Founded in 2003 by IDF Colonel Sharon Gat (Res.), Caliber-3 is an Israeli security and counter-terror training academy that provides tactical and security training for military personnel, law enforcement officers, security professionals, government organizations, and other clients.
Located in Gush Etzion, Israel, not far from Jerusalem, Caliber-3 also offers programs that give visitors an opportunity to learn about some of the challenges faced by Israeli security personnel.
I had the opportunity to visit Caliber-3 and participate in its shooting experience. While shooting was certainly part of the attraction, the most interesting part of the visit turned out to be learning about the difficult decisions military, police, and security personnel sometimes have to make under pressure.
My Visit to Caliber-3 in Israel
Caliber-3 isn't exclusively for military and law enforcement personnel. During a trip to Israel, I visited the academy for one of its programs designed for visitors.
The facility is located in Gush Etzion, approximately a 45-minute drive from Jerusalem. Caliber-3 has offered visitors experiences involving shooting, Krav Maga, security education, and other aspects of Israeli tactical training.
However, Caliber-3's broader mission extends well beyond tourism. The academy provides counter-terrorism, tactical, security, and firearms training for professionals.
The facility includes areas for firearms instruction, close-quarters training, Krav Maga, and other tactical exercises. From the moment I arrived, it was apparent that this was much more than an ordinary tourist shooting range.
Learning About Israeli Security and Counter-Terrorism
Our visit began with an introduction to Caliber-3 and a discussion of some of the security challenges faced in Israel.
This was one of the most valuable parts of the experience because it provided context for the exercises that followed.
We subsequently watched a live-fire demonstration intended to illustrate how quickly a violent incident can develop and how confusing such a situation can become.
Afterward, the instructors discussed what had happened and gave participants an opportunity to ask questions.
For me, this was considerably more interesting than simply learning how to shoot.
The Difficulty of Identifying a Threat
One particularly memorable exercise involved looking at photographs of different people and attempting to determine which individuals might represent a threat.
At first, some of the answers appeared obvious, but that was precisely the point of the exercise.
A person wearing a military uniform isn't necessarily who the observer assumes that person to be. Uniforms and tactical equipment can be obtained by civilians. Likewise, seeing someone carrying an object that could be used as a weapon doesn't necessarily reveal that person's intentions.
The exercise illustrated an important reality of law enforcement and security work: context matters.
Security personnel may sometimes have only seconds to observe someone's appearance, behavior, surroundings, and actions before determining whether intervention is necessary.
The exercise provided an interesting glimpse into the complexity of making those decisions under pressure.
Firearms Training at Caliber-3
The final portion of our program involved firearms instruction and shooting a .22-caliber rifle.
We learned basic handling procedures and participated in an exercise combining physical activity with shooting.
It was an enjoyable experience, but the shooting itself wasn't my biggest takeaway from visiting Caliber-3.
The educational portions of the program—the demonstrations, discussions, and threat-identification exercises—were far more memorable because they offered insight into the challenges faced by military, law enforcement, and security professionals.
Krav Maga and Tactical Training
At the conclusion of our visit, one of the instructors even spent some additional time demonstrating a knife-disarm technique.
Krav Maga approaches self-defense from a somewhat different perspective than many traditional martial arts because of its emphasis on practical responses to potentially violent encounters.
For law enforcement and security professionals, experiencing Israeli approaches to defensive tactics and threat response can be particularly interesting.
Is Caliber-3 Worth Visiting?
For travelers interested in Israeli security, law enforcement, firearms training, Krav Maga, or counter-terrorism, Caliber-3 offers an unusual opportunity to experience aspects of these subjects firsthand.
Someone expecting nothing more than a shooting range may be surprised by how much of the experience involves education and discussion.
That was certainly the case for me.
I enjoyed the shooting and tactical portions, but I came away thinking much more about situational awareness and the difficulty of making rapid decisions when the intentions of another person aren't immediately clear.
Final Thoughts
My visit to Caliber-3 in Israel was one of the more unusual and educational experiences I've had while traveling.
The combination of firearms instruction, tactical demonstrations, security education, and discussion provided a perspective that would be difficult to gain from simply reading about counter-terrorism or law enforcement.
For police officers, security professionals, martial artists, or travelers interested in Israeli security, Caliber-3 is certainly an interesting place to learn more about the subject.
I'd be very interested in returning on a future trip to Israel, particularly to experience more of the academy's Krav Maga and tactical training.