Israeli tanks 30 70s. Soviet tanks in the service of Israel (25 photos). Layout: a fundamental difference from analogues
Israel is rightfully considered a great tank power: the IDF tank fleet is one of the largest in the world - it is armed with from 4 to 5 thousand tanks, the Merkava tank built at Israeli tank factories, according to many experts, is the best main battle tank in the world, Israeli tankers have invaluable combat experience gained in numerous wars and armed conflicts. The Israeli combat example had a significant impact on the development of the strategy and tactics of the armored forces
Israeli Merkava Mk1 tanks are fighting in the city. Beirut. 1982
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Alexander SHULMAN
Steel Fist of Israel
Israel is rightfully considered a great tank power: the IDF tank fleet is one of the largest in the world - it is armed with from 4 to 5 thousand tanks, the Merkava tank built at Israeli tank factories, according to many experts, is the best main battle tank in the world, Israeli tankers have invaluable combat experience gained in numerous wars and armed conflicts.
The Israeli combat example had a significant impact on the development of the strategy and tactics of the armored forces: Israeli tank generals Israel Tal and Moshe Peled are represented in the hall of the Great Tank Commanders in, along with German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and American General George Patton.
Emblem of the Israeli Armored Forces (Heil HaShiryon)
Creation of tank troops
Israeli armored forces, the main striking force of the IDF ground forces, were born in the battles of the War of Independence. In February 1948, the Armored Service was created under the command of Yitzhak Sade, but the tanks themselves did not yet exist - the main tank manufacturers - the USA, Great Britain and France, introduced a ban on the sale of weapons to the Jewish state.
Already during the battles of the War of Independence, 10 Hotchkiss H-39 tanks were acquired, which, together with the Sherman M4 tank stolen from the British and two Cromwell tanks, entered service with the first tank unit - the 82nd tank battalion. The battalion commander was a former Major of the Polish Army Felix Beatus, who had gone from Stalingrad to Berlin. The crews of the battalion included tankers - Jewish volunteers from around the world who fought against the Nazis in the ranks of the British Army and the Polish Army.
Israeli tank Sherman M4. War for independence. 1948
Among them were several former tank officers of the Red Army. They were called "suicide bombers" - they deserted from the Soviet occupation troops in Germany and reached Eretz Israel in different ways. In the USSR, they were sentenced to death in absentia for "treason." They went through deadly dangers to fight for the Jewish state.
Already by the middle of 1948, the 7th and 8th tank brigades were formed, which took part in the battles with the Arab aggressors.
Israeli tank general Moshe Peled. Portrait from the gallery "Great tank commanders" in
US Armored Forces Center named after General Patton
In those years, the doctrine of tank warfare, adopted by the IDF, began to take shape. It is based on the following principles:
The first one is "Totality of the tank". This means that tank formations, due to mobility, armor and firepower, are capable of independently solving the main tasks of a land war.
The second one is the Armored Fist as the main tank maneuver, which consists in introducing large tank forces into the breakthrough, capable of conducting an offensive at high speed, destroying enemy forces in its path.
The main combat unit of the Israeli armored forces is the tank brigade. In the course of hostilities, tank divisions and corps are formed from tank brigades.
Israeli tank general Yisrael Tal. Portrait from the gallery "Great tank commanders" in
US Armored Forces Center named after General Patton
An analysis of tank battles showed a high percentage of casualties among tank commanders. This is due to the requirements of a kind of code of command honor adopted in the Israeli army:
"Follow me!" - the main team in the IDF, the commander is obliged to lead his subordinates by personal example.
Tanks go into battle with open hatches - the commander, standing in the tank turret with the hatch opened, controls the actions of the crew. This significantly expands the view and allows you to fight with "open eyes", but the commander becomes the primary target for enemy fire.
The formation of tank troops
The first combat test of this doctrine took place during Operation Kadesh in 1956. In three days, the 7th and 27th tank brigades, interacting with infantry and parachute units, broke into the enemy defenses and, having passed the Sinai desert, reached the Suez Canal. During the fighting, up to 600 enemy armored vehicles were destroyed or captured, Israeli losses amounted to 30 tanks and armored personnel carriers.
Israeli tanks AMX-13. Operation Kadesh. 1956
The IDF tank fleet began to be replenished with modern military equipment. During the fighting, the AMX-13 tanks purchased in France showed themselves well - the first modern tanks that entered service with the IDF. In total, the IDF then received about 200 of these tanks.
In the early 60s, hundreds of Super-Sherman M-50 and M-51 tanks entered service with the IDF.
Israeli Super Sherman tanks
In the early 1960s, the US finally agreed to sell the M48 tanks, known in Israel as Magah. However, the Americans tried to hide this deal from their Arab friends. Therefore, the deal was made between Germany and the United States, with Israel formally purchasing these tanks from Germany. In total, as part of this deal, more than 200 M48 tanks entered service with the IDF.
Israeli tanks Magah M48.
Around the same time, several hundred British Centurion tanks entered service with the armored forces, which received the name Shot in Israel (translated from Hebrew - "whip")
Israeli tank Shot Centurion.
With this updated tank fleet, Israel was to fight fierce tank battles in
Six Day War 1967 and the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
In 1964, General Israel Tal became the commander-in-chief of the tank troops. This most experienced tanker, based on combat experience, developed completely new tactics for tank warfare. Among them is the conduct of sniper fire from tank turret guns at long and ultra-long distances - up to 5-6 kilometers and even 10-11 kilometers. This immediately gave noticeable advantages in battle.
New tactics were tested in combat during the "Battle for Water" in 1964-1966. Then Syria tried to divert the water of the Jordan River, and thereby deprive Israel of water resources. The Syrians began to build a diversion channel, which Israel could not allow.
It was decided to destroy enemy earth-moving equipment, tanks and artillery batteries that were covering the construction by fire from tank guns.
To this end, the Israeli command staffed the units of the Sherman and Centurion tanks with trained crews, and General Tal personally took the place of the gunner in one of the tanks, and the commander of the 7th tank brigade, Colonel Shlomo Lahat, took the loader's place.
As a bait, the Israelis sent a tractor into no man's land. The Syrians immediately bought into the ruse and opened fire. The targets were immediately spotted. All selected targets at a distance of up to 6 kilometers were destroyed by Israeli tank sniper fire, and then tank fire was transferred to targets located at a distance of 11 kilometers.
Such tank fire strikes were carried out many times throughout the year. The Syrians suffered heavy losses and were forced to completely abandon their plans to divert water.
Six Day War. 1967
The Six Day War of 1967 was a true triumph for the Israeli tank forces. For the first time, Israeli tank formations operated simultaneously on three fronts. They were opposed by the many times superior forces of the five Arab states, but this did not save the Arabs from total defeat. 
Six Day War 1967 Israeli tankers
On the southern front, the blow was delivered by the forces of three tank divisions of Generals Tal, Sharon and Ioffe. In the offensive operation, called the "March across the Sinai", Israeli tank formations, interacting with aviation, motorized infantry and paratroopers, made a lightning breakthrough of the enemy's defenses and moved through the desert, destroying the encircled groups of Arabs. On the northern front, the 36th Panzer Division of General Peled advanced along the difficult mountain paths, which, after three days of fierce fighting, reached the outskirts of Damascus. On the eastern front, Israeli troops drove Jordanian units out of Jerusalem and liberated ancient Jewish shrines from foreign invaders. 
During the fighting, more than 1,200 enemy tanks were destroyed, thousands of armored vehicles, mostly Russian-made, were captured. Captured Russian tanks T-54/55 underwent major modernization at Israeli tank factories and entered service with the tank forces under the name "Tiran-4/5".
Captured Russian armored vehicles captured in the Six Day War at a parade in Jerusalem.
On September 9, 1969, an armored group consisting of 6 captured Russian T-55 tanks and three BTR-50 armored personnel carriers captured in the Six-Day War was secretly transported by landing craft to the Egyptian coast of the Suez Canal. The main goal was the destruction of the Russian air defense system, which interfered with the actions of Israeli aviation. During this brilliantly conceived and executed operation, called Raviv, Israeli tankers for 9 hours went through the rear of the enemy with a shaft of fire, ruthlessly destroying radar stations, positions of missile forces and artillery, headquarters, warehouses and army bases. Having successfully completed the raid without loss, the Israeli armored group returned safely to their base on landing craft.
Yom Kippur War. 1973
The most difficult test for Israel was the Yom Kippur War, which began on October 6, 1973, on the day of one of the most important Jewish holidays, when most of the military personnel were on vacation. Israel was suddenly attacked on all fronts by the vastly superior forces of the aggressors, which included the armies of Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Morocco, Jordan, Libya, Algeria, Lebanon, Sudan, thousands of Russian "military advisers", Cuban and North Korean "volunteers". In the vastness from Sinai to the Golan Heights, one of the largest tank battles in world military history unfolded - up to six thousand tanks took part in it on both sides.
A particularly dangerous situation developed on the Golan Heights - there only 200 tanks of the 7th and 188th tank brigades opposed almost 1,400 Syrian tanks over a 40-kilometer stretch. Israeli tankers fought to the death, demonstrating mass heroism.
The names of the tank heroes who stopped the enemy entered the history of Israel. Among them are the platoon commander Lieutenant Zvi Gringold, the company commander Captain Meir Zamir, nicknamed "Tiger", the battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Kahalani.
Lieutenant (pictured already a captain) Zvi Gringold is a tanker who accomplished an unprecedented feat: during the battle, which lasted about a day, he destroyed up to 60 Russian tanks
The tankers fought to the last shell, from the tankers who survived the battle, who had just left the burning tanks, new crews were immediately formed, which again went into battle on repaired combat vehicles. Lieutenant Gringold went into battle three times in new vehicles. Being shell-shocked and wounded, he did not leave the battlefield and destroyed up to 60 Russian tanks. The Israeli tankers survived and won, the 210th Panzer Division, under the command of General Dan Laner, arrived in time to defeat the enemy. 
Israeli tanks Centurion. Yom Kippur War 1973 Sinai desert
Israeli tank Centurion. War Yom Kippur 1973. golan heights
During the fighting, the Iraqi tank corps, which was sent to help the Syrians, was also defeated. Israeli troops launched a counteroffensive and on October 14 were already in the suburbs of Damascus.
Destroyed and captured Russian armored vehicles - T-62 tanks. October 1973 golan heights
An equally fierce tank battle took place in the sands of Sinai, where the Arabs at first managed to push back parts of the 252nd Panzer Division of General Mendler. General Mendler died in battle, but stopped the further advance of the enemy. On October 7, the 162nd Panzer Division under the command of General Bren and the 143rd Panzer Division under the command of General Ariel Sharon entered the battle. During heavy tank battles, the main forces of the Arabs were destroyed.
Commander of the 162nd Panzer Division, General Avraham Adan (Bren)
On October 14, the largest oncoming battle of tank formations since the Second World War took place, "tanks against tanks", in which 260 enemy tanks were destroyed. Israeli tankers lost 20 of their combat vehicles.
On October 16, Israeli tank forces launched a counteroffensive. General Sharon's tankers broke through the front, set up a pontoon ferry across the Suez Canal, and Israeli tanks poured onto the African coast. In the ensuing battles, the Egyptian army was surrounded, all its reserves were destroyed, and a direct road was opened for an attack on Cairo.
Video of the 14th Armored Brigade fighting during the Yom Kippur War in Sinai
War Yom Kippur. October 1973
During the fierce tank battles of the Yom Kippur War, Israeli tank forces once again proved their superiority: more than 2,500 enemy tanks (T-62, T-55, T-54) and thousands of other armored vehicles were destroyed in the battles. However, a high price had to be paid for the victory - more than a thousand heroically fighting Israeli tankers died in the battles.
Merkava tank
One of the results of the past wars was the creation of our own tank, in which the requirements of Israeli tankers for a combat vehicle were most fully implemented and their combat experience was taken into account. Another reason that prompted the creation of the Israeli tank was the embargo on the supply of military equipment, introduced by foreign manufacturers every time a war broke out. This situation was intolerable, since a continuous stream of Russian weapons always went to the Arabs.
At the head of the Israeli tank project was General Israel Tal, a combat tank officer who had gone through all the wars. Under his leadership, in just a few years, the project of the first Israeli tank "Merkava-1" was created, which already in 1976 was put into mass production at Israeli tank factories. Such a pace of creation of the tank industry has not yet known the history of world tank building.
The commander of the paratrooper brigade, Colonel Rafael Eitan and the commander of the tank division, General Israel Tal. 1967 Six Day War
General Tal gave the new tank the name "Merkava", which means "war chariot" in Hebrew. This word came from the Tanakh, it is mentioned in the first chapter of the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel as a symbol of movement, power and a stable foundation.
Tank of the first generation Merkava Mk1 
Tank of the second generation Merkava Mk2 
Tank third generation Merkava Mk3 
Tank fourth generation Merkava Mk4
The first Merkava tanks were equipped with a tank battalion commanded by the son of General Tal. The Merkava tank is recognized as the world's best tank for the Middle East theater of operations. Israeli designers were the first in the world to develop dynamic armor, the use of which greatly reduced the likelihood of a tank being hit by projectiles and guided missiles. Blocks of dynamic protection "Blazer" were installed on Merkava tanks, and on most of the "Centurions", M48 and M60, which remained in service with the IDF
.Now the fourth generation of Merkava tanks is being produced, and the Israeli tank industry has become one of the largest in the world - tens of thousands of engineers and workers work at more than 200 enterprises.
War in Lebanon. 1982
"Shlom a-Galil" (Peace in Galilee) - this is how the IDF General Staff called the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, which began on June 6, 1982. in response to attacks by Palestinian terrorists operating from Lebanese territory.
On the Lebanese border, Israel has concentrated 11 divisions, united in three army corps. Each corps was assigned its own area of responsibility or direction: Lieutenant General Yekutiel Adam commanded the Western direction, Lieutenant General Uri Simhoni commanded the Central direction, Lieutenant General Janusz Ben-Gal commanded the Eastern direction. In addition, two divisions were deployed in the Golan Heights, in the immediate vicinity of Damascus, under the command of Lieutenant General Moshe Bar Kochba. The armored divisions had 1,200 tanks. The overall command of the operation was entrusted to the Chief of the General Staff, Colonel General R. Eitan and the commander of the Northern Military District, Lieutenant General A. Drori.
Panzer divisions advanced in the coastal direction and already on June 10 entered the suburbs of the capital of Lebanon, Beirut. Later, Beirut was completely captured by Israeli troops. During the offensive, the largest amphibious landing operation was carried out, when tank and motorized infantry units were landed behind enemy lines from landing ships of the Israeli Navy.
Particularly fierce fighting unfolded in the eastern direction, where the strategically important Beirut-Damascus highway was the goal of the offensive. Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, Israeli tanks were stopped about 30 kilometers from the Syrian capital Damascus.
Israeli tanks and infantry are fighting in Beirut. 1982
operation in Lebanon. 2006
During the operation in Lebanon in July-August 2006. The IDF was practicing completely new methods of warfare against terrorist groups.
The terrorist organization Hezbollah created a system in depth of fortified areas in southern Lebanon, which included many camouflaged underground bunkers connected by tens of kilometers of tunnels. The weapons and equipment accumulated by the militants, according to their plans, should have been enough for many months of defense, during which they expected to inflict heavy losses on the Israeli army.
The terrorists paid special attention to the anti-tank war - they carried out continuous mining in the tank-hazardous areas, including the laying of dozens of land mines with hundreds of kilograms of TNT in each. The terrorists were armed with the most modern Russian anti-tank weapons: ATGMs Malyutka, Fagot, Konkurs, Metis-M, Kornet-E, as well as RPG-7 and RPG-29 Vampire grenade launchers.
Despite such an impressive training of militants, the IDF successfully completed all the assigned tasks with minimal losses and completely eliminated the terrorist presence in the border areas.
According to Israeli data, during the fighting, the militants carried out hundreds of launches of anti-tank missiles, but their effectiveness was quite low: there were only 22 cases of penetration of tank armor, damaged tanks returned to service after repairs during the fighting in Lebanon. Irretrievable losses amounted to only 5 tanks, of which two were blown up by land mines. During the fighting, 30 Israeli tankers were killed.
Israeli Armored Forces
All military experts note the high survivability of Israeli tanks, especially the most modern Merkava 4 tank.
The experience of the battles in Lebanon showed that despite the minimal losses of armored vehicles during the battles, the solution to the problem of the survivability of the main battle tank and its crew on a battlefield saturated with anti-tank weapons is the use of high-tech active protection equipment that ensures a change in the trajectory or the defeat of all types of incoming cumulative ammunition.
In Israel, the development of active protection for armored vehicles is carried out by the RAFAEL military-industrial concern, among the numerous projects, the Iron Fist and Trophy active protection complexes should be noted. Israel is leading in this direction - the Trophy active protection system has become the first in the world to be installed on mass-produced Merkava Mk4 tanks.
Israeli tank troops have come a long way and are rightfully considered one of the strongest in the world - according to open data, it is known that now the IDF is armed with up to 5,000 tanks. This is more than, for example, in countries such as the UK, France and Germany. But the main strength of the Israeli armored forces lies in people whose invaluable combat experience and courage are the guarantor of Israel's security.
Israeli tank forces appeared in the middle of the last century during the war for independence. To date, the tank fleet of the Israeli army has from 4 to 5 thousand tanks, and the tankers have invaluable combat experience that they have gained in numerous wars and armed conflicts.
Before the 1956 war, the Israeli government decided to reorganize the army, the core of which was to be tank troops. For this purpose, 1000 pieces were purchased in the UK. "Centurions", in the USA "M48" and a little later "M60". After the war, over 500 Soviet captured T-52s, T-55s and T-62s appeared in the army, in addition to this, the fleet included vehicles from the period of the Second World War.
In an attempt to modernize obsolete models, and most importantly in an effort to unify the "motley" tank fleet among themselves, Israeli designers have gained production and design experience, which allowed them to develop their own tank.
In the 70s, the implementation of the program of the Israeli government to create a national tank began. The main requirement for the creation of the main battle tank was to ensure high survivability of the tank as a whole and the crew in particular, possibly even to the detriment of some other technical characteristics. The result of the solution of such requirements was the front location of the engine compartment, as an additional protection for the crew. Already in 1976, the main battle tank "Merkava-1" was put into mass production at Israeli factories. After a series of upgrades "Merkava MK 2", "Merkava" MK 3 "and" Merkava MK 4 "tank is considered one of the best in the world.
Throughout its short history of independence, Israel has been forced to fight to defend its borders and defend itself against terrorist attacks. To survive, the Israelis had to pay great attention to the development of the armed forces and the military-industrial complex. Today, the Israeli army (IDF) is one of the most advanced and combat-ready armed forces in the world, and the country's military-industrial complex is considered no less advanced. In 2010, Israel exported $7.2 billion worth of military products, ranking fourth in the world. Only the USA, Russia and Germany had the best indicators.
This is not surprising: almost all Israeli military developments are tested in real combat conditions. The military leadership of the country pays great attention to the development of armored forces and the creation of new, more and more advanced models of armored vehicles.
For several decades, the main tank of the IDF has been the Merkava; it was put into service in the late 70s of the last century. From Hebrew, "merkava" is translated as "war chariot", but the meaning of this word is somewhat deeper. It is found in the Old Testament texts and denotes the chariot of God and at the same time his throne, drawn by fantastic animals.
The authoritative American analytical agency Forecast International releases a rating of the best tanks in the world every year. In recent years, the Merkava has almost always taken a leading position in it, ahead of the German Leopard and the Russian T-90. In terms of its layout and some characteristics, the Merkava is a truly unique combat vehicle that has no analogues among modern battle tanks.
A feature of the Merkava is its development for a specific theater of operations and its "sharpness" for tactics that are most often used by IDF tankers. Since 1979, four modifications of the Merkava have been created: Mk.1, Mk.2, Mk.3 and Mk.4. Currently, work is underway to create the next modification of the tank, but, most likely, the Merkava-5 will be a new generation combat vehicle, unlike its predecessors.
History of creation
The development of the Merkava tank began in 1970 after the British refused to sell the Chieftain Mk 1 to the Israelis. Such a demarche turned out to be a complete surprise for the country's leadership, it was decided to create their own combat vehicle.
The developers were led not by an engineer, but by a professional tanker Israel Tal, who went through the entire Second World War, stood at the origins of the creation of the IDF and took part in all the Arab-Israeli wars. For world tank building, this is a rather unusual situation. Tal is considered the founding father of the Israeli armored forces.
After analyzing the Six Day War and the Sinai campaign, Tal came to the conclusion that all the main battle tanks (MBTs) that existed at that time were not very suitable for the Israeli army. A new machine was needed, the characteristics of which would be most consistent with the nature of the theater of operations and the Israeli defense doctrine.
When creating a new tank, the main emphasis was placed on its firepower, maneuverability and, most importantly, on the security of the crew. Even after the defeat of the car, the tankers had to stay alive. Another important feature of Israel, which largely determined the appearance and characteristics of the Merkava, is the compactness of this country. The fact is that the dimensions and weight of tanks to the greatest extent set the standards for rail transportation. Israel created a combat vehicle to protect its own territory, where it is quite possible to use automobile platforms for transportation. The designers had less stringent restrictions on the weight and dimensions of the vehicle being developed, so today the Merkava is one of the heaviest tanks.
"Merkava" is not suitable for use in conditions of frost, tropical humidity or Russian off-road. But it is perfectly adapted to the mountains and deserts of the Middle East. Such a narrow specialization practically nullified the export potential of the tank, but the Israelis created it to protect their country.
The tactics of the Israeli armored forces involves firing from well-prepared positions on the slopes of the heights. With such use, the tank turret is very vulnerable, so the developers tried to reduce its frontal projection, and place most of the fighting compartment in the hull.
The first layout of the Merkava was ready in 1971. At the beginning of 1979, the first serial Merkava Mk.1 vehicles entered service. 250 units of this modification were produced. Since then, four generations of combat vehicles have been created, and in each of them, designers have implemented revolutionary ideas for modern tank building.
Design Description
The main difference between the Merkava and other modern tanks is its layout: the engine and transmission are located in the front of the hull, and the fighting compartment occupies the middle and rear. In the aft part of the tank there is a troop compartment, in which infantrymen, wounded, additional ammunition or a replacement crew can be transported. This unique design idea, in fact, turns the Merkava into a universal vehicle capable of performing the role of infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers.
Another non-standard solution is the design of the hull and turret of the tank - they are cast. Armor "Merkava" has large angles of inclination, the engine compartment is shifted to the starboard side of the tank, on the left is the control compartment with the driver's seat. He has three observation devices (periscopes), but due to the displacement of his workplace to the left, the view is very limited.
An armored partition is installed between the engine and fighting compartment. The main fuel supply is located in the rear of the armored fenders, in their front part there are air intakes.
The turret of the tank has a wedge-shaped shape, which contributes to an increase in the number of ricochets when hit in its front part. The Merkava tower has spaced armor, additional protection elements are located between the two main walls. At the back of the tower is a basket.
In the turret there are places for three crew members: the loader, the tank commander and the gunner. The place of the loader is located to the left of the gun; if necessary, he can act as a gunner or driver. The gunner's place is to the right of the gun; to perform his functions, he has an optical sight with a laser rangefinder and a ballistic computer. For a general overview, there is a periscope observation device.
The commander's seat is behind and slightly above the gunner. He has a panoramic optical sight, in addition, the commander has access to the data that the gunner receives. Based on them, he can give target designations or aim a gun.
At the rear of the tank there is a compartment that can accommodate paratroopers (6 people), four stretchers with the wounded or additional ammunition. The tactics of using the Merkava does not provide for the transportation of troops, usually the rear compartment is used for additional shells.
The Merkava Mk.1 is armed with a 105 mm M68 cannon, designed in the USA and produced in Israel under license. The gun is stabilized in two planes and has a thermal jacket. Ammunition is 62 rounds. A Belgian 7.62 mm MAG machine gun, produced under license, is paired with the cannon. Two more machine guns (7.62 mm) are mounted on the roof of the turret. Above the barrel of the gun is a 12.7 mm machine gun, which is controlled remotely. Also, a 60-mm mortar is installed on the tower, its ammunition load is 30 min.
The engine is an American turbocharged diesel AVDS-1790-5A, the transmission is CD-850-6B, also made in the USA, it has been finalized by local specialists.
Suspension spring, type Christie. On each side there are six rubber-coated road wheels and five supporting ones. The caterpillars are all-metal, their width is 640 mm.
Tank modifications
The Merkava Mk.1 took part in the 1982 Lebanese war, after which Israeli designers created a modification of the Merkava Mk.2. It took into account the experience of the first combat use of the tank. The changes affected the security of the vehicle, its cross-country ability and increased firepower.
The armor of the turret was reinforced with additional screens with combined armor, and the protection of the sides was similarly improved. The mortar was moved inside the tower, now it was possible to fire without leaving the car. Baskets for various property were mounted on the tower, which were additional protection. To protect against cumulative ammunition, balls on chains were hung on the tower.
The tank received a more advanced ballistic computer and a rangefinder, a little later a thermal imager was installed on it.
The mass of the Merkava Mk.2 has increased to 65 tons.
"Merkava Mk.3". In this modification, the sides and turret received additional armor protection, a more powerful 120-mm MG251 smoothbore gun was installed on the tank. Ammunition decreased to 46 shots. Laser radiation sensors were installed on the Merkava Mk.3, which warned the crew of the danger of shelling with guided missiles. This modification received the MSA "Matador-3".
The mass of the Merkava Mk.3 was 65 tons.
"Merkava Mk.4". It was put into service in 2004. It was equipped with a new diesel engine GD883 General Dynamics (USA) with a capacity of 1500 hp. from. and transmission Renk RK 325 (Germany) with five speeds.
The shape of the turret has changed significantly due to the new configuration of armor modules, and the gun has received a mask. The main armor was also strengthened, the loader lost the hatch, and the commander's hatch became so massive that it opens mechanically. The visibility for the driver was improved, he received a rear-view camera. Mine bottom protection has become more reliable.
The tank commander received a new panoramic sight with a thermal imager, the gunner's sight was installed on the roof. The tank was equipped with a new BIUS "Tsayad".
A new MG253 gun was installed on the Merkava Mk.4, which can withstand higher pressure of powder gases. An automatic loader appeared in the niche of the tower, which houses 10 shells. The rest of the ammunition is located in the stern of the tank.
After the Lebanese war of 2006, the Trophy active protection complex (KAZ) was installed on the Merkava Mk.4. Combat vehicles equipped with KAZ received the designation "Merkava Mk.4M". "Trophy" is designed to combat anti-tank missiles (ATGM) and rocket-propelled grenades. The system consists of 4 radars, they detect ammunition flying up to the car and give the command to destroy it.
KAZ "Trophy" is the first such system that has been tested in real combat conditions.
During the last IDF combat operation in Lebanon, Hezbollah fighters fired more than 1,000 Russian-made ATGMs at Merkava Mk.4 tanks. Only 22 vehicles were damaged (mostly old modifications), 5 tanks were lost. That is, the effectiveness of modern Russian anti-tank systems against the Merkava was only 0.5%. Now an even more advanced KAZ Meil Ruach (“Air Cloak”) is being developed.
Assessment of the combat vehicle and its future
OBS "Merkava" is, without a doubt, one of the best tanks of our time. It has certain disadvantages, caused, first of all, by its non-standard layout. Due to the location of the engine in front of the vehicle, the nose of the tank is heavily overweight, which creates strong longitudinal oscillations of the hull when firing and reduces accuracy. The heat from the engine knocks down the work of sights.
The current mass of the tank has reached 70 tons, which indicates the impossibility of further increasing the armor. The mass introduction of the SLA on tanks has changed the statistics of hits, now they fall more on the hull. At the Merkava, it is less protected than the tower.
However, the general security of the Merkava, the convenience of the crew, and high firepower outweigh the above disadvantages. When an Israeli tank is defeated, its crew simply turns into infantry, and any serious defeat of Soviet tanks (Russian, Ukrainian) is almost guaranteed to lead to the death of tankers.
Specifications
| Crew | 4 people |
| Weight with ammunition | 65 tons |
| Tank length | 7 m 45 cm |
| Length with cannon | 9 m 40 cm |
| Clearance | 53 cm |
| Track width | 3 m 72 cm |
| Tower hatch height | 2 m 70 cm |
| CHARACTERISTICS IN RIDING CONDITIONS | |
| Engine power, 12-cylinder, four-stroke, water-cooled, turbocharged diesel | 1500 l. from. |
| Resource tank with diesel fuel on the highway; capacity 1400 liters | 500 km |
| Road speed | 65 km/h |
| Field speed | 50 km/h |
| Barrier elevation angle | 30 degrees |
| barrier barrier | 1m |
| Moat barrier | 3m |
| ford barrier | 1 m 38 cm |
| BATTLE WEAPONS | |
| gun type; caliber | Smoothbore caliber 120 mm |
| Gun ammunition | 10 shells in the machine gun + 36 shells + 14 emergency |
| FN MAG coaxial machine gun | 7.62 mm |
| Anti-aircraft machine gun | 7.62 mm |
| Mortar | 60 mm |
| PROTECTION AND DEFENSE | |
| Armor steel cast combined, active, dynamic protection. |
Tank video
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The Israeli "Chariot" was left far behind.
Comparison of tanks from different manufacturers in terms of combat use and everyday operation leaves no choice for potential buyers or independent experts.
In the last decade of the last century, and especially now, all kinds of ratings have become fashionable, the purpose of which is to identify the best product for its successful promotion to a potential buyer. The world arms market was no exception. Comparative characteristics of aircraft, ships, cannons, small arms, etc., etc. filled the pages of special military publications. Comparable indicators are in the hundreds and even thousands.
But as the military who have taken part in armed conflicts in recent years say, there is comparative statistics that demonstrate on paper the superiority of one or another model over its counterpart, and there is a battlefield - a real one, where equipment manifests itself in different ways. It is here, and not in the virtual space of computer exercises, that victory or defeat is determined, the obvious advantage of one combat vehicle over another.
Rating cabal
At the end of the first five years of this century, Forecast International analysts prepared another tank rating. In their opinion, the best in the world at that time was the American M1A2 SEP Abrams (manufactured by General Dynamics Corporation). He proved himself during the war in Iraq. In second place was the Israeli tank Merkava Mark IV (producer - Israel Ordnance Corps). In combat, he seemed to demonstrate good capabilities. The third position was taken by the Japanese "Type 90" (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries). The tank was created on the basis of the German Leopard 2 and was positioned as the most high-tech. However, this machine has not been tested in combat, and therefore it can only be evaluated theoretically. The German Leopard 2A6 (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann) did not experience the fire of battles either, and therefore ended up in fourth place. The fifth line went to the British Challenger 2 (Vickers Defense Systems Division), which also took a sip of fire and dust in Iraq, but did not meet some NATO standards.
Five years later, the Military Ordnance magazine (USA) replicated its view of the best tanks in the world, taking as a basis the main combat properties - mobility, firepower, armor protection. In this rating, the places in the top five were distributed as follows: Leopard-2A5 (Germany), M1A2 (USA), Type 90 (Japan), Leclerc (France), Challenger 2 (Great Britain). The Russian T-90S took the seventh position, and the Israeli Merkava Mk3 rounded out the top ten, leaving behind the legendary Soviet-era vehicle, the T-72 tank.
A few years later, the same American magazine published a new rating. As before, the first position was occupied by the German Leopard-2A6. The American M1A2 SEP flew from second to third place, letting the Japanese forward, Leclerc and Challenger 2 exchanged positions. The Russian main battle tank (MBT) T-90S failed to break into the top five. But it was he who became in these years the most sought-after machine on the international arms market. And this is not a rating, but a concrete fact, confirmed by real contracts. Following the Russian tank, Leopard-2, Leclerc and M1A2 were placed.
Let's take for comparison not only tactical and technical characteristics, but also such parameters as the novelty of tank technology, the conceptual features of combat vehicles, "price-quality", and most importantly - participation in real combat operations. According to these criteria, only two cars will have to be compared - the Russian T-90S and the Israeli "Chariot" (that's how "Merkava" is translated), more precisely, the "Merkava Mk4". Some experts consider this tank the best in the world.
The rest either did not participate in battles (German Leopard 2A6, Japanese Type 90, Chinese Type 99, South Korean K1A1 and K2), or were conceptually created back in the 70-80s of the last century. In addition, the price characteristics of the M1A2, Leclerc and Leopard tanks are simply off the charts and are beyond the reach of the vast majority of buyers of military equipment.
The tank took part in the second Lebanese war in 2006. Then about 400 tanks were involved. They were mainly used to support infantry and evacuate the wounded from the battlefield. This is the conceptual difference between the Merkava and the T-90S MBT, created, like all Soviet / Russian tanks, for offensive combat and the destruction of tanks, artillery and enemy fortifications. An indestructible armored fist that sweeps everything in its path with powerful fire - that's what the Russian T-90S is.
There is no exact information about the losses of Israeli tanks in 2006. But even according to those obviously underestimated data that were published in the Israeli newspaper Globes, one can judge serious damage. Of the 400 tanks of three modifications participating in the operation (Mk2, Mk3, Mk4), 52 were hit. Fifty vehicles were hit by ATGM missiles, two were blown up by land mines. But according to Lebanese military estimates, the Israel Defense Forces lost more than twice as many tanks.
"Black Sabbath" for armored vehicles fell on Saturday 12 August 2006. During the offensive of the best in the IDF, the 401st Ikvot ha-Barzel brigade, equipped with the latest Merkavs Mk4, 11 out of 24 vehicles that took part in the hostilities were hit by anti-tank missiles. The enemy did not have heavy weapons, moreover, Israel ensured its complete air supremacy. Under such conditions, even the losses officially published by the Israeli media can be considered very large.
Of the 50 Chariots hit by missiles, 22 (44%) had armor pierced, as a result of which 30 of the 208 crew members died and 25 were injured. For comparison: in the first Lebanese campaign in 1982, 47 percent of Israeli tanks were pierced through, in the Yom Kippur War, 60 percent of vehicles received such damage. Thus, the 2006 conflict of the year showed that it is not at all necessary to penetrate the armor of the Merkava in order to render the vehicle harmless. To defeat a tank, it is enough just to hit it. The statistics of those who died by type of tanks: 10 people died in three Merkava Mk2s, 9 in four Mk3s, and 11 in six Mk4s. This leads to an extremely disappointing conclusion: most of the crew members died in the most modern Israeli Merkava Mk4 tanks.
Export prospects
Nevertheless, in recent years, the Israeli leadership has been aggressively promoting its "Chariot" to the world market, including the dynamically developing countries of Southeast Asia (SEA). However, the top military leadership of these states, which has experience in combat operations, is very cautious about such proposals. They are well aware that the Merkava Mk4 was created exclusively for use in the IDF and can be effectively used in the Middle East theater of operations (TVD). It has a hot and dry climate, sandy and rocky soils, limited territories, no impenetrable forests and water barriers, and tanks are delivered to the place of combat use on trailers.
How will this car behave in the tropical jungle, on soft and swampy soils, in the absence of an extensive paved road network, long distances, an abundance of rivers, swamps and rice plantations? There are no answers to these questions, since the tests of the Merkava Mk4 in such climatic zones were not carried out, there is no experience of using an Israeli tank in the difficult physical and geographical conditions of the Southeast Asian region.
However, one does not need to be a major analyst to understand the obvious: the heavy Merkava Mk4 tank, weighing 67 tons, will get bogged down to the very tower, becoming a helpless target. In addition, there are very few stone bridges in this region that can withstand the weight of an armored monster. And the Merkava Mk4 will not be able to overcome water obstacles along the bottom, since it does not have equipment for underwater driving.
It was created on the basis of the experience of operation and combat use of the T-72 tank and is its further development. T-72 is one of the most massive in the world, is in service with many states. In addition, it is this machine that has unsurpassed experience in combat use in many local wars and armed conflicts in various climatic and physical and geographical conditions. The T-90S MBT retained all the best features of its predecessor, embodied new achievements of Russian military-technical thought and modern developments in domestic tank building. Therefore, the machine has received recognition in the global arms and military equipment market. Before making large-scale purchases, potential customers gave the Russian tank the most severe survival tests in the harshest climatic conditions and training situations as close as possible to combat. It was the T-90S that turned out to be the most reliable and enduring in the conditions of the Indian Thar Desert (Rajasthan). After successfully passing the exams, Jaswant Singh, who at that time held the post of Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs of India, said that the T-90S is the second deterrent factor for potential military threats after nuclear weapons.
Another important detail that potential buyers pay attention to. In the production of the Israeli Merkava Mk4 tank, 28 percent of the components are imported from abroad, including such critical units as the engine and transmission. MT883 engine components are manufactured by MTU (Germany), assembled under license by General Dynamics Land Systems in the USA and then exported to Israel as the GD883 power plant. The RK325 transmission is manufactured by Renk (Germany).
This makes the production and export of Israeli tanks heavily dependent on several foreign suppliers from different countries at once, which creates additional problems for buyers. For example, the repair of an engine or transmission must be carried out at the factory producing these components, which increases the repair time and cost. In addition, any change in the political vector can lead to a ban on the supply of spare parts, equipment, and ammunition. As a result, the tank becomes a pile of scrap metal.
Compare and Think
An unbiased look at military equipment allows us to draw objective conclusions. Let's compare the main characteristics of the two tanks.
A characteristic feature of the tank "Merkava Mk4" is the layout with the location of the engine compartment (MTO) in front of the hull with an offset to the starboard side. To the left of it is the control room. According to the developers, such a constructive solution provides additional protection for the crew. But the control compartment is not covered by the engine and transmission on the left side. In addition, due to the displacement of the driver's workplace to the port side and the slight angle of inclination of the upper armor plate of the MTO, the view to the right is very limited. This complicates the control of the machine, for example when maneuvering between obstacles.
Placing in the aft part of the Merkava Mk4 tank a compartment for infantrymen, a stretcher with the wounded or an additional set of ammunition significantly increased the internal armored volume. It is twice the booked volume of the Russian T-90S. Such an internal volume is very difficult to protect against modern anti-tank weapons, even with a weight of almost 70 tons. An attempt to bring the protection of the "Chariot" to the level of the T-90S will lead to an even greater increase in the weight of the Israeli vehicle.
In turn, the T-90S has a classic layout with a rear engine compartment. Thanks to optimal layout solutions and the use of an automatic loader, the tank has a minimum armored volume, which made it possible to provide protection at the level of modern requirements with a vehicle weight of 47.5 tons.
The placement of the T-90S tank driver in the center gives him a good overview and the ability to accurately control the tank in difficult traffic conditions. The crew of the Russian tank consists of three, not four people, as in Chariot. Landing and disembarking of the entire crew of the T-90S is carried out in 8-12 seconds. On the Merkava Mk4, this takes much longer, since the loader does not have its own hatch, and the commander's is so heavy and massive that an electric drive is used to open it.
The firepower of the Merkava Mk4 is provided by an armament complex, including a 120-mm gun-launcher, 7.62-mm and 12.7-mm machine guns. The latter can be replaced by a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. The installation of a 40-mm grenade launcher confirms the main purpose of the tank - the fight against enemy manpower.
The T-90S tank is armed with a 125-mm cannon-launcher of increased accuracy, coaxial 7.62-mm and anti-aircraft 12.7-mm machine guns.
Loading the gun of the tank "Merkava Mk4" manual. In this case, 10 shells are placed in an electric drum mechanism that feeds shells to the loader, the remaining 36 shots are in refractory containers in the aft part of the hull. The absence of an automatic loader reduces the rate of fire and also increases the internal armor volume, which again significantly increases the mass of the tank.
Loading the gun of the T-90S tank is automatic. The presence of an automatic loader increases the combat rate of fire of the tank to eight rounds per minute, which exceeds the capabilities of the Merkava Mk4. The main thing is that this rate of fire does not depend on fatigue, injury and the psychological state of the loader.
The fire control systems of both tanks are similar in composition and combat properties and include combined (day / night) sights with aiming line stabilization, a two-plane weapon stabilizer, automatic target tracking, a digital ballistic computer, and a guided weapon system.
The security of the Merkava Mk4, like the T-90S, is multi-level. It is provided with armor, an automated system for setting smoke screens, and active protection.
For a vehicle with an internal volume, as on the Merkava Mk4, it is impossible to provide all-round protection against modern anti-tank ammunition by passive means alone. This was confirmed by the experience of combat use. As a result, an active protection system was installed on the tank.
Strengthening protection against defeat from above led to an increase in the size of the Merkava Mk4. As a result, the tank became much higher, which significantly reduced its camouflage properties, and increased the area of frontal and side projections.
The smaller dimensions of the T-90S tank, its height and frontal projection area make it difficult to detect the vehicle on the battlefield due to the better use of the protective properties of the terrain and significantly reduce the likelihood of hits by an opposing weapon. For the T-90S, a camouflage kit "Cape" was developed, which significantly reduces the visibility of the machine in the optical, thermal and radar ranges, respectively, its camouflage properties increase.
Another plus of the T-90S is the bulldozer blade, thanks to which the tank is able to dig a full-size trench in 20-30 minutes without auxiliary means. There is no such thing on the Merkava Mk4.
An analysis of the armor protection of two tanks allows us to conclude that the T-90S tank is superior to the Merkava Mk4 in terms of the ballistic resistance of the hull and turret due to the spaced armor and the quality of the armor plates, as well as the presence of dynamic protection. The dynamic protection that the T-90S tank is equipped with is the best in the world today. Its feature is high efficiency against both cumulative and armor-piercing sub-caliber ammunition.
The protection of the Merkava Mk4 tank is primarily aimed at reducing the damaging effect of cumulative ammunition. This once again confirms the fact that the Israeli "Chariot" is designed for use in specific conditions and against a specific enemy - manpower armed with ATGMs and RPGs. When conducting combat operations against tanks armed with powerful armor-piercing sub-caliber shells, the protection of the Merkava Mk4 is ineffective.
As for the automated system for placing smoke screens, which warns of laser guidance and provides automatic shooting of a smoke bomb towards the beam source, both machines are equipped with it.
The dimensions and heavy weight of the Merkava Mk4 significantly limit both operational-tactical and strategic mobility. The Israeli tank is equipped with a 1500 horsepower engine. The T-90S has an engine power of 1000 horsepower. But if we decompose the horsepower into the weight of the tanks, then their capabilities are comparable. Increased power leads to increased fuel consumption. The cruising range on the asphalt of both tanks is about 500 kilometers. But the "Chariot" will eat 1400 liters of fuel, and the T-90S - only 1200. The military understands that in combat conditions the difference is significant. In addition, the Merkava Mk4 only runs on diesel fuel. The engine of the T-90S tank is multi-fuel, which gives obvious advantages in wartime.
Not everyone knows that the Merkava Mk4 is equipped with a spring suspension. When driving over rough terrain, it limits the speed of the vehicle and the accuracy of shooting on the move, since hull vibrations seriously affect the stabilization error when pointing the weapon. On the armored vehicles of the main armies of the world, this type of suspension is practically not used.
The T-90S tank is equipped with a torsion bar suspension, which ensures high ride comfort, the ability to move over rough terrain at high speeds and increased firing accuracy on the move. The automatic gear change improves the convenience of control, reduces the physical stress and fatigue of the driver, especially on long marches when moving in a column.
The T-90S is highly reliable. This is one of the principles that guide Russian engineers when creating tanks. Our tanks have a huge reserve for modernization and are distinguished by the ease of training the crew and technical staff, high performance, which significantly reduces the requirements for the level of training of operators.
And, finally, in terms of the "price-quality" parameter, the Russian T-90S left far behind not only the Merkava Mk4, but also the tanks of other leading manufacturers. Therefore, it became the best-selling in foreign markets.
The Israeli main battle tank Merkava (Chariot) was first shown in 1979 and surprised many with its layout, eventually becoming the subject of debate as to whether such a modern MBT design is justified. During its development, mainly defensive battle tactics and the need for maximum crew protection were taken into account, which led to a change in priorities. Most MBTs are designed on the principle of firepower-protection-mobility, while the Merkava has protection as a priority.
The Israelis created MBT, which was to be used only in their country and not exported to others. Therefore, the Merkava fully meets their specific requirements, while having drawbacks that would be noticeable in other armies, but we will talk about them at the end of the article.
Design
The chief designer, Yisrael Tal, led an armored brigade during the Suez Crisis and a division during the Six Day War, so he, like no one else, knew about the peculiarities of warfare and significantly influenced Israel's armored doctrine.
According to her, most of the fighting had to be conducted from pre-prepared defensive positions in natural shelters due to elevation changes. Thus, often only the tower will be vulnerable to enemy fire. Therefore, when developing the Merkava, the frontal silhouette of its turret was reduced as much as possible, and the fighting compartment was moved as much as possible to the hull.
The second task to be solved was the maximum protection of the crew. And here the car stands out again. Its layout is not similar to other modern MBTs, since the engine, transmission and fuel tank are moved forward, separated from each other by an armored partition and separated from the crew by another armored partition, which is thus protected not only by frontal armor.
In addition, the fighting compartment in the hull is maximized and has a door at the rear, so the Merkava MBT can transport 6 paratroopers, 4 stretchers with wounded or additional ammunition, which is a unique feature.
armor protection
By itself, the protection of the tank is unusual and stands out from the others. The differences are in the already mentioned layout, in which the engine and transmission act as additional armor, and the high altitude contributes to more hits. The hull and turret are cast, have a strong slope, and the upper armor plate can be removed and has a special ledge that closes the junction of the turret and hull.
On the sides of the hull are screens that protect the undercarriage.
The Merkava tower, as already mentioned, has a small frontal projection, which is ensured by a wedge-shaped shape, which also increases the chances of a rebound. Its design is original, since the protection consists of two layers of spaced armor, between the walls of which there are cartridge boxes for machine guns. The battles in Lebanon showed that this was not enough, so the following modifications received additional armor.
An interesting feature is the headlights, which are hidden in the body under the cover of armor and open during use.
With each modification, the armor protection of the Merkava grows upwards. For example, additional screens and modular armor appear.
Armament
Initially, they installed the American 105 mm M68, which is a licensed version of the English L7A1, but immediately provided for the installation of a larger caliber gun in the turret design. Ammunition is 62 rounds, but can always be increased by the fighting compartment.
Starting with the Mk.3 modification, the tank began to be equipped with an Israeli-made 120 mm MG251 gun.
Auxiliary armament consists of a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and two additional removable FN MAG machine guns on the roof of the turret. The total ammunition load is 2000 rounds. Optionally, a 12.7 mm M2NV machine gun can be mounted on the gun mantlet.
To set up smoke screens, a mortar is provided, which allows you to fire while under cover of armor starting from Mk.2.
The fire control system of the Matador is at a high level and is updated with each modification. However, the accuracy and rate of fire are at a rather mediocre level. This is due to both the layout and the requirements of the Israeli military.
As in all modern MBTs, aiming at the target is carried out using sighting devices. The problem is that the front-mounted engine with jets of hot air greatly reduces the capabilities of these devices, creating a constant thermal field around the tank. This is partly solved by the tactics of firing from pre-prepared positions and with a cold engine, but this is far from always applicable in practice.
Moreover, due to the layout, the front of the Merkava is heavily overweight, which creates strong longitudinal oscillations when firing, significantly reducing the accuracy of the repeated shot and forcing the rate of fire to decrease several times due to pauses between shots.
But all this is not considered critical by the Israeli military, due to tactics and the use of corrective ammunition, which allow them to hit targets with almost 100% accuracy with the first shot.
Chassis and engine
Israeli engineers decided to build a running gear based on the Centurion, as its suspension had excellent resistance to mines and explosive devices. It uses coil springs and four bolts to the hull of each hardpoint, making it easy to replace damaged parts and make the hull bottom V-shaped, resistant to explosions from below.
In total, on each side of the Merkava there are 6 rubber-coated road wheels, 5 support rollers, a drive wheel in front and a rear guide.
Caterpillars are also borrowed from the Centurion.
Most of the tanks are equipped with American AVDS-1790 diesel engines with 900 horsepower. and modified American Allison CD-850-6B semi-automatic transmissions. Due to their specific location, almost any projectile that penetrates the frontal armor immobilizes the vehicle. But they are assembled in one module, which allows quick and easy replacement in the field. Once again, the Merkava is not like other MBTs, in which part of the crew is disabled in such a situation, but the tank itself does not lose its ability to move.
Modifications
Merkava mk.1
The first version, serial production began in 1979, about 250 units were created in total. Participated in the 1982 Lebanese war, after which, given the shortcomings and vulnerabilities that appeared, it was decided to create a new version, as a result of which a modification of the Merkava MK.2 (Merkava Mk.1B) appeared. All tanks of the first modification were later brought to a new level.
Merkava mk.2
Version created on the basis of the experience of the Lebanese war. Received much better protection, increased firepower and increased cross-country ability. The side screens were replaced and the turret protection was improved by installing overhead screens. Behind the turret, baskets for property are installed and metal chains with balls are hung, all this provides additional protection against cumulative ammunition.
The MSA Matador-2 and a thermal imager were installed, the transmission was replaced with the Israeli "Ashot", the capacity of the fuel tanks was increased by 25% and the suspension was modernized.
In total, about 600 of these tanks were produced.
Merkava mk.3
The tank used modular armor protection for the hull and turret, which consists of special modules bolted to the hull and turret. This design allows you to easily and quickly replace damaged parts of the armor and increase the protection of the Merkava by simply replacing modules with more advanced ones.
The LWS-2 laser radiation system appeared, warning the crew about pointing various weapons at the tank, the FCS was replaced with Matador-3, the hydraulic drives for turning the turret and aiming the gun were replaced with electric ones, adding the possibility of manual duplication.
To increase firepower, a locally produced 120 mm MG251 smoothbore gun was installed, and to improve mobility, the AVDS-1790-9AR diesel engine was boosted to 1200 hp. and replaced the transmission with an Israeli one, also improved the suspension.
In total, about 640 units of such modifications were produced.
Merkava mk.4
The latest and most advanced version.
The protection has been increased even more, due to which the dimensions have increased, the mass has reached 70 tons. To maintain mobility, a new 1500 hp GD 883 engine was installed. The Trophy active protection complex has been installed, protecting the Merkava from guided missiles and anti-tank grenade launchers.
The turret has grown in size, is protected by modular armor and has only one hatch used by the commander, a new commander's cupola has been installed. Bottom protection added.
The Merkava Mk.4 tank promises to be the last in the series, after which it will be replaced by a fundamentally new next-generation vehicle.
Epilogue
As can be seen from the article, the Merkava tank was created purely for the requirements of the Israeli army, therefore it has pronounced strengths and weaknesses. It was not designed for long-distance transportation, so the large weight and dimensions practically do not affect anything. The impossibility of accurate shooting with minimal pauses, as well as shooting from the move, is gradually being corrected by new SLAs and adjustable ammunition, in addition, modern technologies make it possible to correct the increased thermal field in front of observation devices. The inability of the tank to move after breaking through the frontal armor is more than compensated by the protection of the crew, which, although it turns into simple infantry after the defeat of the tank, survives, and this is the main thing in Merkava's idea.
It is incorrect to compare this tank with other modern MBTs, since they are trying to be made universal and adapted to various climatic and combat conditions. Merkava is completely different.