Vol. 7: Force Design B

DCJ seventh volume is the second one analyzing the IDF force design. In the first article, Colonel Alon Paz argues that the IDF requires an organizational and conceptual change that would be the equivalent of “reestablishing” it. Colonel Ori from the C4I Corps discusses the practical attempt of IDF units to create islands of innovation, among the rules and regulations of military force design. Carmel Or examines the IDF's potential for innovation by applying the “open source” criterion, adopted from software development. Colonel Assaf, deputy Head of the IDI Research and Analysis Division, talks about the lack of intelligence aspects in force design processes, while arguing that the interaction between operations research and force design is a worthy model. In contrast, Dr. Haim Assa discusses the field of operations research and claims that it plays an excessive role in force design, and calls for a distinction between specific considerations (analysis) and the formation of strategic concepts and force design trends (systematic thinking and imagination). The last article, by General (res.) Gershon HaCohen, questions the idea that conceptual and technological innovation must play a key role in force design trends. He claims that at least in the case of ground forces, it is important to maintain continuity and a military “critical mass,” even at the expense of reducing elite forces and maintaining a large but “mediocre” force.