Last month, a near-disaster was averted in the Gaza Strip due to a malfunctioning air conditioner in a Namer armored personnel carrier.
On July 26, a significant heatwave hit the region, with temperatures soaring to 35°C (95°F) amid high coastal humidity. The air conditioner meant to cool the Namer failed, and as the interior temperature reached 60°C (140°F), soldiers opened the top hatch to get some air.
In footage released by Hamas, terrorists can be seen running toward the APC, climbing onto it and lobbing in an explosive device before fleeing. Fortunately, the device was faulty, and the soldiers were unharmed.
The phenomenon of soldiers in armored vehicles forgoing protection due to extreme heat is not uncommon, a former senior officer told Israel Hayom, citing repeated malfunctions in such APCs, which are based on the Merkava tank chassis and have been used intensively over the past two years.
“It was a miracle from heaven—12 people were saved there. It was an incident exactly like the one with the combat engineering vehicle that was hit in June, when Hamas killed seven soldiers. I spoke to a soldier, and he told me, ‘You can’t stay inside,’” the officer said.
“Every summer, we talk about how you can’t leave babies in a closed car. Here, soldiers are sitting in an armored vehicle, and the air conditioners don’t work because for two years this vehicle has been driven relentlessly, and they have to open the hatch,” he continued.
“It doesn’t cool, but it at least lets in air. Imagine what a soldier goes through, wearing a flak jacket and helmet in 30°C (86°F) heat, when the temperature inside doubles,” he said.
The Namer’s air conditioners are maintained by an external company. However, the vehicles’ round-the-clock operation in Gaza has required a different level of maintenance.
‘They need the best equipment’
Since the war began, the IDF Logistics Corps has deployed field teams to repair vehicles even under fire. Air conditioning systems are replaced in the field when a malfunction is identified, and the faulty system is sent for repair.
However, after two years of constant war, there are signs that the army is struggling to keep pace with the issue.
Forces in the field face an impossible decision: disable a vehicle and halt operations due to logistical challenges, or operate against guidelines. Many commanders choose to proceed with operations despite the challenges.
“The Ground Forces’ readiness model assumes that the more you push a soldier, the tougher he’s supposed to be. He doesn’t eat, he doesn’t sleep,” the officer told Israel Hayom.
“This is a flawed approach that has been recognized as such worldwide for years. In the ground forces, everything is possible—a soldier can go two weeks without sleep, his vehicle can go two weeks without maintenance. This is foolish,” he continued.
“In the end, there are only a few tens of thousands of combat soldiers in the IDF, the spearhead. They need portable air conditioners and the best equipment available to operate,” he concluded.
In response, the IDF Spokesperson issued the following statement: “Following field inspections, no untreated air conditioning issues were found, and no specific cases have been reported for handling. If malfunctions exist, they are addressed in real time.
“The vehicles are under close supervision and frequent maintenance. Each battalion has additional air conditioning systems to provide solutions. In case of a malfunction, the IDF works with civilian companies to obtain suitable air conditioning systems.
“Due to the extreme heat and the dusty, sandy operational environment, malfunctions in air-conditioning systems occasionally occur. There is no lack in Southern Command regarding the availability of solutions or systems’ readiness.”
This is an edited version of an article originally published by Israel Hayom.
