Defense Update
Encyclopedia
Defense Update is an online defense magazine published by Lance & Shield Ltd. from Israel
.
Initially it was known as 'Born in Battle', commemorating Israel's 30th Anniversary. Born in Battle was first published in six editions, themed after Israel Defense Forces
(IDF) 30th anniversary, Israel Air Force's 30th anniversary, the Yom Kippur War
, Israel's Armor Corps, Israel's infantry and special forces and the Six Day War. Over 200,000 copies of these English titles were published, in several versions, as soft and hard cover books, and magazines. They were also translated into German, Spanish and French editions.
Following the successful launch of the book series, Born in Battle expanded its coverage to include general military topics, military history
, strategy
and techniques. To reflect these changes, the magazine changed its name to 'Defense Update International'.
Over the next 12 years 99 issues of Defense Update were published, distributed worldwide, written, edited and managed by a small but passionate team of Israeli veterans. Defense Update enjoyed a large and enthusiastic readership across the world, due to the new 'popular professional' style it helped establish – bringing the hitherto complex and illusive military jargon, in a well-understood language by laymen, amateurs and military historians.
Defense Update remained also keen on maintaining its independence from political and commercial interests, an extremely difficult task at that time. At the peak of its success, during the late Eighties, Defense Update was published simultaneously in four languages (English, German, French and Hebrew).
Defense Update ceased its publication in the early 1990s. Its Hebrew predecessor 'Romach' (רומח) continued publication for several years, providing indispensable reading for senior IDF officer corps. Those years brought the magazine closer to Israel's growing defense industries and especially its defense export establishment. Growing with the local industry, Defense Update's publisher Lance & Shield embarked on a new concept, supporting Israel's defense export activities with a dedicated magazine, highlighting Israel's unique defense technology programs. The magazine called 'Defense Review International' was published periodically in support of major airshows and defense exhibitions, contributing to the recognition, brand and awareness of Israel's defense systems. The editor was Tamir Eshel, (תמיר אשל) David's son and the assistant editor in charge of the production of Defense Update publications.
By the year 1994 Defense Review International was transformed from print publication into a CDROM- based directory style publication, employing a groundbreaking hyperlink
editing technology, developed by Israel's hypertext
pioneer Enigma. A year later, the new digital and interactive defense directory transformed into an online publication, reaching out to readers across the industry and throughout the world, through the young internet. Being one of the first Israeli websites, Defense Update was also one of the websites pioneering the worldwide defense web. Nevertheless, the technological foresight that helped establish this initiative at such an early stage, could not sustain the business in time of crisis; lacking local industry understanding and acceptance of the new initiative, the publication could not muster enough support to sustain the publication. Moreover, hosted at a service provider that went bust, practically erased the young website from the web around 1997…
Five years later, Defense-Update returned on the scene again- establishing a brand new style and now focusing on advanced defense technology, with special focus on Israel's defense topics. By 2002 Defense Update published the first edition which was irregularly updated until January 2004, when the new online venture once more assumed the brand and tradition of the former magazine.
Since 2004 Defense Update maintained continuous growth, and as of March 2010 is serving over 200,000 unique users per month, reaching over two million readers on an annual basis. Reinvented as a modern defense Web portal
, Defense Update covers worldwide topics, highlighting strategy
, defense technology and military affairs related to Israel
, Israel's defense industries, Global War on Terror
and global military power.
, infantry
warfighting tactics and techniques, homeland defense
etc. Written by experienced defense journalists from different nations, with contributions by analysts, specializing in different fields, Defense Update covers specific defense- related topics, including Armoured Fighting Vehicle
s (AFV), Future Combat Systems
, Aerospace
- and unmanned systems, as well as robotics
and Precision Strike weapons. In-depth analysis of developing trends in Command, Control, Communications and Computing, Intelligence, Surveillance
and Reconnaissance
(C4ISR) is also included.
Focusing on evolving trends such as hybrid and asymmetric warfare
, and network-centric operations, force protection
and homeland security
, Defense Update is recognized as a reliable source of updated information among international decision makers. Defense Update and its authors are referenced by a number of defense establishments and publications, including the British Ministry of Defense http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/DefenceSecretaryOrdersNewVehiclesForTroopsInIraqAndAfghanistan.htm, U.S. Army https://www.fcs.army.mil/GCV_focus/index.html
Continuously implementing modern publishing trends, Defense Update has integrated social web features as part of its content. The site maintains an active defense forum on Linkedin, and an interest group on Facebook, distributes instant updates on Twitter, and supports media channels on Flickr and Youtube, featuring photos and videos. Recently implemented technologies enables editors to dynamically update content and add multimedia links and inserts through applets. Other newly introduced technologies include themed content channels, comments, and the annual Defense Technology Innovation award, highlighting 20 outstanding defense programs. The site is designed to enable effective use of mobile phones.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
History
Defense Update was established in 1978 as a printed magazine, founded by IDF Retired LtCol. David Eshel. (דוד אשל) It was the firsm international defense publication published from Israel, and the first privately operated defense magazine published in Israel.Initially it was known as 'Born in Battle', commemorating Israel's 30th Anniversary. Born in Battle was first published in six editions, themed after Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF) 30th anniversary, Israel Air Force's 30th anniversary, the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
, Israel's Armor Corps, Israel's infantry and special forces and the Six Day War. Over 200,000 copies of these English titles were published, in several versions, as soft and hard cover books, and magazines. They were also translated into German, Spanish and French editions.
Following the successful launch of the book series, Born in Battle expanded its coverage to include general military topics, military history
Military history
Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships....
, strategy
Strategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
and techniques. To reflect these changes, the magazine changed its name to 'Defense Update International'.
Over the next 12 years 99 issues of Defense Update were published, distributed worldwide, written, edited and managed by a small but passionate team of Israeli veterans. Defense Update enjoyed a large and enthusiastic readership across the world, due to the new 'popular professional' style it helped establish – bringing the hitherto complex and illusive military jargon, in a well-understood language by laymen, amateurs and military historians.
Defense Update remained also keen on maintaining its independence from political and commercial interests, an extremely difficult task at that time. At the peak of its success, during the late Eighties, Defense Update was published simultaneously in four languages (English, German, French and Hebrew).
Defense Update ceased its publication in the early 1990s. Its Hebrew predecessor 'Romach' (רומח) continued publication for several years, providing indispensable reading for senior IDF officer corps. Those years brought the magazine closer to Israel's growing defense industries and especially its defense export establishment. Growing with the local industry, Defense Update's publisher Lance & Shield embarked on a new concept, supporting Israel's defense export activities with a dedicated magazine, highlighting Israel's unique defense technology programs. The magazine called 'Defense Review International' was published periodically in support of major airshows and defense exhibitions, contributing to the recognition, brand and awareness of Israel's defense systems. The editor was Tamir Eshel, (תמיר אשל) David's son and the assistant editor in charge of the production of Defense Update publications.
By the year 1994 Defense Review International was transformed from print publication into a CDROM- based directory style publication, employing a groundbreaking hyperlink
Hyperlink
In computing, a hyperlink is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text with hyperlinks...
editing technology, developed by Israel's hypertext
Hypertext
Hypertext is text displayed on a computer or other electronic device with references to other text that the reader can immediately access, usually by a mouse click or keypress sequence. Apart from running text, hypertext may contain tables, images and other presentational devices. Hypertext is the...
pioneer Enigma. A year later, the new digital and interactive defense directory transformed into an online publication, reaching out to readers across the industry and throughout the world, through the young internet. Being one of the first Israeli websites, Defense Update was also one of the websites pioneering the worldwide defense web. Nevertheless, the technological foresight that helped establish this initiative at such an early stage, could not sustain the business in time of crisis; lacking local industry understanding and acceptance of the new initiative, the publication could not muster enough support to sustain the publication. Moreover, hosted at a service provider that went bust, practically erased the young website from the web around 1997…
Five years later, Defense-Update returned on the scene again- establishing a brand new style and now focusing on advanced defense technology, with special focus on Israel's defense topics. By 2002 Defense Update published the first edition which was irregularly updated until January 2004, when the new online venture once more assumed the brand and tradition of the former magazine.
Since 2004 Defense Update maintained continuous growth, and as of March 2010 is serving over 200,000 unique users per month, reaching over two million readers on an annual basis. Reinvented as a modern defense Web portal
Web portal
A web portal or links page is a web site that functions as a point of access to information in the World Wide Web. A portal presents information from diverse sources in a unified way....
, Defense Update covers worldwide topics, highlighting strategy
Strategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
, defense technology and military affairs related to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Israel's defense industries, Global War on Terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
and global military power.
Coverage
Defense Update coverage spans land, air, naval, , intelligence, and network-centric warfareNetwork-centric warfare
Network-centric warfare, also called network-centric operations, is a military doctrine or theory of war pioneered by the United States Department of Defense in the 1990's....
, infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
warfighting tactics and techniques, homeland defense
Homeland defense
Homeland defense is the protection of U.S. territory, sovereignty, domestic population, and critical infrastructure against external threats and aggression....
etc. Written by experienced defense journalists from different nations, with contributions by analysts, specializing in different fields, Defense Update covers specific defense- related topics, including Armoured Fighting Vehicle
Armoured fighting vehicle
An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
s (AFV), Future Combat Systems
Future Combat Systems
Future Combat Systems was the United States Army's principal modernization program from 2003 to early 2009. Formally launched in 2003, FCS was envisioned to create new brigades equipped with new manned and unmanned vehicles linked by an unprecedented fast and flexible battlefield network...
, Aerospace
Aerospace
Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
- and unmanned systems, as well as robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
and Precision Strike weapons. In-depth analysis of developing trends in Command, Control, Communications and Computing, Intelligence, Surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
and Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
(C4ISR) is also included.
Focusing on evolving trends such as hybrid and asymmetric warfare
Asymmetric warfare
Asymmetric warfare is war between belligerents whose relative military power differs significantly, or whose strategy or tactics differ significantly....
, and network-centric operations, force protection
Force protection
Force protection or FP is a term used by the US military to describe preventive measures taken to mitigate hostile actions in specific areas or against a specific populous, usually Department of Defense personnel , resources, facilities, and critical information.-See also:*Pentagon Force Protection...
and homeland security
Homeland security
Homeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
, Defense Update is recognized as a reliable source of updated information among international decision makers. Defense Update and its authors are referenced by a number of defense establishments and publications, including the British Ministry of Defense http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/DefenceSecretaryOrdersNewVehiclesForTroopsInIraqAndAfghanistan.htm, U.S. Army https://www.fcs.army.mil/GCV_focus/index.html
Continuously implementing modern publishing trends, Defense Update has integrated social web features as part of its content. The site maintains an active defense forum on Linkedin, and an interest group on Facebook, distributes instant updates on Twitter, and supports media channels on Flickr and Youtube, featuring photos and videos. Recently implemented technologies enables editors to dynamically update content and add multimedia links and inserts through applets. Other newly introduced technologies include themed content channels, comments, and the annual Defense Technology Innovation award, highlighting 20 outstanding defense programs. The site is designed to enable effective use of mobile phones.
Reference
- Defense-Update content index on Aeroflight
- World's Best Armor Websites/ Israel's Armored Corps Association Website - Yad Lashiryon