Combat without connection: IDF learn from Gaza and prepare for war without telecommunications

The IDF announced on Monday that troops belonging to the IDF's C4I Teleprocessing Corps were part of a training exercise that simulated combat scenarios involving a lack of connection to normal communications.

The IDF recently undertook a training exercise named "Horns of the Ram," during which the Teleprocessing Corps was challenged to operate without access to standard communications technologies or reconnect to field troops while deprived of communications.

The IDF described the goal of the exercise as such, "The general goal is this: to be located in the middle of 'nowhere' and create something out of nothing - with the help of the corps' unique communication cells to allow military cellular devices to communicate continuously, securely and encrypted."

The exercise lasted around two weeks and involved troops from across the military, including the Engineering and Armored Corps, as well as Air Force and Navy units. The troops learned how to complete maneuvers without modern communications.

Learning from combat in Gaza

The IDF states that the idea for the training exercise came from their experiences in Gaza, where, although there were other challenges, it was extremely simple to set up new communications infrastructure due to the level of development in the Strip.

Commanders realized that a war in the North would involve IDF troops traversing extremely mountainous and undeveloped land, meaning their communications equipment would be less reliable and that in the event they completely lose connection, it would be much more difficult to reestablish communications.

They were also trained on operating with a lack of electricity as it could become difficult to recharge battery-operated equipment if it is in the field for an extended time.