It is no secret that Israel builds its own military equipment, such as tanks, missiles, and drones, and it is certainly no secret that many nations worldwide turn to Israel when looking to outfit their defense forces or upgrade their weapons capabilities.
But according to a recent report in American bimonthly magazine The National Interest, an Israeli assault rifle is giving the classic American-made M-16 and Russia's famed AK-47 a run for their money.
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This new rising star is not a reincarnation of what is perhaps Israel's most famous firearm – the iconic Uzi submachine gun, but a high-tech piece of equipment that special forces and police SWAT teams in almost 30 nations now swear by – the IWI Tavor.
According to the report, these include "several South American, Central American, African, and Asian nations, including Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Senegal, and Nepal. In addition, the nation of Georgia has replaced some of its AK-47s with Tavors. Vietnam and India also use them. As for the US, a few state and local police departments have opted for the Tavor."
Produced by Israel Weapon Industries, the Tavor rifle was introduced in 2001 and was chosen by the IDF in 2009 to replace the M-16 and M-4 as its first-line rifle, the report noted.
According to its specs, the Tavor is designed to maximize reliability, durability, simplicity of design, and ease of maintenance, particularly under adverse or battlefield conditions. It is waterproofed and its internal mechanism is sealed from outside elements, so that it can pass over-the-beach requirements.
The rifle is distinctive by its bullpup configuration, in which the receiver and magazine are located behind the trigger, thus allowing a shorter weapon, The National Interest noted.
It primarily fires NATO 5.56 x 45-millimeter rounds, though it can also shoot 9-millimeter ammunition. The weapon is just 28 inches long, and weighs just under 8 pounds, depending on the model.
The Tavor has also won several awards for its design, crafted under the direction of gun designer Zalmen Shebs, and performance. These include the 2013 Reader's Choice Award for Best Rifle from The Truth About Guns website, National Rifle Association's American Rifleman awarded the Tavor the 2014 Golden Bullseye Award as its rifle of the year, and the NRA's 2017 rifle of the year award.
