Established in 1966, 401 Brigade is one of the youngest brigades of the IDF. It took its current form in 1985. The brigade was initially composed of the 46th and 195th Armored Battalions and the 52nd and 34th Infantry Battalions, which were eventually converted to armor. The 34th Battalion was eventually disbanded and re-established in 1988 as an anti-tank battalion, later designated as the 94th "Duchifat" (, hoopoe) Mechanized Infantry Battalion. In 2002 it was returned to the brigade, and in 2005 was transferred to the Judea and Samaria Territorial Division.