For detection and verification, the Corps deploys advanced UGVs such as the Talon and newer indigenous platforms equipped with dual-spectrum ground-penetrating radar, multispectral cameras, and nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) sensors.
By Hezy Laing
The IDF has undergone a radical transformation in minefield breaching capabilities in the past 50 years, evolving from manual, high-risk infantry operations to highly mechanized, robotic, and precision-guided engineering warfare.
In 1975, the IDF relied heavily on manual demining techniques and basic mechanical aids following the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
Engineers primarily utilized the American-made M113 armored personnel carrier to transport engineers to the edge of minefields.
But it offered minimal protection against anti-tank mines. Then infantrymen with handheld mine detectors and bayonets would clear paths.
Breaching was often conducted using the British-made Giant Viper hose-launched explosive line charge, a system that required soldiers to expose themselves to enemy fire to deploy the device.
The lack of dedicated armored engineering vehicles meant that casualty rates during breaching operations were historically high, as engineers operated in vulnerable half-tracks or on foot under direct fire.
By 2000, during the Second Intifada and conflicts in Southern Lebanon, the IDF had begun integrating specialized armored engineering vehicles, though the transition was incomplete.
The iconic IDF Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozer became a central asset, heavily modified with Israeli-made armor plating to withstand heavy anti-tank mines and improvised explosive devices.
While the D9 could clear paths by pushing earth and detonating mines through sheer weight and armor protection, the infantry supporting these operations still largely depended on the M113, which remained susceptible to sophisticated mine threats.
The IDF Puma combat engineering vehicle was introduced during this era to provide protected mobility for sappers, yet the fleet was not yet ubiquitous.
Breaching rockets like the Tzefa Shiryon were in service, allowing for standoff detonation of minefields, but the integration of real-time intelligence and robotic systems remained in its infancy.
Operations were still characterized by a mix of heavy mechanical pushing and risky manual verification of cleared lanes.
In 2026, the IDF Ground Forces have completed a paradigm shift toward total force protection and remote operations, fundamentally altering the doctrine of mine warfare.
The outdated M113 fleet has been largely phased out in favor of the Namer armored personnel carrier, with over 200 units ordered by 2014 and fully integrated into heavy brigades, providing unprecedented protection against under-vehicle explosions.
Complementing the Namer is the new Eitan AFV, an eight-wheeled platform designed for rapid deployment and high survivability.
The IDF Achzarit APCs have also received significant upgrades to enhance their resistance to modern explosive threats.
These are all to transport the sappers.
For active breaching, the IDF now employs the CARPET minefield breaching rocket system, which offers greater range and reliability than its predecessors, alongside advanced versions of the Tzefa Shiryon.
Technological integration in 2026 also extends beyond armor to include autonomous and semi-autonomous systems.
The engineering corps utilizes a variety of robots and explosive devices to map and neutralize minefields without risking human life.
For detection and verification, the Corps deploys advanced UGVs such as the Talon and newer indigenous platforms equipped with dual-spectrum ground-penetrating radar, multispectral cameras, and nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) sensors.
These robots utilize AI-driven algorithms to distinguish between metallic debris and actual ordnance, reducing false positives and mapping minefields in real-time for command centers.
In complex urban environments like Gaza, these units are often supported by “robot dogs” and micro-drones that inspect voids and tunnel entrances, transmitting 3D topographical data to engineers operating from safe distances.
The Yahalom special forces unit specifically employs these autonomous systems to handle dangerous ammunition and clear complex subterranean networks, having destroyed hundreds of kilometers of tunnels by 2025 using remote demolition charges rather than manual placement.
The IDF Combat Engineering Corps has operationalized a fully roboticized mine warfare doctrine by 2026, utilizing a layered ecosystem of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and precision explosive systems to neutralize threats without exposing human sappers.
Central to this capability is the integration of the Rafael Carpet system, mounted on the heavily armored IDF Puma combat engineering vehicle, which fires a salvo of up to 20 fuel-air explosive (FAE) rockets to clear a 100-meter path through dense minefields in under one minute.
Unlike older line-charge systems, the Carpet’s liquid-fuel rockets are non-explosive in storage, allowing safe operation from within the Puma’s sealed compartment by a crew of two who manage the breach remotely via fiber-optic or wireless data links.
These unmanned systems work in concert with ground-penetrating radar and advanced sensors mounted on aerial and ground platforms to identify buried ordnance with high precision.
The IDF Puma and D9 bulldozers are now often operated with enhanced situational awareness suites that feed data directly to command centers, allowing for coordinated breaching under the cover of artillery fire from systems like the ATMOS 2000 or the upcoming Artillery Gun Module, which are replacing the legacy M109 howitzer.
This multi-layered approach ensures that by 2026, the IDF can breach complex, multi-layered minefields with minimal infantry exposure, a stark contrast to the manual vulnerabilities of 50 years ago.
