Israel has finalized the countrywide rollout of Arad assault rifles to rapid response teams, reinforcing a new localized defense doctrine aimed at improving early response to security threats. The effort, overseen by the IDF Ground Forces Command, is part of a broader strategy to enhance domestic security preparedness, particularly in communities near national borders.
The rifles were procured under a ₪100 million ($31.8 million) agreement with Israel Weapon Industries, managed by the Ministry of Defense’s Land Acquisition Unit. The contract includes long-term sustainment support for a decade, while the IDF supplied Meprolight M5 optics from its inventory, enabling faster operational deployment and commonality across forces.
According to government officials, the initiative directly addresses shortcomings exposed during the October 2023 Hamas incursion, when locally based defense squads often confronted attackers before regular forces but lacked adequate equipment. The updated policy prioritizes well-armed civilian-linked units capable of slowing or stopping hostile advances. In parallel, Israel has expanded home-weapon programs, announcing the distribution of M4 and M16 rifles to approximately 10,000 reservists, including personnel assigned to the 96th Division “Gilead”, established in 2024 to protect population centers.
The Arad assault rifle family is an AR-based design optimized for reliability and modularity. The standard model supports 5.56×45 mm NATO and .300 BLK ammunition and features a short-stroke gas piston with adjustable regulation. It offers a firing range of up to 500 meters and a cyclic rate of 1,100 rounds per minute. Advanced variants include the Arad 7, compatible with 7.62×51 mm NATO and 6.5 mm Creedmoor, and the Arad 7 DMR, a designated marksman configuration engineered for improved accuracy, durability, and sustained performance.
