The Defense Ministry and the IDF on Thursday announced that they have completed the distribution of thousands of advanced Arad rifles to the local border communities' rapid response teams across the country.
They said that this moment marks "a significant milestone in Israel’s community defense strategy."
The distribution was facilitated by a deal with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), valued at approximately $31 million (NIS 100 million), and was previously signed with the ministry's Procurement Directorate (DPD) Land Acquisition Unit.
This initiative also "forms part of the Ministry and IDF Ground Forces Command’s broader initiative to bolster security capabilities in communities nationwide".
Beyond supplying the rifles, a statement by the ministry said that the agreement includes comprehensive maintenance support for the next decade, including upkeep of Meprolight M5 optical sights.
These sights will be transferred from IDF stocks and mounted on the weapons, said the statement.
Further, the ministry stated that the completion of the initiative will "create a standardized, Israeli-manufactured defense system for rapid response teams."
Distribution part of Israel's post-Oct. 7 defense strategy
This represents another significant step in advancing the ministry’s strategy to expand Israel’s defense production based on lessons learned from the war, said a statement.
During Hamas's October 7, 2023 invasion, among the many errors that Israel made was that the local village security teams were not properly armed or trained to hold off the invaders until reinforcements arrived.
Although in the distant past, these villages' local security teams had been well-armed and well-trained, over time complacency had set in given that virtually no one in Israel anticipated an invasion from Gaza.
Part of Israel's new security strategy after October 7 has been forward-leaning defense, such that buffer zones will prevent invaders from getting into civilian communities.
However, the defense establishment has also recognized that no border security is hermetic, and that better armed and trained local security teams are critical to mitigate the harm of a potential future invasion.