Armored Corpsחיל השריון
How to get into the Armored Corps, and what its training looks like
The tank corps. Its crews fight in the Merkava Mark 4, which carries the Trophy active protection system.
Profile 72+about 8 monthsMenBlack
The Armored Corps asks for a medical profile of 72 and up and a Hebrew score of 5.
The medical profile runs from 21 to 97.
The Hebrew score runs from 1 to 9.
- Open to
- Men
- Medical profile
- 72 and up
- Hebrew score
- 5
- Body mass index
- 17 to 35
- Training
- about 8 months
- Where it serves
- The Armored Corps school at Shizafon, then Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and Judea and Samaria.
Training takes about 8 months: about 2 of basic training at Shizafon, about 2 learning a crew role (gunner, loader or driver) and 4 of advanced training.
The tank commanders' course is about 4 months more, and a classified unit of the corps screens fighters during training. The corps serves in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and Judea and Samaria.
The way into the Armored Corps runs through 2 steps.
- 1A first call-up with profile 72 or higher.
- 2Rating the Armored Corps high in the preferences questionnaire.
Training at the Armored Corps lasts about 8 months.
- Basic training to Rifleman 04, at Shizafon
- A crew role: gunner, loader or driver
- Advanced training
The tank commanders' course is about 4 months more.
The IDF's guides say what to train for before the screening.
A combat corps such as armour or artillery asks for profile 72 and a body mass index between 17 and 35. Steady running and the IDF's strength routine two or three times a week are the base.
- AerobicSun
- StrengthMon
- AerobicTue
- StrengthWed
- AerobicThu
- RestFri
- RestSat
An example week at the lowest the IDF's guide suggests: 3 aerobic sessions and 2 of strength, the kind changing from day to day.
The full guide to preparing: profile, Dapar, Yom Sayarot and a training routine
The 2 roles here each have a page on the IDF's site for future soldiers.
- Armored Corps combat soldierArmoured Corps
- Armored Corps spearhead combat soldierArmoured Corps
Units to read about alongside the Armored Corps.
Artillery Corpsחיל התותחניםThe corps of rockets, 155 mm guns, drones, radars and fire control, with special units of its own.Profile 72+Men and womenTurquoise blue
Combat Engineering Corpsחיל ההנדסה הקרביתThe corps that clears the way for the army: explosives, mines, breaching obstacles and heavy engineering equipment.Profile 82+MenLight grey
Border Defense Infantryחי״ר גבולותMixed battalions of men and women that guard Israel's borders: Bardelas, Caracal, the Lions of the Jordan, Lavi HaBika and Panther.Profile 72+about 6.5 monthsMen and womenYellow camouflage
Frequently asked questions
What does the Armored Corps ask for?
The IDF's page asks for a profile of 72 and up, a Hebrew score of 5 and a body mass index between 17 and 35.
How do you get into the Armored Corps?
A first call-up with profile 72 or higher. Rating the Armored Corps high in the preferences questionnaire.
How long is training at the Armored Corps?
About 8 months: Basic training to Rifleman 04, at Shizafon; A crew role: gunner, loader or driver; Advanced training.
Can women serve in the Armored Corps?
The IDF's page names men only. Women fighters can choose other units, and the IDF commits to give a woman fighter one of her first three choices.
This page was written from the IDF's pages for future soldiers, read on 6 November 2026.
- The IDF's page for the role: Armored Corps combat soldier
- The IDF's page for the role: Armored Corps spearhead combat soldier
- Preparing the body for Yom Sayarot
- Try-outs
- The medical profile
The requirements and screenings change from time to time, and the IDF's page for each role is the one that counts.
Photo credits
- Israel Defense Forces, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Sir kiss, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Israel Defense Forces, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- IDF Spokesperson's Unit photographer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons