Lt. Col. Michal Frenkel, Head of Innovation in the Shiloah Brigade, Combat Methods and Innovation, which belongs to the Planning and Multi-Armed Forces Division, talks with Dan Arkin about what innovation is in the IDF
What is the definition of the term innovation? There are several definitions: "being different from the previous ones", "a variety of possible ways to implement and assimilate an idea", "solve problems", while Chief of Staff Major General Aviv Kochavi spoke about "culture and DNA of innovation".
In the IDF, the issues of innovation are relatively new and are taken very seriously. CHALLENGE Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has been established in the army.
"We are looking for young candidates with a sparkle in their eyes," Lt. Col. Michal Frenkel, Israel's head of innovation in the Shiloah, Combat Methods and Innovation Division, which belongs to the Planning Division and the multi-armed force building, tells Israel.
Last week, a ceremonial ceremony was held in which Major General Kochavi presented the Chief of Staff's Award for Innovation. Awards were given to 16 winners, eight of whom received certificates of appreciation. All of them are defined as pioneers who demonstrated original innovation, man and woman in the fields of occupation in the IDF.
Lt. Col. Michal Frenkel: "Ahead of the award, a call was published in all IDF units, in which privateers and colonels were asked to submit innovation proposals. We differentiate between entrepreneurship and innovation: Entrepreneurship means coming up with an idea. Innovation means both an idea and the delineation of ways of realization and execution.
"Another principle that was emphasized in this year's innovation competition: cooperation between the IDF arms. An interdisciplinary approach.
"It is clear that there are areas of innovation in non-operational military aspects as well, such as eliminating bureaucracy, removing bureaucratic barriers, closing administrative gaps and shortcuts for the good of the organization and its servants."
Lt. Col. Frenkel emphasizes that an idea is only five percent of success, all the rest are ways of realizing and executing and establishing mechanisms that will enable execution and action. A meeting between the entrepreneur and the operator is necessary, in order to adapt the idea to its action.
Innovative solutions include dealing with robotics, autonomous capabilities, all of which exist in the world and in the IDF as well. Matching an idea to an operation, that's the password.