Hi,
One the most useful tools the Engineering Corps has is the IDF armored D9 Caterpillar Bulldozer, or as we call it in the army – Dobi (Teddy bear).
Because it is very useful many of the Engineering corps casualties are the fighters running the bulldozers. In many times those bulldozers are the first vehicles to get in the area. Once the blade is in the ground, they can push aside bobby traps to allow tanks and infantry to get in safely.
The Engineering Corps has a special fighters company called Tzama (in Hebrew it is an acronym for Heavy Equipment Vehicles) in each battalion. You can join it when you are done with basic training and do advanced training on the D9, or other heavy equipment vehicles (excavator for example). You can join it is a commander (non-officer or officer) once you are done with the course and sent to the company.
During my commander course I was sent for a week to run one of those bulldozer. It was amazing – sitting high above everything, understanding how much material you can move with just one push and powerful this machine is.
Take Care
Gad
Armored D9 in Netzarim corridor
Armored IDF D9T (Teddy bear) Pivoting in UNRAWA school yard in Gaza
D9 demolishing a building in Gaza strip during Iron swords war. They should not demolish such high building as they might collapse on it, but the did it professional without any damage caused to the bulldozer.
Armored Caterpillar D9 loaded on a Semi-trailer in Golan Heights Firing zones. Someone once told me the IDF use D9 because the the biggest Caterpiller bulldozer that can be loaded on a semi-trailer without removing the blade, like the Caterpillar D11 bulldozer for example.
Dancing Teddy bear – Armored IDF D9 playing with his blade in a training in Tze’elim fire zone.