Israeli Military Initiates Major Tender for Locally-Manufactured Assault Rifles Amidst Gaza Offensive

Facing a significant shortage of personal weapons during the ongoing Gaza offensive, the Israeli military has declared its intention to issue a substantial tender for the purchase of "tens of thousands" of locally-made assault rifles.

This marks the largest tender initiated by the Ministry of Defense for 'blue and white' weapons, part of a strategic effort to address immediate needs and reduce dependence on imported armaments.

The official announcement on February 19 from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Ministry of Defense revealed plans to procure assault rifles from the AR-15 family, similar to the M4 (flat-top). This decision was made following discussions led by Major General (Ret.) Eyal Zamir, Director General of the Ministry of Defense.

The director of procurement at the Ministry of Defense is set to publish the tender, valued at tens of millions of shekels, in coordination with the Planning Directorate and the Ground Forces of the IDF. Two major Israeli manufacturers, IWI and EMTAN Karmiel, are expected to participate, offering their respective Arad and MZ series rifles. Silver Shadow is also considered a potential entrant. The Ministry of Defense aims to select multiple winners to ensure the production of a standardized next-generation IDF assault rifle.

While the IDF plans to maintain the use of Tavor rifles, these will gradually be phased out from infantry brigades, redirecting them to other forces. The Ministry of Defense's pre-war order of about 2,800 Tavor-type weapons will contribute to this transition.