Israeli Special Forces Glossary Guide

The following are commonly used terminology in isayeret.

A

AGM - Air Ground Missile

AO - Area of Operation

ATGM - Anti Tank Guided Missile

APC - Armored Personal Carrier

ATV - All Terrain Vehicles

AN/PVS - Army/Navy Passive Vision System

 

B

BUIS - Back Up Iron Sights

 

C

CAR15 - the carbine version of the M16A1

CO - Commanding Officer

Colt Commando - fixed loop M16A2 11.5 inch carbine

C4I - Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence

CQB - Close Quarters Battle

CT - Counter Terror

CSAR - Combat Search And Rescue

CID - Combat Identification Device

E

EOD - Explosive Ordnance Disposal

 

F

FMS - Foreign Military Sales

 

G

GPS - Global Positioning System

GADSAR - Reconnaissance Battalion

 

H

HMD - Helmet/Head Mounted Display

HTI - Hard Target Interdiction

 

I

IAI - Israeli Aircraft Industries

IAF - Israeli Air Force

IDF - Israeli Defense Force

IMI - Israeli Military Industries

IWI - Israel Weapon Industries (formerly IMI Small Arms Division)

IPS - Israeli Prison Service (also known as SHABAS)

ITL - International Technologies Lasers

IR - Infra Red

IED - Improvised Explosive Device

 

K

KAC - Knight Armament Company

 

L

LBH - Load Bearing Harness

LBV - Load Bearing Vest

LIC - Low Intensity Conflict

LMG - Light Machine Gun

LRRP - Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol

LOTAR - Counter Terror

LE - Law Enforcement

 

M

M4 - fixed loop M16A2 14.5 inch carbine

M4A1 - flattop M16A2 14.5 inch carbine

M4 Commando - flattop M16A2 11.5 inch carbine

MAGAV - Israeli Border Guard

Maslul - IDF training regime

MATKAL - General Staff (the IDF High Command)

Mekut'zar - IDF slang for the CAR15

Mekut'zrar - IDF slang for sawed-off carbines (CAR15, M4, M4A1). Referred to in isayeret as "Shorty"

Mossad - Israel foreign intelligence gathering organization

MoD - Ministry of Defense

 

N

NBC - Nuclear Biological Chemical

NCO - Non Commissioned Officer

NVD - Night Vision Device

NVG - Night Vision Goggles

 

P

PDW - Personal Defense Weapon

PALSAR - Reconnaissance Company

 

S

SAR - Search And Rescue

SAM - Surface Air Missile

SF - Special Forces

SHABACH - Israeli General Security Service

SHABAS - Israeli Prison Service

SMG - Sub Machine Gun

SWAT - Special Weapons And Tactics

SWS - Sniper Weapon System

Shorty - isayeret terminology for "Mekut'zrar"

 

T

TAS - Target Acquisition System

T&E - Testing & Evaluation

 

U

UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

UGV - Unmanned Ground Vehicle

UNS - Universal Night Sight

 

X

XO - Executive Officer (second in command)