Israeli Paratroopers 1954–2016

Osprey Elite #224

by David Campbell

From the creation of the first volunteer paratroop unit shortly after the birth of Israel and of the Israeli Defense Force, this arm of service has been recognized as elite. They have also been the first choice for daring special missions, and it is mainly from their ranks that Israel's Special Forces units have been recruited. A unique aspect of the Israeli military is the cross-posting of officers from the airborne, armoured and other units, to ensure that all unit commanders share their aggressive qualities and thorough understanding of the capabilities of all arms. In this way the influence of the paratroop arm has been out of proportion to its size.

This fully illustrated study is a complete history of Israeli paratroopers from its creation to the present day, including relevant developments in their role and organization, as well as their achievements and setbacks in conflicts such as the Six Days War and Yom Kippur War.

Genres: History

118 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2018

About the author

David Campbell has worked as a new media producer and content specialist for many years, including roles at IBM, the BBC, various Internet consultancies and the British civil service. He is the author of a number of titles for Osprey.

Reviews

[Shrike58 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it strikes me that Campbell has written with more flair in some of his other Osprey publications, this particular booklet is especially useful for its examination of the very early days of the Israeli paratroop force. At the very least I personally was not aware that Ariel Sharon's Unit 101 was NOT initially synonymous with the Israeli paratroopers; that merger came later, and was a synergistic moment.

Besides that, this work is mostly a high-level overview of all the operations the Israeli "winged serpents" have taken part in up until the publication date, and the steady loss of institutional elan over time. Of course, events in the wake of quixotic attack by Hamas, and the current Israeli government's multi-front war of disruption on the Muslim world, means that there will be the need for a follow-on study soon enough.

Actual rating: 3.5.