Active Units
The active units of the Armored Corps consist of the following brigades.
36th Armor Division Also known as the Ga'ash Formation, is the largest armored division in the IDF, and also includes Engineering Corps soldiers who are attached to it. It is stationed on the Golan Heights under Northern Command. It is currently commanded by Brigadier-General Tamir Haiman. It includes the 7th and 188th Armor Brigades.
- 7th Armor Brigade
- Also known as the Sa'ar ("Storm") Formation, this is a regular armored brigade subordinate to Northern Command. It was the first armor brigade of the IDF and has participated in all of Israel's wars. The brigade’s fighting during the Suez War resulted in a breakthrough in how the army approached the character of armor warfare. The brigade is currently equipped with Mark 2 Merkava tanks.
- 188th Armor Brigade
- Also known as the Barak ("Lightning") Formation, it is a regular armored brigade subordinate to Northern Command. Beginning with the Six Day War, the brigade participated in all of Israel’s wars. During the Yom Kippur War, the brigade was the first line of defense in the first days of the war at the Southern Golan, and saw almost all of its officers killed in action. It was the last armor brigade to use the Centurion tank, converting to Merkava 3 tanks in 1992.
162nd Armor Division Also known as the Utzvat HaBarzel Formation, this is an armored division subordinate to Central Command. It includes the Armor 401st Brigade.
- 401st Armor Brigade
- Also known as the Ikvot HaBarzel ("Tracks of Iron") Formation, this is an armored brigade created in 1968 in order to control the Suez Canal line. During the Yom Kippur War, it faced the first line of attack in the canal and suffered heavy losses. During the 1982 Lebanon War, it fought in the Southern force and one of its battalions participated in the Sultan Yaakov battle. During 2004-2005, the brigade’s Magach tanks were replaced by Mark 4 Merkava tanks.
366th Armor Division Also known as the Amud ha-Esh ("Pillar of Fire") Formation, this is an armored division subordinate to Southern Command. It includes the 460th Armor Brigade.
- 460th Armor Brigade
- Also known as the Bnei Or ("Sons of Light") Formation, this is the training brigade of the Armored Corps. It maintains two bases: the Shizafon training base—the school for the corps' commanders, where the officers and tank commanders are instructed—and Camp Magen-Sayarim, the Armored Corps school, where basic and continued training is undertaken, preparing armor combatants toward the operational brigades.
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