Navy Missile Boat Fightersלוחמי ספינות הטילים (סטי״ל)
How to get into the Navy Missile Boat Fighters, and what its training looks like
The crews that fight aboard the Navy's missile ships and corvettes, the Sa'ar 6, Sa'ar 5 and Sa'ar 4.5.
Profile 72+Men and womenDark blue
The Navy Missile Boat Fighters asks for a medical profile of 72 and up and a Hebrew score of 6.
The medical profile runs from 21 to 97.
The Hebrew score runs from 1 to 9.
- Open to
- Men and women
- Medical profile
- 72 and up
- Hebrew score
- 6
- Where it serves
- Aboard the missile ships, from the Haifa naval base.
A ship's fighters work in four departments, attack, tactical, navigation and defense, as submarine detection controllers, electronic warfare controllers, command and control operators or routine security fighters.
The try-out lasts two days at the Navy's training base in Haifa and is open to candidates with profile 72 and a kaba score of 47 or more. Drafts are in July, September, November, January, March and May.
The way into the Navy Missile Boat Fighters runs through 3 steps.
- 1For men: the naval fighter try-out and a security check.
- 2For women: an online screening, the women's naval try-out and a security check.
- 3An appeal, if needed, with a letter and 2 recommendations within 2 weeks.
Training at the Navy Missile Boat Fighters runs through these stages.
- Naval basic training, then the professional course of the department (the IDF gives no length for this stage)
The IDF's guides say what to train for before the screening.
The naval fighters' try-out lasts two days at the Navy's training base in Haifa. The IDF's fitness guide builds the running and strength it asks for over weeks, with 3 to 5 aerobic and 2 to 3 strength sessions 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.
- Navy spearhead combat soldier (missile boats)Navy
Units to read about alongside the Navy Missile Boat Fighters.
- SnapirסנפירThe Navy's unit for the routine security of the sea borders and of strategic facilities on the coast. Its motto is "from zero to a hundred".Profile 72+Men and womenDark blue
- Naval Officers Courseקורס חובליםThe Navy's officers' course: two and a half years that end with the rank of lieutenant, a first degree and the naval officer's pin.Profile 82+about 30 monthsMen and womenDark blue
Submarine Flotillaשייטת הצוללותThe Navy's submarine flotilla, Shayetet 7, based in Haifa. Its crews train for about 14 months.Profile 82+about 14 monthsMenDark blue
Frequently asked questions
What does the Navy Missile Boat Fighters ask for?
The IDF's page asks for a profile of 72 and up and a Hebrew score of 6.
How do you get into the Navy Missile Boat Fighters?
For men: the naval fighter try-out and a security check. For women: an online screening, the women's naval try-out and a security check. An appeal, if needed, with a letter and 2 recommendations within 2 weeks.
How long is training at the Navy Missile Boat Fighters?
The IDF gives no single length for the whole training: Naval basic training, then the professional course of the department.
Can women serve in the Navy Missile Boat Fighters?
Yes. The IDF's page opens the role to men and women.
This page was written from the IDF's pages for future soldiers, read on 6 November 2026.
- The IDF's page for the role: Navy spearhead combat soldier (missile boats)
- The IDF's full guide to Yom Sayarot
- 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
- Photographers of the Israeli Navy and IDF Spokesman: Shay Wagner, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons