How do IDF tactical commanders learn on the battlefield – and what can we learn from it? An in-depth examination of learning processes under fire during the “Tekuma” War

This study examines how Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Ground Forces commanders learned during the first five months of the “Tekuma” War and engaged with the Ground Forces' operational learning system. Based on a survey of 119 commanders, it finds that battlefield learning was widely regarded as important and was routinely integrated into combat practice. Before combat, commanders preferred drills and collective staff learning over individual study. During operational pauses, learning centred primarily on unit-level, self-directed lessons learned, rather than on lessons from parallel units or technical reviews of weapon systems. Respondents reported high familiarity with debriefings disseminated through the learning system and assessed them as useful for operational planning and casualty prevention. Commanders strongly preferred collective discussion and tangible learning aids over digital platforms. The findings suggest that, under combat conditions, learning functions not merely as information transfer, but as a socially embedded process that reinforces cohesion, trust, and sensemaking.