Unit 8200יחידה 8200
How to get into Unit 8200, and what its training looks like
The Military Intelligence Directorate's signals intelligence unit, also known as the central collection unit.
Men and women
The IDF's page names no profile or score for Unit 8200: the screening itself decides.
- Open to
- Men and women
The unit collects and decodes communications and works in the cyber field. The IDF publishes no general page for joining it: its people come through the Intelligence roles, which the IDF fills from the first call-up scores, Yom HaMa'a and the preferences questionnaire.
The one role page that names the unit is the Strong Current track, for graduates of an electrical technology track: a basic course of about 2 months recognised by the Labour Ministry, five restricted electrician licences, an advanced course after about a year, and service in the unit's infrastructure branch.
The way into Unit 8200 runs through 4 steps.
- 1High scores at the first call-up.
- 2Yom HaMa'a, the online day that matches candidates to roles.
- 3Rating the Intelligence roles high in the preferences questionnaire.
- 4The screening of the role itself, where it has one.
Training at Unit 8200 runs through these stages.
- Strong Current track: the basic course
Each Intelligence role has its own course; the IDF gives the length only for the Strong Current track.
Preparing for this unit means preparing for tests, not for the field.
The way in runs through the first call-up's scores, Yom HaMa'a and the preferences questionnaire, so a good night's sleep before the tests and a careful questionnaire count more than fitness.
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.
- Unit 8200 Strong Current trackIntelligence
Units to read about alongside Unit 8200.
Talpiot Programתוכנית תלפיותAn elite program of the Defense Ministry and the Air Force that gives its cadets a degree in physics, mathematics or computer science while they serve.Profile 72+about 36 monthsMen and womenDark grey
Combat Intelligence Collection Corpsחיל האיסוף הקרביThe corps whose fighters watch the borders and gather intelligence in the field, in battalions open to men and women.Profile 82+about 8 monthsMen and womenYellow camouflage
IDF Pilot Courseקורס טיסThree years at the Air Force's flight school at Hatzerim, near Beersheba, that turn out pilots, navigators and other aircrew in six professions.Profile 97+about 36 monthsMen and womenDark grey
Frequently asked questions
What does Unit 8200 ask for?
The IDF's page names no profile or score: the screening itself decides.
How do you get into Unit 8200?
High scores at the first call-up. Yom HaMa'a, the online day that matches candidates to roles. Rating the Intelligence roles high in the preferences questionnaire. The screening of the role itself, where it has one.
How long is training at Unit 8200?
The IDF gives no single length for the whole training: Strong Current track: the basic course.
Can women serve in Unit 8200?
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: Unit 8200 Strong Current track
- Try-outs
- The medical profile
- What Yom HaMa'a is
The requirements and screenings change from time to time, and the IDF's page for each role is the one that counts.
Photo credits
- IDF Spokesperson's Unit photographer, 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-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons