In 1967, Israel fought the Six-Day War. Also known as the June War, the Israel Defense Forces are equipped with FN FAL combat rifles against the AK-47 of the Arab League. In the sand and dust of the desert, Israel's FAL is prone to jams and malfunctions. In addition, the rifle was considered long and heavy. Israel needs a new rifle.

In the 1960s, the United States replaced France as Israel's main ally and weapons supplier. The Israelis received M16A1 to replace FAL. Although the new rifle is lighter and more accurate, the early M16 (and accompanying ammunition) is not reliable enough for IDF.

During the Six-Day War, Israel seized thousands of AK rifles. The IDF found the story of the legendary reliability of the rifle to be true, but found that it lacked accuracy. What they need is a weapon that combines the accuracy of the M16 with the reliability of the AK-47.

The designer of the iconic Uzi submachine gun and the Uziel Gal of the same name submitted a design for the new rifle. However, it was determined to be too complicated and unreliable. British veteran of World War II Yisrael Galil participated in a competition design.

Galil's rifle is based on Finland's Valmet Rk 62. Valmet uses the same 7.62x39mm cartridge as the AK-47 and is based on the Polish-licensed AK version. However, Galil modified Valmet to launch 5.56x45mm NATO cartridges from the M16. Not only is the smaller American bullet more accurate, but Israel can also easily obtain it from the United States. This rifle was named Galil after its designer and was declared the winner and Israel's new main rifle.

Designed for the specific needs of Israeli soldiers, the standard service rifle version issued to the infantry unit has some special features. Galil ARM is designated as an automatic rifle machine gun variant, equipped with a bipod. This allows troops to fire weapons from a more stable position when lying prone. The bipod hinge is also used as a wire cutter. This reduces the time it takes for IDF troops to pass through the barbed wire that is common in rural Israel. Finally, the bipod latch can be used as a corkscrew. Civilian reserve personnel often use Uzi's magazine feed opening to open the bottle, causing damage to the magazine. Galil is equipped with a built-in corkscrew to prevent this from happening.

However, in 1973, Israel was caught off guard in the Yom Kippur War. The Arab League launched a coordinated surprise attack during the Jewish holiday, and the IDF was forced to mobilize quickly. The war delayed Galil's production and distribution. In addition, most Israeli conscripts prefer the lighter but less reliable M16.

By 1975, the United States had distributed 60,000 M16A1s to the Israel Defense Forces. Compared with the high cost of domestic production of Galil, the M16 is simply a better choice for arming most Israel Defense Forces. The launch of the lighter, more versatile, and more reliable M4 and the new 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition determined Galil's fate, and it was eliminated from the standard release in 2000.

Although its use by the Israel Defense Forces is limited, Galil has a wide range of services overseas. Many third world countries have adopted 5.56x45mm NATO or 7.62x51mm NATO Galil because it is durable and uses NATO ammunition. Galil is licensed by Vektor R4 and is a favorite of the South African army and police. According to reports, California's Ventura County Sheriff's Department SWAT team even used Galil. Galil ACE is a modernized version of the rifle, with more calibers and configurations than its predecessor. ACE has been adopted by the Chilean Army and the Vietnamese People's Army. However, it lacks the famous bipod and its wire cutters and corkscrew.

Featured image: U.S. Marine Corps photo

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