Yisrael Galili (inventor)

Yisrael Galili (ישראל גלילי, born Yisrael Balashnikov; 23 October 1923 – 9 March 1995) was an Israeli weapons designer, best known for designing the Galil assault rifle.

He also helped to create the Uzi submachine gun.

He was known in the military by the nickname 'Father of the Rifle'.

Born in Mandatory Palestine on October 26, 1923, Galili served in the British Army in World War II.

Following his discharge, he volunteered to work with the Haganah in weapons manufacture.

Tests were conducted from the end of the 1960s to the early 1970s led to Galili's rifle emerging as the winner, as a result Galil was adopted by the military.

The Galil assault rifle heavily derives most of the features from Kalashnikov AK-47.

During the Six-Day War in 1967, the Israelis captured many AK-47 assault rifles from the Egyptian soldiers which proved more reliable and useful in the arid conditions against the FN FAL.

Inspired by the AK-47, the IDF assessed it thoroughly and began the process of designing a new automatic rifle.

The task was assigned to two groups: one led by Uziel Gal, the designer of the Uzi submachine gun, and the other led by Galili.

The latter, together with Yakov Lior, invented the Galil assault rifle, named after its inventor.

In 1973, he received the Israel Defense Prize for this achievement.

Yisrael Galili died on March 9, 1995.