Combat Engineering Corpsחיל ההנדסה הקרבית
How to get into the Combat Engineering Corps, and what its training looks like
The corps that clears the way for the army: explosives, mines, breaching obstacles and heavy engineering equipment.
Profile 82+MenLight grey
The Combat Engineering Corps asks for a medical profile of 82 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
- 82 and up
- Hebrew score
- 5
- Body mass index
- 17 to 32
- Where it serves
- The military engineering school, then the corps' battalions.
The corps has the battalions Assaf, Lahav and HaMahatz, with companies of sappers, of heavy engineering equipment and of reconnaissance. Its special missions unit is Yahalom.
Fighters do basic training to Rifleman 05 and advanced training to Rifleman 06 at the military engineering school, where they learn explosives, mines, breaching and the Puma engineering vehicle.
The way into the Combat Engineering Corps runs through 2 steps.
- 1A first call-up with profile 82 or higher, with no disqualifying medical clauses.
- 2Rating the corps high in the preferences questionnaire.
Training at the Combat Engineering Corps runs through these stages.
- Basic training to Rifleman 05 (the IDF gives no length for this stage)
- Advanced training to Rifleman 06 (the IDF gives no length for this stage)
The IDF's guides say what to train for before the screening.
An infantry brigade asks for profile 82 and a body mass index between 17 and 32. The IDF's guide builds up running and strength over weeks, with push-ups, sit-ups, planks, squats and lunges two or three times a week.
- 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 role has its own page on the IDF's site for future soldiers.
- Combat Engineering Corps spearhead combat soldierCombat Engineering
Units to read about alongside the Combat Engineering Corps.
Yahalomיהל״םThe Combat Engineering Corps' special missions unit, for tunnels, explosives and breaching.Profile 82+about 8 monthsMenLight grey
Armored Corpsחיל השריוןThe tank corps. Its crews fight in the Merkava Mark 4, which carries the Trophy active protection system.Profile 72+about 8 monthsMenBlack
Golani Brigadeחטיבת גולניAn infantry brigade that fights in every sector, with ambushes, patrols and special missions, and that specialises in fighting from the Namer armoured personnel carrier.Profile 82+about 7 monthsMenBrown
Frequently asked questions
What does the Combat Engineering Corps ask for?
The IDF's page asks for a profile of 82 and up, a Hebrew score of 5 and a body mass index between 17 and 32.
How do you get into the Combat Engineering Corps?
A first call-up with profile 82 or higher, with no disqualifying medical clauses. Rating the corps high in the preferences questionnaire.
How long is training at the Combat Engineering Corps?
The IDF gives no single length for the whole training: Basic training to Rifleman 05; Advanced training to Rifleman 06.
Can women serve in the Combat Engineering 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: Combat Engineering 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 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- IDF Spokesperson's Unit photographer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Israel Defense Forces, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Israel Defense Forces, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons