IDF Spokesperson's Unit, CC BY-SA 3.0; SIGMA, 2023 archive crop.
Israel’s Defense Ministry said Monday it had signed a 15-year agreement with Elbit Systems, valued at about NIS 600 million, to build a training center for artillery crews preparing to use the SIGMA howitzer and PULS rocket launcher system.
The ministry’s announcement said the contract covers training infrastructure, instruction, maintenance and logistical support. Its Defense Procurement Directorate negotiated the agreement in cooperation with the IDF Ground Forces.
The facility will train commanders and soldiers on the SIGMA self-propelled howitzer, known in Israel as Ro’em, and the PULS rocket launcher system, known as Lahav. The planned infrastructure includes classrooms, driving simulators and mission simulators.
The ministry said the project would support the Artillery Corps as the new platforms move toward full operational service. It aims to shorten qualification courses, improve crews’ proficiency and reduce the cost and wear of using operational equipment for training. Those are the ministry’s expected benefits, not measured results from an operating center.
Zeev Landau, the ministry’s deputy director general and head of defense procurement, said the agreement combines simulation technology with long-term technical and logistical support while strengthening Israeli industry.
Boaz Cohen, head of Elbit’s Land and IMI division, said the training program was designed to give artillery crews efficient instruction and help maintain their readiness. The agreement gives Elbit work beyond construction, with support services running across the 15-year term.
The ministry’s announcement did not give a construction or opening date, or say how the contract value would be divided between the facility and years of support.
JBizNews Desk | New York
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