: high pressure pumps and water hoses to scour passages through the sand embankments. Egyptians actually made 60 openings, most of them within two hours. Within 24 hours 20 bridges were in operation across the canal.

Egyptian Heavy Pontoon Bridge in Place

Egyptian Commandoes (Thunderbolts) Name usually translated as Commandoes, but Ranger may be a better translation. Intended to spearhead amphibious assault crossings and to conduct rear-area raids, delivered by helicopters. Trained primarily to fight in battalion-size groups, not companies or smaller detachments. More an elite spearhead infantry than special operators. Primary mission to ambush Israeli armor, so reinforced with antitank rocket launchers and antitank guided missiles (suitcase Saggers). Total of seven Ranger/Commando groups, each with from two to four batt6alions, so about twenty-five battalions in all.

PART 4: The Syrian Armed Forces Significant expansion of Air Force and air defenses (SAMs) Infantry reorganized, but intended as support for armor. Massive five-fold expansion of the armor branch. (Key area of operational focus.) Artillery expanded, but not as much as in Egypt.

The Syrian Air Force (and Air Defense) Significant expansion of Air Force and air defense Expansion of Air Force Doubled from 127 to 278. Major investment in establishing a SAM network 300 heavy SA-2 and SA-3 launchers 60 new mobile SA-6 launchers 1000 SA-7 Strella shoulder-fired infantry launchers

The Syrian Army Ground forces strengthened and reorganized Infantry reorganized, but intended as support for armor. Massive six-fold expansion of the armor branch. (Key area of operational focus.) Went from about 300 tanks to 1800. Went from two armored brigades to eleven. Artillery doubled in size (from 300 to 600 guns) Brigades grouped into permanent divisions for the first time. Only five divisions formed, due to limited pool of senior officers of sufficient loyalty to the regime. Left about half the army as separate brigades. No command headquarters above division level, for same reason as small number of divisions. Greatly complicated command and control during the war.

PART 4: The Syrian Armed Forces Ground Forces Organization: Battalions in a brigade 8 Infantry Brigades 6 Mechanized Brigades 11 Armored Brigades

PART 4: The Syrian Armed Forces Ground Forces Organization: Brigades in a division (and separate) 3 Infantry Divisions 2 Armored Divisions Separate Brigades x7 x1 x2 para/cdo x4 infantry

Syrian Commandoes Syrians raised one parachute battalion and seven commando battalions, all intended as air-delivered elite assault infantry. The commandoes were also politically very reliable and so served as regime defense troops. The parachute battalion and two commando battalions were massed as a Para-Commando Group to assault the Israeli positions on Mount Hermon The remaining five commando battalions formed the Commando Group in the strategic reserve and were not committed to combat until late in the war.

NEXT WEEK: WAR! Across Suez The Egyptian Offensive