Jerusalem, 12 November, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The inaugural cohort of female combat soldiers in the Israeli Air Force’s (IAF) newly established “Arad” all-women special commando intervention unit that uses the modular AR-15-style assault rifle manufactured by Israel Weapon Industries tasked with countering ground-based threats—completed its grueling nine-month training track on Wednesday.
The recruits concluded their final qualifying march by ascending the summit of Mount Arad, located in the Negev desert of southern Israel near the city of Arad, a peak that shares the unit’s name.
Over the past nine months, the soldiers underwent intensive infantry and tactical conditioning to specialize in rapid ground defense and emergency intervention around strategic air bases.
Military officials described the milestone as the launch of a new operational chapter for women in combat roles within the IAF, expanding female integration across specialized units of the Israel Defense Forces.
