Unit 5700 also known as Forward Air Field Tactical Unit (Hebrew acronym YAHAK) is a special unit of the

Israeli Air Force The Israeli Air Force (IAF; , commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Indep ...

concerned with establishing and operating temporary forward landing bases for transport, reinforcement, logistics, and other purposes. Along with

Shaldag Unit Unit 5101, more commonly known as Shaldag (, '' Kingfisher''), is one of the premier Israeli Air Force (IAF) Sayeret units. The unit is part of the 7th Special Air Forces Wing and is based in the Palmachim Airbase. The unit is led by an officer ...

and

Unit 669 300px, Unit 669 emblem The Unit 669 (, romanized: ''Yechida Taktit LeChilu'tz Meyuchad 669,'' lit. 'Tactical unit for special rescue') is a heliborne combat search and rescue extraction unit, subordinate to 7 Wing of the Israeli Air Force. ...

, it constitutes the special forces wing of

Roles

The mission of the unit is to locate and operate forward airfields and airstrips usable for aircraft, which are not permanent airfields of the

. The role is carried out by a "frontal assault lander and includes

paratrooper A paratrooper or military parachutist is a soldier trained to conduct military operations by parachuting directly into an area of operations, usually as part of a large airborne forces unit. Traditionally paratroopers fight only as light infa ...

s, examining the suitability of the region for the task, marking them and establishing temporary

airstrip An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes in ...

. The inspection of the intended runways is carried out by a "soil examiner" who is also the professional authority that approves the landing on the spot.The work is carried out with the

transport plane A cargo aircraft (also known as freight aircraft, freighter, airlifter or cargo jet) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted for the carriage of cargo rather than passengers. Such aircraft generally feature one or more large doors ...

s and various aircraft and it requires knowledge of

communication Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether Intention, unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not onl ...

and

flight control A conventional fixed-wing aircraft flight control system (AFCS) consists of flight control surfaces, the respective cockpit controls, connecting linkages, and the necessary operating mechanisms to control an aircraft's direction in flight. A ...

and

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

, navigation and mobility skills. It also plays to role in the security of Airforce installations. The role of the unit is similar to that of

United States Air Force Combat Control Team The United States Air Force Combat Control Teams, singular Combat Controller (CCT) ( AFSC 1Z2X1), are an elite special operations force (specifically known as "special tactics operators") who specialize in all aspects of air-ground communicatio ...

History

The unit was established on December 10, 1973, at the Lod Airbase . Avraham Shavit was the first to establish the unit then called as the "route branch". In the

Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was fought from 6 to 25 October 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab world, Arab states led by Egypt and S ...

, the unit participated under the command of Amos Jordan. In 1978 she participated in

Operation Litani The 1978 South Lebanon conflict, also known as the First Israeli invasion of Lebanon and codenamed Operation Litani by Israel, began when Israel invaded southern Lebanon up to the Litani River in March 1978. It was in response to the Coas ...

. In the

1982 Lebanon War The 1982 Lebanon War, also called the Second Israeli invasion of Lebanon, began on 6 June 1982, when Israel invaded southern Lebanon. The invasion followed a series of attacks and counter-attacks between the Palestine Liberation Organization ...

, the unit was deployed at the

Beirut International Airport Beirut ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the fourth-largest city in the Levant region and the sixteenth-largest i ...

for Air Force operations, and at Ansar,

Marjayoun Marjayoun or Jdeidet Marjayoun (: Lebanese pronunciation ), also Marj 'Ayoun, Marjuyun or Marjeyoun (lit. "meadow of springs") which reflects the area's lush landscape and abundant water resources and Jdeideh / Jdeida / Jdeidet Marjeyoun, is a m ...

and

Damour Damour () is a Lebanese Christian town that is south of Beirut. It is located in the Chouf District in the Mount Lebanon Governorate. Geography The city is located in one of the few flat areas of the Lebanese coast. It is built to the nor ...

. In Operation Moshe, the unit's soldiers helped in the evacuation of

Ethiopian Jews Beta Israel, or Ethiopian Jews, is a Jewish group originating from the territory of the Amhara and Tigray regions in northern Ethiopia, where they are spread out across more than 500 small villages over a wide territory, alongside predominant ...

. The unit also transported humanitarian aid to

Rwanda Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...

and took part in military exercises in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. In 2009, the unit was deployed at the

Nevatim Airbase Nevatim Airbase (, English: sprouts) , also Air Force Base 28, is an Israeli Air Force, Israeli Air Force (IAF) base, located 15 km east-southeast of Beersheba, near moshav Nevatim in the northern Negev desert. It is one of the largest in ...

. In 2009, the unit joined the Special Air Forces Command of

. In 2022, it was transferred to Special Air Forces Wing. The unit also participated in the

Gaza war The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel fought since 7 October 2023. A part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel conflicts dating ...

. In 2024, female personnel were integrated into the unit for the first time.

Selection & Training

* Prerequisites : medical profile 82 or higher, 53 or higher, 50 or higher. The screening includes computerized tests, medical examinations, a security investigation and an interview. * Military training - Same training as that given to

and

special operatives. * Recruitment - a limited, one-year recruitment cycle, held at the end of November.

Sources & References

* * * * * * * * * {{Cite web, author=Love Turgeman, url=https://www.iaf.org.il/9327-52858-he/IAF.aspx, title=איך נוחתים בעפר, website=

website, date=April 11, 2023 Air force special forces units Special forces of Israel Israeli Air Force units Military units and formations established in 1973 1973 establishments in Israel