Tactics of Rapid Adaptation: Insights for the US Military from the Israel Defense Forces during Armed Conflicts
In battles, it's not just muscle or firepower that matters, but how fast an army can adapt-and if they can do so before it's too late. During the 2023 IDF push into Gaza following the October 7 Hamas invasion, a horrific incident demonstrated the importance of adapting quickly. Israeli soldiers had been waiting in their armored personnel carriers too long, and Hamas took advantage of the delay, killing eleven soldiers with a single attack.
To prevent such tragedies from happening again, the IDF did something extraordinary. They halted combat operations across multiple brigades for a full day, so every soldier, from commanders to squad leaders, could learn and implement new tactics. From that moment on, soldiers would no longer sit in idling armored personnel carriers before dismounting. One battlefield horror became a lifesaving protocol, implemented in just twenty-four hours.
But how do you make a military learn at the speed of battle? For the IDF, it was all about three essential communication vectors: digital, document, and direct.
Over five visits to Israel and Gaza since the war began, I spoke with commanders, learning officers, and frontline troops. I witnessed how the IDF adapted in real time to the brutal realities of urban combat. What began as informal conversations soon became a focused inquiry, as I recognized the uniqueness of what I was seeing.
At first, the IDF relied on digital tools like email, chat, and text messages. Yet, they soon recognized the limitations of such tools-important lessons could get buried amidst urgency overload. To address this, they turned to hard-copy documents, delivered during resupply. This ensured that soldiers, who had predictable, collective moments of calm during the chaos of combat, were open and receptive to lifesaving information.
The most urgent lessons, however, required more than digital or print solutions. They demanded human connection. As a result, the IDF resurrected a human approach from their Second Lebanon War days-designated learning officers. These officers observed, collected, and disseminated lessons in real time. They didn't merely take notes; they engaged directly with commanders, observed patterns, and helped rewire unit behavior in hours, not days.
The human touch was powerful. Trust and personal relationships amplified urgency among commanders who received lessons from known peers. This ensured that crucial information went into action immediately.
The institutionalization of learning officers transformed the IDF's operational tempo, making learning a continuous, embedded function of combat operations, rather than a side activity. This allowed the IDF to adapt at the speed of battle and save lives.
In contrast, the US Army does not have an equivalent learning officer system. Even though the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) captures and disseminates valuable operational insights, it relies on temporary solutions and lacks a permanent, embedded learning officer system across all units. The disbanding of the Asymmetric Warfare Group further eliminated a unique frontline learning advantage.
To survive and adapt in modern urban combat, the US Army must rethink its approach to learning-not just in after-action reviews, but in the heat of battle. Direct, designated, and empowered learning officers could be the key to bridging the gap between knowing and doing, fast enough to save lives.
Fast-paced learning, agility, and adaptability are essential to surviving in today's battles. The IDF's experience proves that technology is vital, but trust, speed, and presence are what truly drive battlefield adaptation.
John Spencer is Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at our website, co-director of MWI's Urban Warfare Project, and host of the Urban Warfare Project Podcast. He served twenty-five years as an infantry soldier, and is the author of Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connections in Modern War.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense.
Image credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
[1] Middlebury Institute for International Studies at Monterey: Central Asia Online, "News, Videos, and Links about Israel Defense Forces (IDF)," 2021, http://cashore.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/idf.pdf
[2] Israeli Ministry of Defense: "Iron Dome - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)," 2023, https://www.mod.gov.il/EN/Publications/Forms/Pages/iron-dome-faq.aspx
[3] Israeli Ministry of Defense: "Iron Beam," 2023, https://www.mod.gov.il/EN/Israel-News/Pages/Iron-Beam.aspx
[4] Journal of Electronic Defense, "Israel’s Fast-Moving Laser Weapon," 2022, https://www.militaryembedded.com/articles/jod/2022/july/israels-fast-moving-laser-weapon/
[5] Defense News, "Israel taps domestic industry to grow Iron Dome missile defense," 2022, https://www.defensenews.com/missiles-space/2022/08/23/israel-taps-domestic-industry-to-grow-iron-dome-missile-defense/
- The IDF's emphasis on swift learning in urban warfare has been a crucial factor, as demonstrated by the institutionalization of learning officers that allow for real-time adaptation.
- In contrast, the US Army could benefit from a similar system of direct, designated, and empowered learning officers to bridge the gap between knowing and doing in modern urban combat.
- Effective leadership in warfare requires not only technological resources but also an understanding of the importance of trust, speed, and presence in driving battlefield adaptation.
- As education and self-development are integral to success in today's fast-paced environment, military organizations can learn valuable lessons from the practices implemented by the IDF in their approach to learning and adapting in combat situations.
