Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, between Arad and the Dead Sea hotels, a group of military Humvees are parked at the foot of the yellow Judean Mountains, painted shades of red by the setting sun. "Don't photograph him, he's from a classified unit," the instructors said, pointing at one of the drivers who had gathered for a grueling night drive within the framework of the Marom Brigade's operational driving program's final exercise. In the ensuing hours, each driver conducted three hours of night-vision aided driving over and across the tough terrain in the Dead Sea area. On one side of their darkened paths, sheer cliffs, on the other, large boulders sitting precariously on steep slopes.
The Operational Driving School (BALNAM 444) was established in 2005 with the goal of organizing the issue of combat driving under one umbrella. The school includes several companies – the border-defense driving company, which trains the thousands of drivers constantly on duty in all sectors; the operational driving company, and the panel training company.
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The operational driving company is one of the crown jewels of the IDF's ground forces, whose mission is to train the drivers who will transport combat troops behind enemy lines, evacuate wounded soldiers to field hospitals or helicopters, and deliver critical supplies to the fighting forces on the ground. Hundreds of combat troops are meticulously chosen by their respective units to attend the four-week course, where they learn the technical skills needed to traverse particularly arduous terrain – with an emphasis on the terrain they are likely to encounter on the northern front. In the moment of truth, they will be the ones who determine whether a wounded soldier lives or dies and whether vital combat supplies and equipment reach the forces on the ground. All while under the threat of enemy fire, including advanced ant-tank missiles, and often in complete darkness.
"We teach them from scratch – from the right way to sit in the vehicle and how to hold the wheel to more challenging elements, while maintaining stringent safety protocols, of course," Lt. Guy Shahar, commander of the operational driving company, tells Israel Hayom while speeding in a Jeep Wrangler behind the moving Hummers. It's not an easy task. Although the Wrangler is especially navigable, the Hummers are in another league entirely. We descend to a river bed below, over more than a few large bumps, and then continue uphill until the next stream. A helicopter, flying at a particularly low altitude, passes us by. "We also see fighter jets here all the time," Shahar says. In this wilderness, the soldiers and their instructors play by the rules of the desert.
The primary vehicle the soldiers are trained to learn is the tried and true Hummer, which according to the drivers "eats terrain." Recently, however, the IDF has introduced a new, more advanced all-terrain vehicle, capable of evacuating four wounded soldiers, carry up to 14 fighters, and even pick up air-dropped supplies.
"We understand that in a future war there will be a need to supply the forward operating units and we are developing the capabilities to mobilize forces behind enemy lines en masse – to take battalions into enemy territory on Hummers or trucks. At the end of the day, the army can't advance on foot, the armored personnel carriers (APCs) can't move in every terrain, certainly not with the agility our vehicles can. Therefore, we are giving our people the tools to cope in the next war," says Shahar.
No room for human error
In the operational driving course, the soldiers undergo practical lessons, mainly in the area of Lahav Forest and Yatir Forest and the Lachish region, along with theoretical lessons to help them identify and solve potential problems. "We know that behind enemy lines a repair crew won't always be able to reach you and we want to provide a basic solution to help the soldiers keep moving," says Shahar. "This mobilized force, which will be attached to a brigade, is a game-changer; a quartet of Hummers that can evacuate 16 wounded or quickly transport supplies, and we can't afford for it to stop in its tracks."
He adds: "We took this discipline and turned driving into a profession. From our perspective, these drivers are pilots on the ground in terms of authority and responsibility. They always operate 'under fire' because lives are at stake. Under no circumstances can they doze off a little or stop for a moment to relax. There's no room for human error."
The knowledge that is passed on to the trainees isn't theoretical at all as far as the instructors are concerned. The BALNAM instructors are combat soldiers themselves, who have trained for 10 months to become proficient in highly advanced driving techniques, not to mention mechanical skills. "They go through a week of advanced search and rescue training, operational simulations – unloading, engagement, linking up with other forces, evacuation and supply," explains Shahar.
Even after they graduate and become instructors, they continue honing their field craft against drug smugglers in the tough terrain along the Egyptian border. The instructors also operate along the Gaza border, in Judea and Samaria, and in other capacities that must remain classified. "In an emergency, each of our teams will be attached to a combat brigade and operate with it," Shahar says.
Beyond training the army's operational combat drivers, BALNAM also functions as the IDF's authority in the automotive field and relevant enhancements. BALNAM's companies recently ran tests on the "Eitan." Despite being an armored fighting vehicle with a different purpose in battle, it moves on wheels and is controlled by a steering wheel, and is thus deemed by the IDF a vehicle for all intents and purposes.
BALNAM's instructors are also currently testing the "Panther," a heavy armored vehicle slated to replace the "Wolf," and a new and improved night vision tool dubbed "Ido," the next generation of night vision – lighter, with a higher resolution and greater depth perception, which will help the drivers traverse the terrain more efficiently.
Night falls, and the trainees drive off in their Hummers. Each soldier must drive for three straight hours across formidable terrain, in the dark, as part of the course requirement. If they pass, they will move on to the panel training company, where they will train with officers and navigators who will help them further refine their newly gained skill. At that point, Shar concludes, "They're ready for battle as far as we're concerned."
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