 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
| Type | Online magazine |
|---|---|
| Format | Online, mobile, email |
| Publisher | Lance & Shield Ltd. |
| Editor | Tamir Eshel |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Kadima, Israel |
| Circulation | +200,000/month |
| Website | Defense Update |
Defense Update is an online defense magazine published by Lance & Shield Ltd. from Israel. [1]
Defense Update was established in 1978 as a printed magazine, founded by IDF Retired LtCol. David Eshel. (דוד אשל) It was the first international defense publication published in Israel, and the first privately operated defense magazine published in Israel.
Initially, it was known as Born in Battle, commemorating Israel's 30th Anniversary. It was first published in six editions, themed after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) 30th anniversary, Israel Air Force's 30th anniversary, the Yom Kippur War, Israel's Armor Corps, Israel's infantry and special forces and the Six-Day War. Over 200,000 copies of these English titles were published, in several versions, as soft and hard cover books, and magazines. They were also translated into German, Spanish and French editions.
Following the launch of the book series, Born in Battle expanded its coverage to include general military topics, military history, strategy and techniques. To reflect these changes, the magazine changed its name to Defense Update International.
Over the next 12 years 99 issues of Defense Update were published, distributed worldwide, written, edited and managed by a small team of Israeli veterans. At the peak of its success, during the late eighties, Defense Update was published simultaneously in four languages (English, German, French and Hebrew).
Defense Update ceased publication in the early 1990s. Its Hebrew predecessor 'Romach' (רומח) continued publication for several years.
Defense Update's publisher Lance & Shield embarked on a new concept, supporting Israel's defense export activities with a dedicated magazine, highlighting Israel's defense technology programs. The magazine called Defense Review International was published periodically in support of major airshows and defense exhibitions. The editor was Tamir Eshel, (תמיר אשל) David's son and the assistant editor in charge of the production of Defense Update publications.
By the year 1994 Defense Review International was transformed from a print publication into a CD-ROM-based directory style publication, employing a groundbreaking hyperlink editing technology, developed by Israel's hypertext pioneer Enigma. A year later, the new digital and interactive defense directory transformed into an online publication.
Lacking local industry understanding and acceptance of the new initiative, the publication could not muster enough support to sustain the publication. Moreover, the host service provider went bust, practically erasing the young website from the web around 1997.
Five years later, Defense Update returned - now focusing on advanced defense technology, with special focus on Israel's defense topics. By 2002 Defense Update published the first edition which was irregularly updated until January 2004, when the new online venture once more assumed the brand and tradition of the former magazine. In 2009 Noam Eshel (נועם אשל) joined the editorial team as photographer and news editor. In his role as assistant editor for technology Noam was responsible for several phases of upgrading the pioneer defense-update into a modern website.
As of March 2012 it serves 220,000 unique users per month, reaching over two million readers on an annual basis. Defense Update covers worldwide topics, highlighting strategy, defense technology and military affairs related to Israel, Israel's defense industries, Global War on Terror and global military power.
Defense Update coverage spans land, air, naval, C4ISR, intelligence, and network-centric warfare, infantry warfighting tactics and techniques, homeland defense etc. Defense Update covers Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV), Future Combat Systems, Aerospace - and unmanned systems, as well as robotics and Precision Strike weapons. Analysis of trends in Command, Control, Communications and Computing, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) is included.
The site focuses on trends such as hybrid and asymmetric warfare, and network-centric operations, force protection and homeland security. Defense Update and its authors are referenced by defense establishments and publications, including the British Ministry of Defense Archived 2009-12-08 at the Wayback Machine , U.S. Army [ permanent dead link ]
The site maintains a defense forum on Linkedin, and an interest group on Facebook, distributes instant updates on Twitter, and supports media channels on Flickr and YouTube, featuring photos and videos. The site is designed to enable effective use of mobile phones.
The Israel Defense Forces, alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym Tzahal (צה״ל), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and the Israeli Navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security apparatus. The IDF is headed by the Chief of the General Staff, who is subordinate to the Israeli Defense Minister.
Special forces units in the Israel Defense Forces encompass a broad definition of specialist units. Such units are usually a regiment or a battalion in strength.
The Merkava is a series of main battle tanks used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the backbone of the IDF's Armored Corps. Current iterations of this tank are considered broadly equivalent to the capabilities of the M1 Abrams, Leopard 2 and the Challenger 2. The current iteration of this vehicle also shares the same MTU EuroPowerPack powerplant as a number of other MBT platforms.
Israel Tal, also known as Talik, was an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) general known for his knowledge of tank warfare and for leading the development of Israel's Merkava tank.
The IDF Caterpillar D9 —nicknamed Doobi — is a Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozer used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The Israeli armored CAT D9 was heavily modified by the Israel Defense Forces, Israeli Military Industries and Israel Aerospace Industries to increase the survivability of the bulldozer in hostile environments and enable it to withstand heavy attacks, thus making it suitable for military combat engineering use. The IDF Caterpillar D9 is operated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Combat Engineering Corps for combat engineering and counter-terrorism operations.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., is an Israeli defense technology company. It was founded as Israel's National R&D Defense Laboratory for the development of weapons and military technology within the Israeli Ministry of Defense; in 2002 it was incorporated as a limited company.
The 7th Armored Brigade is a military formation of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Formed during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, and still in operation, it is the oldest armored brigade in the IDF. Since then, the brigade has taken part in all the IDF's main operations, and stands today as one of 3 main armoured brigades of the IDF.
The GOC Army Headquarters, is a multi-corps command headquarters of the Ground Forces of the Israel Defense Forces. The current size of the Israeli Ground Forces is estimated at 126,000 active soldiers and 400,000 soldiers in reserve.
The Military Rabbinate is a corps in the Israel Defense Forces that provides religious services to soldiers, primarily to Jews, but also including non-Jews, and makes decisions on issues of religion and military affairs. The Military Rabbinate is headed by the Chief Military Rabbi, who is ranked a Brigadier General. The current Chief Military Rabbi is Eyal Krim.
The Israeli Military Censor is a unit in the IDF Directorate of Military Intelligence tasked with carrying out preventive censorship inside the State of Israel regarding the publication of information that might affect the security of Israel. The body is headed by the Israeli Chief Censor, a military official is appointed by Israel's Minister of Defense, who bestows upon the Chief Censor the authority to suppress information he deems compromising from being made public in the media. On average, 2240 press articles in Israel are censored by the Israeli Military Censor each year, approximately 240 of which in full, and around 2000 partially.
+972 Magazine is a left-wing news and opinion webzine, established in August 2010 by a group of four Israeli writers in Tel Aviv. Noam Sheizaf, a co-founder and the +972 chief executive officer, said they wanted to express a new "and mostly young voice which would take part in the international debate regarding Israel and Palestine". They named the website in reference to the 972 international dialing code, which is shared by Israel and the Palestinian territories. The articles are written primarily in English to reach an international audience.
IMI Systems, previously Israel Military Industries, also referred to as Ta'as, was an Israeli weapons manufacturer. The company manufactured weapons, munitions and military technology mainly for the Israeli security forces.
Bamahane was a Hebrew-language weekly magazine published by the Israel Defense Forces. It was first published in December 1934 by the Haganah and was published as a weekly until December 2016, when it was moved online until it was formally merged into the IDF's website in January 2020.
Namer, means "leopard" and also a syllabic abbreviation of "Nagmash" (APC) and "Merkava", is an Israeli armoured personnel carrier based on a Merkava Mark IV tank chassis. Namer was developed by and is being assembled by the Israeli Ordnance Corps. It has entered service in limited numbers with the Israel Defense Forces since the end of 2008. Due to budgetary constraints, the introduction of the Namer into the IDF has been slow, leaving the ground forces dependent on the M113 until 2027.
Yoaz Hendel is an Israeli politician, journalist, author, publicist and public activist. Hendel served as Israel's Minister of Communications, as a member of Israel's Security Cabinet and Ministerial Committee for Legislation, a Member of Knesset and as Chairman of his Party. As of January 2023, Hendel is on a break from politics. He was originally elected as a member of the Blue and White alliance in 2019, before leaving to form Derekh Eretz and serve as its Chairman in March 2020. A military historian by training, Hendel previously worked as a journalist, was the chairman of the Institute for Zionist Strategies (IZS), and taught academic courses at Bar-Ilan University. Between 2011 and 2012 he served as Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He was Minister of Communications from May 2020 to December 2020 and from June 2021 to the end of 2022. Hendel completed a doctorate in history.
Amir Eshel is a former Israeli general who served as commander of the Israeli Air Force and served as Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense until January 2, 2022.
Eitan is an armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) developed by the Merkava and Armoured Vehicles Directorate in the IMOD to replace the ageing M113 armoured personnel carrier in use by the Israel Defense Forces. Its APC variant lacks the Iron Fist APS, due to the fact those are not the serial production Eitan vehicles yet. The IFV variant is still not in service.
Inbal Eshel Cahansky is an Israeli poet, literary editor and feminist activist.
Eyal Zamir is a major general in Israel Defense Forces. He was the Deputy Chief of Staff from December 2018 and was replaced by Herzi Halevi in July 2021.
The Israeli Ground Forces are the ground forces of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The commander is the General Officer Commanding with the rank of Major General, the Mazi, subordinate to the Chief of General Staff.
