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The IDF Caterpillar D9 is an armed bulldozer used for repair work.
The Combat Engineering Corps is in charge of operating this machine.
The 'Tzama' Unit- a specially designated unit within the corps
specializes in the use of this equipment. This drill was held near the Gaza border where most of the D9 work takes place. It's armored frame keeps the soldiers safe as they work along the Gaza border. |
That caption that the IDF attached to these photos only tell half the story.
The Israeli's also use the Cat 9's in the offense in urban warfare.
It's brutally effective especially against dug in positions. The dozer blade acts as additional armor against weapons.
Why we don't employ them in a similar manner in battles like Fallujah is beyond me but it would have saved lots of lives...that and less restrictive rules of engagement.
We used D9's in Vietnam and then decided we could get by with the smaller D7. The US Army did start going back to the D9 in 2003 and bought armor kits from Israel for both the D7 and D9.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the after action reports from both 1991 and 2003 indicated the US Army needed more combat engineers. Maybe they'll get back to this reality at some point. It's not just more D9's. Consider the CEV and it's 165mm direct fire demolition gun was retired without replacement.
At one point there were calls for a heavy brigade of 4 maneuver battalions with an armored engineer battalion instead of the old 1 battalion at division level.
"Why we don't employ them in a similar manner"
ReplyDeleteThey're too busy doing this sort of thing with them. Why the dozer went in there is mystery one. All the safety on display during the recovery is mystery two.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpF2XJZh_GU