Israeli Army Struts Desert Fighting Prowess

Thudding Israeli artillery shells and a dramatic F-16 jet and Apache helicopter-aided tank assault on a mock enemy desert encampment concluded a recent three-day conference on how digitally wired armies can process immense amounts of battlefield data, in real time, in order to win.

All photos: Dave Bender - All rights reserved

An Israeli Army MLRS rocket streaks across an open desert plain, as it homes in on an enemy stronghold in a mock assault display held at the Shivta Field Artillery Base, in southern Israel, Thursday, May 24, 2012.
(All photos: WWW.DAVEBRIANBENDER.COM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

Israel Air Force Apache Longbow attack helicopter takes a "nap-of-the-earth" shortcut, flying only meters above a wadi, in a mock assault on an enemy stronghold at the Shivta Field Artillery Base, in southern Israel, Thursday, May 24, 2012.
(All photos: WWW.DAVEBRIANBENDER.COM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

An IDF soldier hitches a ride on an "Alfa" artillery transporter heading back to base after taking part a mock assault on an enemy stronghold at the Shivta Field Artillery Base, in southern Israel, Thursday, May 24, 2012.
(All photos: WWW.DAVEBRIANBENDER.COM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

Two Israel Air Force Apache Longbow attack helicopters open machine gun fire, in a mock assault on an enemy stronghold at the Shivta Field Artillery Base, in southern Israel, Thursday, May 24, 2012.
(All photos: WWW.DAVEBRIANBENDER.COM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

An Israeli Army mobile howitzer artillery piece heads back to base, after an assault on a mock enemy stronghold in a display held at the Shivta Field Artillery Base, in southern Israel, Thursday, May 24, 2012.
(All photos: WWW.DAVEBRIANBENDER.COM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

Israel Air Force Apache Longbow helicopter goes in for the kill, in a mock assault on an enemy stronghold at the Shivta Field Artillery Base, in southern Israel, Thursday, May 24, 2012.
(All photos: WWW.DAVEBRIANBENDER.COM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

An Israeli soldier sits atop the open hatch of a mobile howitzer artillery piece headed back to base, after an assault on a mock enemy stronghold in a display held at the Shivta Field Artillery Base, in southern Israel, Thursday, May 24, 2012.
(All photos: WWW.DAVEBRIANBENDER.COM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

''A View With A Room' Along The Ancient 'Spice Trail' (photo)

'A View With A Room' (Dave Bender, All Rights Reserved)

I shot this recently at the ancient Avdat archaeology site, south of Beersheba, Israel where archaeologists believe thousands of Nabateans operated and lived in a thriving community that served as a winery for nearby vinyards, and a "caravanseri" waystation for traders along the ancient "Spice Trail," route from Saudi Arabia and Yemen to ports along the Mediterranean coastline, among them Gaza. I tweaked the image with a Photoshop action called "Pop Ice." (Google it)