Organizational entrepreneurship and special forces: The First Israeli Helicopter Squadron and the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Matkal)

How are special operations forces (SOF) created? How do they emerge within the complex organizational dynamics of the armed forces? We answer these questions through the case of General Staff Reconnaissance Unit 269 (Sayeret Matkal) and Helicopter Squadron 124 of the Israel Defense Force (IDF). Sayeret Matkal, the most famous Israeli SOF, was formed in 1958 the same year as the IDF’s first helicopter squadron was established. The link and close collaboration between the units allowed the Sayeret to deploy for longer periods and deeper in enemy territory than previous units. Its successes, in turn, further assured support for Squadron 124 by senior commanders. Organizationally, the ‘coupling’ of these units is no coincidence. Both were established by entrepreneurial individuals not ‘fitting’ the usual IDF model who had to invent the ʼnecessity’ of their units, and used each other as allies and amplifiers of operational capacities. Let us explain why this case is especially suitable for answering questions about how SOF are created and survive in the armed forces.