Handlers of Israel's elite military K-9 unit Oketz are using remote controls to guide dogs to sniff out explosives and suspects, an officer said.

The use of the remote control units allows handlers to operate their dogs from a distance of 1.2 miles, without having to lead them to the target, and therefore saves soldiers lives, a senior officer told the Maariv newspaper.

"We are talking about a well oiled framework that deploys well trained attack dogs taught to sniff out explosives or nab suspects that are operated by a remote control unit placed on their backs," the officer said.

The handlers are able to steer the dogs in any direction by operating the control which transmits vibrations the dogs have been taught to recognize.

The officer said troops from the U.S. Marine Corps have trained at the unit's base in Israel and were taught to issue orders to their dogs in Hebrew.

Hebrew speaking dogs are used by U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, he said.

The officer said the K-9 unit plans to expand operations and breed canines deemed suitable for the unit's operations.