Because of the Corona virus, the fighters were banned from going ashore • The ships continued their operational activities despite the challenge.

• Sea arm ships in action // Photo: IDF Spokesman

Company Fighters 916 are used to challenges. This is a party that believes in the southern sector of the Mediterranean, and clashes with suspected terrorists coming from Gaza are not uncommon. But they also apparently did not believe that they would have to deal with an invisible enemy, the Corona, and stay for weeks on board the bee ships, the kingfishers and wasps, without descending to the stable ground for a moment.

"We have always considered ourselves an operational party to align ourselves with the enemy - once it can be Hamas in Gaza and other times the invisible enemy - the Corona," explains Lieutenant Commander Ran Steigman. Battle, to adapt ourselves to the new threat as well, just as we adapt ourselves to new threats at sea. "

Photo: IDF Spokesman

The current security challenge in the arm of the sea with the corona is greater than elsewhere. Unlike other units where it is possible to move away from each other, the battleships are in great density, and this cannot be changed without dramatically damaging the nature of the operational activity. The solution they found in the sea arm was the opposite of anywhere else - instead of scattering the warriors they crowded them together, forbidding them to descend to land so as not to interfere and run the risk of contracting the virus.

"Each such vessel has between 12 and 15 soldiers, who are very close to each other, like a family. We decided to look at each ship as an autonomous unit, a closed capsule, when there is no mixing between fighters and various ships," says Lieutenant Colonel Steigman. "They began to transport equipment and supplies to ships without contact with the fighters and without having to leave the ship at all, and even when it was necessary to bring technicians to the ship, they created a procedure whereby the fighters and technicians did not meet. We isolated the ship from the environment and reduced the fighters' ability to go ashore."

But with all due respect to Corona, the cruise commander makes clear, this is not the unit's main goal. "Our goal is to continue our operational activities and missions throughout the sector." We did not assume that enemy activity was looming, even if in theory it was true, "he answers the obvious question, because in fact Gaza, like all EU territories, was quieter than that. Long time because of the corona. "We always prepare for the mission in the best possible way. One of the most significant things about us is the ability to make a switch at the top - from a situation where everything is pastoral and watches sunset to operational activity at 45 knots (about 85 mph). It's a change that happens in the second. "

"It's always said that Group 916 is one of the most insane places there, because it operates around the clock, in winter and summer, at odd hours. Now it's become the only sane place in the world because there's a family atmosphere here, a team of fighters sleeping together and eating together. Another in the world that could be done in recent weeks because of the Corona laws, "concludes Lt. Col. Ran Steigman.

Meanwhile, in an even more southern part of the Eilat region, they found themselves alone in a bay that is usually full of tourists. Capt. Tom Goren, commander of the Lightning Patrol on Group 915, recently said goodbye to his troops after a 4.5-year stay in the Gulf, en route to a new role in the Sea Arm. "The sea is completely empty and only a few come occasionally," he described the situation in recent weeks. "It was the quietest Passover I have had in terms of craft. We are used to overcrowding and suddenly there was nothing. The quiet is strange, unusual."

The challenge on the coast of Eilat is often greater than in Gaza, because the ranges between the various countries are relatively short and the number of threatened civilians is high. In contrast to Gaza, where there is a sterile area at sea, in Eilat, soldiers are faced with a threat every day that may come under the guise of a completely innocent ship or boat.

"Eilat is seen as a quiet city and resort, but many times it is deceptively quiet and do not know what is being done behind the scenes. This is a good thing. As long as the place stands out when it is quiet it means we did the job properly," says Capt. Goren. "The challenge in Eilat is very short-term. If you leave a terrorist boat from the coasts of Sinai, Saudi Arabia or Jordan, the response time will be very short, significantly less than anywhere else. And of course, the potential for damage is very high because of contact with civilians. Although, the beaches are currently isolated, but If the terrorists routinely land on the beach during the holidays, it will be a damage we are not prepared to absorb, so we do everything possible to prevent it. "

Capt. Thom received a special farewell to the Corona virus. In other cases, a good farewell ceremony is performed on the beach, but this time, because of the virus and the fact that the fighters are forbidden to go ashore, they chose the sea arm to perform the ceremony as a "star arrangement" - all cruise ships arrive and form a kind of star, separate from the officer's sea.

"We did the exchange ceremony at sea because the ceremonies are not allowed on the beach. It is a kind of circuit with all the vessels. The whole ceremony was in connection. The truth is that I am happy about the ceremony, it is very unique and different. It is always good to end the role at sea. I will miss the period in Eilat. It's the most family-friendly place in the sea. It's a relatively small group and the atmosphere here is very close, especially during the Corona period when everyone is together. "