Armored Corps spearhead combat soldierלוחם חוד בחיל השריון
What the Armored Corps spearhead combat soldier role asks for, and what it holds
An Armored Corps spearhead combat soldier is a tank crew member who operates Merkava Mark 4 tanks in one of the corps' regular brigades.
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The role asks for a body mass index between 17 and 35.
- Kind of role
- Combat
- Branch
- Armoured Corps
- Open to
- Men
- Body mass index
- 17 to 35
- Try-out
- Not needed
- Training place
- the Shizafon base
This is what the work of the role holds.
Soldiers in the role operate tanks in training, in operational deployments, on operational lines and wherever needed. The tanks in the combat brigades carry the Meil Ruach active protection system against missiles.
Each soldier learns one tank crew profession: gunner, loader or driver. The crew works as a team within a tank platoon and company.
Training takes place in Training Brigade 460, and soldiers are then placed in Brigade 7, Brigade 188 or Brigade 401.
This is how the training for the role runs.
Training opens with Rifleman 04 basic training of about 2 months at the Shizafon base, covering firing ranges, fieldcraft and grenade throwing, followed by a profession stage of about 2 months. An advanced training stage of about 4 months teaches the profession in depth and teamwork as a tank crew, and soldiers then join the operational battalions.
Where it trainsthe Shizafon base
This is what service in the role looks like.
Soldiers serve in the brigades' battalions at bases across the country, in all combat sectors: Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and Judea and Samaria.
After the role, the IDF's page names these paths.
- Soldiers found suitable during the profession stage are assigned to a command track and go on to a tank commanders course of about 4 months at the Shizafon base.
- Soldiers found suitable may be screened for the corps' classified unit.
The Armored Corps spearhead combat soldier role belongs to these units in the guide.
More roles to read about in the same branch.
- Artillery Corps fire forces combat soldierCombat · Profile 72+
- Dedicated officer track, Artillery Corps (Meteor track)Rear
- Self-propelled gun weapon and turret technicianRear
- Armored Corps combat soldierCombat · Profile 72+
- Weapons NCO in a special unit (Air Force)Combat support
- UAV external pilotCombat support · Profile 64+
Frequently asked questions
What does the Armored Corps spearhead combat soldier role ask for?
The role asks for a body mass index between 17 and 35.
Who can serve as Armored Corps spearhead combat soldier?
The role is open to men.
Is there a try-out for Armored Corps spearhead combat soldier?
The IDF names no try-out for the role.
What does the training for Armored Corps spearhead combat soldier hold?
Training opens with Rifleman 04 basic training of about 2 months at the Shizafon base, covering firing ranges, fieldcraft and grenade throwing, followed by a profession stage of about 2 months. An advanced training stage of about 4 months teaches the profession in depth and teamwork as a tank crew, and soldiers then join the operational battalions.
This page was written from the IDF's pages for future soldiers, read on 6 November 2026.
- The role's page on the IDF's site: Armored Corps spearhead combat soldier
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