The Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that it has signed a contract with a United States company for the construction of a new command and control center. The name of the firm was not disclosed. The new center, to be built in the “Kirya” military complex in Tel Aviv, is intended to replace the current underground facility, known in Hebrew as “the Bor” (the Pit) which the military is rapidly outgrowing. Plans for future wars are drawn up by the army's Operations Directorate, which is based in the "Bor," and operations during wartime as well as the weekly meetings of the IDF's General Staff are held there. The current facility, which has several levels, is accessed through a large steel door that can be sealed shut in the event of a biological, chemical or other nonconventional attack. A sign reminds visitors to remove the batteries from their cell phones prior to entry because an enemy can eavesdrop even if the phone is turned off, according to a military source. “The military found that it needs a much larger facility that would accommodate additional personnel and equipment,” an IDF source told the World Tribune . Construction on the new C2 Center could begin as early as next year, and will last several years. It will cost at least $30 million, to be financed by American military aid to Israel, according to the Tribune .
