The name of an Israeli tank. Merkava main battle tank. Layout: a fundamental difference from analogues

The Israelis consider their country to be a great tank power, and they see the Merkava tank, built at their own tank factories, as the best main battle tank in the world. Both statements are justified - indeed, the tank fleet of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF, in Hebrew - “Tsva hagana le Israel”, abbreviated as IDF), the most combat-ready and productive army in the Middle East, has up to 3 thousand tanks, and specially designed for the Middle Eastern theater of operations, the Merkava tank remains one of the most advanced among those currently in operation.

Interestingly, the British contributed in many ways to the early appearance of the Merkava tank. “The Englishwoman crap” - the catchwords attributed to the famous Russian commander Alexander Suvorov and used to define the various “intrigues” of Great Britain are quite consistent with this case. But more on that below.

I must say that the Israeli tank forces did not always have equipment that was at the forefront of technical development. For much of its history, the Israel Defense Forces have had to make do with second-hand tanks - cast-offs from the armies of other countries. So, in the 1950s. The basis of the IDF tank fleet was hopelessly outdated veterans of the Second World War - medium American Sherman tanks, however, there were also a number of more modern French light tanks AMX-13.

The second prototype of the tank "Merkava" in the museum in Latrun

I must say that most Israeli Shermans were bought at the price of scrap metal (which, in fact, they were at that time), and after delivery to Israel they had to be literally restored again. At the same time, much more modern armored vehicles, mostly of Soviet production, were being put into service with Israel's Arab opponents. Under these conditions, the Israeli military had to become specialists in modernizing their combat vehicles and adapting them to local conditions.

For example, by the mid-1960s The forces of the artillery depots of the IDF carried out a deep modernization of the Sherman tanks. These old men received a new engine (diesel Cummings 460 hp) and suspension, but most importantly - a modified version of the powerful French 105-mm tank gun CN 105 Fl (developed for the French AMX-30 tank). This gun gave Israeli tanks a real chance to successfully fight even with the new Soviet T-55 tanks that entered service with the Egyptian and Syrian armies.

Emblem of the Israeli Armored Forces

However, there were limits beyond which obsolete tanks could no longer be effectively upgraded. The IDF desperately needed more modern armored vehicles. In the early 1960s considered the possibility of setting up the production of a tank hull and turret of its own design in Israel itself, and purchasing the remaining components necessary for assembly abroad. However, at the time, the proposal was considered too ambitious and costly. Moreover, the "suppliers" managed to get several hundred relatively modern American M48 tanks, as well as older, but reliable British "Centurions" for the IDF.

French light tank AMX-13

With this in mind, Israel, having so far abandoned the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bproducing its own tank, began searching for a suitable vehicle that could be produced under license. Some sources claim that the first candidate for such licensed production was the French AMX-30 tank. Indeed, the Israelis had extensive military contracts with France, and General Israel Tal, then commander of the IDF armored forces, was visiting France to familiarize himself with the new AMX-30. However, there were no preliminary negotiations with France for the joint production of the AMX-30, and the IDF never intended to acquire it.

British "Centurion" modernized in Israel - in this case it is "Shot Kal Aleph"

In fact, the main efforts were focused on negotiations with the UK to acquire a license for the production of the latest British tank "Chieftain". At the beginning of 1966, a preliminary agreement was reached - the British were ready to establish a joint production of the tank, provided that the IDF continued to purchase obsolete and no longer needed "Centurions" from the arsenals of the British army. Israel was ready to go for it.

M51 - a deep modernization of the Sherman tank, equipped with a French 105-mm tank gun CN 105 Fl

In November 1966, two Israeli delegations were already working in the UK - tank troops and weapons, whose task was to comprehensively study the Chieftain. At the beginning of the next 1967, two British tanks were delivered to Israel, where they were subjected to extensive tests. Having driven these "Chieftains" to the full development of the motor resource, they were sent back, receiving two new tanks in return. In total, the tests lasted two and a half years, and according to their results, the IDF put forward its proposals for changing the design of the tank, which would make it more appropriate for local conditions.

American tank M48, modernized in Israel ("Magach 3") with a 105-mm gun

In October 1968, the Israeli government officially approached the UK with a proposal to purchase the Chieftain tank. However, not everything was so simple. After the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, Israel came under international sanctions, which included an arms embargo. Against this background, a struggle broke out in the British government between supporters and opponents of the sale of tanks to Israel. The military, represented by the Ministry of Defense, were naturally in favor, while the diplomats, represented by the Foreign Ministry, were against it. In the end, in December 1969, the politicians won, and the UK officially refused Israel - "the Englishwoman screwed up." In the same month, two Chieftain tanks, which were still being tested in Israel, were sent back.

Tank "Chieftain"

The Merkava development team (on the far right, General Tal) during testing

Scheme of the device of the tank "Merkava" Mk 1. For the tank, the layout with the front engine was chosen. The main part of the ammunition was stored in the aft compartment

Under the circumstances, Israel had no choice but to return to the idea of ​​​​producing its own tank. Although this was associated with large financial costs and technical risk, it promised independence from external arms supplies. Already on June 6, 1970, the results of an economic study on the feasibility of developing and producing their own tank were sent to the Israeli Ministries of Defense and Finance. And after just a month and a half, without the usual delays, the Israeli tank program was given the go-ahead.

The program was called the “Merkava Program” (“Tokhnit Merkava”), and later the tank itself became known as the “Merkava”. The word "Merkava" was translated into Russian in different ways. For example, in some sources the phrase "war chariot" or "divine chariot" was used. However, in Hebrew, "Merkava" simply means "chariot", and not a "war chariot", but rather a "carriage", which was used by the Egyptian pharaoh, but by no means a god. The tank was also called "Chariot", which is due to the effect of double translation - Chariot in English means "chariot". In addition, it may be mentioned that in the 1970s there was a version that the new tank being developed in Israel would be called the Sabra. Even when it became known that the name of the new tank was the Merkava, some sources claimed that two tanks were being developed in parallel in Israel - the 60-ton Merkava and the 40-ton Sabra.

General Israel Tal was appointed the head of the Merkava program, who led the project until the entry into service of the latest (and according to recent reports, possibly the last) modification of the tank, the Merkava Mk4. It was Tal, an outstanding tank commander and a talented self-taught engineer, that the Merkava owes its most innovative features, in particular its unusual configuration.

The design of the new tank was carried out by specialists from the research center at the state association IMI (Israel Military Industry). Colonel Israel Tilan, who held this post until 1975, was appointed chief engineer of the project. Despite the fact that initially only 35 people took part in the work, the design was carried out at a very high pace. All bureaucratic delays were minimized largely thanks to the authority of Tal himself and the closest cooperation between the military and designers.

When shaping the look of the future tank, General Tal insisted that it should provide an unprecedented level of crew protection. The population of Israel is not so large, so society is extremely sensitive to losses on the battlefield. In addition, the IDF was convinced that if damaged tanks can be restored fairly quickly, then it takes much more time to provide them with new trained crews. Naturally, the protection of the crew was given top priority.

As part of the program, a thorough study of armored vehicles damaged during the battles (both own and enemy) was undertaken. They determined - the type of projectile that hit the tank, the place of impact and the damage inflicted. As a result, it was determined that most often tanks were hit in the frontal area, within a sector of 60 °. Of these hits, about 45% were in the tower. In general, this information was not something unexpected, even during the Second World War, when studying the combat damage received by Soviet tanks during the Battle of Kursk, it was found that not all parts of the turret and tank hull were hit with the same degree of probability. It was the frontal elements that were hit in droves, while the number of hits on the turret was the largest. By the way, on the basis of these statistics, the differential armor of the Soviet heavy tank IS-3 was developed.

Tank shells. From left to right - high-explosive, cumulative, sub-caliber

As for the shells themselves, the Arab side widely used various cumulative ammunition (tank gun shells, ATGMs, RPG grenades). Their warhead was a thin-walled conical funnel (usually made of copper), pressed into an explosive mass (BB) and facing forward with a blunt end. When the explosive was detonated, the metal of the funnel collapsed and stretched along its axis in the form of a cumulative jet. Such a jet of metal with a diameter of 3-4 mm acquired a speed of up to 10 km / s and exerted pressure on the tank's armor of the order of 1 million atmospheres. As a result, a hole was formed in the armor with edges that had a melted appearance (at one time, this was precisely what led to the incorrect definition of cumulative shells as armor-burning ones).

But even after overcoming the armor barrier, the residual elements of the cumulative jet retained enough energy to cause the destruction of equipment, the detonation of ammunition, or the defeat of people in the armored space. The recently appeared armor-piercing sub-caliber feathered shells (BPS) also posed a mortal danger. Their long arrow-shaped core, made of heavy metals (tungsten, depleted uranium), leaving the barrel of a tank gun at a speed of up to 1800 m / s, pierced the armor due to its enormous kinetic energy.

Scheme of protection of the front of the case. In the Merkava, diesel fuel was placed between the armor plates of the hull. Similar tanks integrated into armor protection, with a fuel layer thickness of 7 cm, when hit by a cumulative projectile, were equivalent to 1 cm of rolled armor

The use of new ammunition led to a situation where "the projectile defeated the armor." The armor penetration of cumulative and sub-caliber projectiles exceeded the thickness of armor protection from homogeneous rolled armor of most tanks, and further increase in the thickness of the armor was impossible for practical reasons related to its weight and volume. Consequently, it was necessary either to use new materials to protect tanks, which would be more effective than uniform rolled armor, or to look for new ways to organize protection.

In response to this challenge, in the West and in the USSR, “combined armor” was developed, consisting of alternating layers of various materials (steel, ceramics), which protected well from cumulative ammunition, but did not completely save from BPS. Unfortunately, at the time of the design of the Merkava tank, the secret of such armor was not available to Israeli developers, and they had to look for other ways to provide reliable protection.

Special fire stowage for shots in the stern of the Merkava (view from the turret)

The layout of the crew and troops

Tower "Merkava" wedge-shaped in front, had a minimum height and cross section

Wooden model of the Merkava, stored in the Batey A-Osef Museum (view from the stern, the tower is turned back)

In the design of the Merkava, emphasis was placed on shielding the habitable compartment, and not the overall level of protection of the tank itself. In essence, all the main components and assemblies, such as transmission, suspension, fuel tanks, batteries, were designed and located in such a way as to provide additional protection to the fighting compartment. In the complex, all these nodes formed an additional protective shell integrated into the design of the tank - they had to "sacrifice themselves", preventing the projectile from entering the habitable compartment.

So, in the Merkava, the engine, along with the transmission, was located in front (unlike the classic tank layout - with the engine in the back and the fighting compartment in front), so that it would make an additional contribution to protection if the thick frontal armor was nevertheless pierced by a projectile. As a result of a shell hit, the Merkava will most likely lose mobility, but the tank crew will avoid injury and mutilation.

View of the fighting compartment through the open aft hatch (levers to open its doors are visible on the sides)

Due to the fact that the engine was located in front, it was possible to organize a rectangular hatch in the rear of the hull with two doors that fold up and down. The hatch makes it easier for the crew to leave the vehicle, and also makes it easier to rescue the wounded crew members - their evacuation through the back door is a much simpler task than pulling them up through the narrow round hatches, as on other tanks.

The massive blocks of the Merkava spring suspension provided additional protection to the crew compartment.

The chosen layout made it possible to significantly increase the usable volume in the rear of the hull, which was used to store ammunition. The Merkava has much more of it than is generally accepted, and it is easier to replenish it (through a large rear hatch). If necessary, shells and equipment from the rear of the tank can be removed. The vacated space is used to evacuate the injured crews of wrecked tanks or even to transport an infantry assault group of four or five people in conditions of intense enemy fire. Thus, the Merkava is theoretically capable of performing the functions of not only a tank, but also highly protected armored personnel carriers / infantry fighting vehicles.

Place gunner "Merkava", visible sight and elements of the fire control system

Of course, the unconventional layout of the Merkava also had its drawbacks. The distribution of the weight of the units with this arrangement required the tank hull to be extremely rigid, and this made the vehicle heavier. In addition, due to the forward position of the power plant, the tank gun had to be shifted to the stern, as a result, the angle of inclination of the gun forward at the Merkava was only - 8.5 ° (for typical Western tanks, about - 10 °). Given the fact that the favorite positions of the IDF tankers were on the slopes of the hills, this limited the possibility of firing. Accurate aiming was also complicated by the haze of heated air rising above the running engine. Thermal radiation from it also facilitated the detection and capture of the tank by infrared homing ATGMs.

Novelties in the organization of the protection of the Merkava were not limited to the use of various units in the wooden model of the upper frontal part of the Merkava installed on the jeep with observation devices Prototype with a wooden model of the native tower installed as an additional shield. Experiments conducted by the developers have shown that, with the appropriate design, even fuel tanks are no longer just a potential source of fire hazard that needs protection, but they themselves begin to contribute to security.

In the Merkava, diesel fuel was placed between the armor plates of the sides and bottom of the hull. So, for example, the V-shaped bottom of the hull (this shape was chosen to reduce the effectiveness of anti-tank mines) was made of external and internal armor plates, fuel was poured into the space between them. Such tanks integrated into armor protection, with a fuel layer thickness of 7 cm, when hit by a cumulative projectile, were equivalent to 1 cm of rolled armor, however, such fuel cells were less effective against sub-caliber projectiles.

To reduce the likelihood of ammunition detonation, the shots for the gun were not placed in the turret, but were lowered below its shoulder strap, into the hull. In addition, the shots were placed in special lockable fire boxes (six boxes held two shots each and eleven stores four). Only six shots of the first stage were next to the loader. Thus, the standard Merkava ammunition load was 62 rounds, but, as already mentioned, it could be increased to 85 rounds when using the aft compartment in the area of ​​​​the evacuation hatch.

A wooden model of the future Merkava, on which the designers checked the layout of units and assemblies

Running mock-up on the extended body of the Centurion, on which the placement of the engine, the integration of the main systems, etc. were checked.

Prototype with installed wooden mock-up of native tower

The first prototype of the Merkava (Ts-820001, or simply "0001") left the assembly shop without waiting for its native turret. For weight compensation, a turret from the M48 tank was installed on it

One of the first prototypes of the Merkava under test. The spring suspension with a large dynamic roller stroke is clearly visible.

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 hitting 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.

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 Merkava Mk1 tanks are fighting in the city. Beirut. 1982

All rights belong to Alexander Shulman(c) 2003-2009
2003-2009 by Alexander Shulman. All rights reserved
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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 at the General Patton Center of the US Armored Forces, 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

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 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 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 paratrooper 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 the enemy earth-moving equipment, tanks and artillery batteries that were covering the construction with the fire of 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. Israeli tank sniper fire destroyed all selected targets at a distance of up to 6 kilometers, 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 tank troops 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 (now captain in the photo) 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 serial 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. 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 Simkhoni 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 highway Beirut-Damascus 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 the way in this direction - the Trophy active protection system has become the first in the world to be installed on mass-produced Merkava Mk4 tanks.

The Israeli tank forces have come a long way and are rightfully considered one of the strongest in the world - according to open data, it is known that up to 5,000 tanks are now in service with the IDF. 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.
Alex Shulman Shaon )

Tiny Israel is rightfully considered the third (after the Reich and the USSR) great tank power, which is not surprising: the Israelis are the most fought tankers of the second half of the 20th century, the grandiose tank battles of the Six-Day War and the Doomsday War are not inferior to the battles of World War II in scope, intensity and dynamism, and the legendary Merkava is not in vain called one of the best modern tanks (if not the best), which has proven its highest efficiency both in war and in the course of anti-terrorist operations. A new book by a leading armor historian pays tribute to the Jewish "chariots" (that's how the word "merkava" is translated from Hebrew) by restoring the true history of the combat use of ALL types of Israeli tanks in ALL the Arab-Israeli wars and refuting the many myths and tales generated by the secrecy regime, with which everything is in order in the Holy Land - the USSR is resting! This book is a true encyclopedia of Israeli tank power, illustrated with hundreds of exclusive drawings and photographs.

• Israel Defense Forces tanks

* * *

The following excerpt from the book Israeli tanks in battle (M. B. Baryatinsky, 2012) provided by our book partner - the company LitRes.

Dedicated to my untimely departed mother

Israel Defense Forces tanks

The first tanks of the IDF

The deployment of armored troops of the Israel Defense Forces began during the period of the War of Independence 1947-1949. The event that became the starting point of this war was the vote of the UN General Assembly on November 29, 1947 on the partition of Palestine, which was under the control of Great Britain after the First World War. At 5:31 pm New York time, the decision was passed by a majority of 33 votes to 13, with 10 abstentions.

On the eve of the UN decision on the Palestinian issue, the delegation of the Yishuv (the Jewish population of Palestine) met with the leadership of the League of Arab States (LAS) in order to try to work out a compromise solution on the division of spheres of influence in Palestine. This attempt was met with a refusal. The chairman of the Arab League, the Egyptian diplomat Azzam Pasha, made it clear to the Jewish envoys that there would be no peaceful partition of Palestine and that they would have to defend their right to any part of its territory with weapons in their hands.

According to resolution No. 181 of the UN General Assembly of November 29, 1947 on the partition of Palestine, two independent states were to be created on its territory - Jewish and Arab, as well as Greater Jerusalem - a territory controlled by the UN. Each of the states was to consist of three territories bordering each other only at corners. The Jews agreed to partition, while the Arabs refused to recognize it and demanded the creation of a single state entity in Palestine. The very next day after the vote, November 30, the Arabs fired on a bus full of Jews heading from Netanya to Tel Aviv, killing five and injuring seven people. The war has begun.

At the first stage of the war, from November 29, 1947 to May 15, 1948, the low-intensity armed clashes that had taken place since the mid-1930s escalated into full-scale hostilities in almost all areas of contact between Jews and Arabs. This phase of the war was characterized by confrontation between Jewish and Arab irregulars. The British troops were preparing for the upcoming evacuation and had little interest in what was happening. Jewish and Arab militias sought to maximize the capture of territory and control over communications, occupying key points immediately after the withdrawal of British troops.

On May 14, 1948, the independence of the State of Israel was proclaimed, and on the night of May 15, the troops of five Arab states invaded Palestine. However, a description of the events of the War of Independence is not the purpose of this book. We are actually interested in tanks.

Light tank H39 "Hotchkiss" on display at the Israeli Tank Museum in Latrun. Judging by the shape of the commander's cupola, this machine was in the hands of the Germans during the Second World War

In the ranks of the "Russian" company of the 82nd tank battalion of the Israel Defense Forces. 1948 The machine with the number "612" has a French-style commander's cupola. Soviet-style tank helmets are noteworthy. Such helmets of Czechoslovak production were used in the IDF until the end of the 1950s.

So, the first tanks were captured by detachments of the Jewish paramilitary organization "Haganah" on May 20, 1948. These were 2-3 Syrian R35 light tanks. May 31, 1948 "Haganah" was transformed into the IDF - the regular Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In June, the 82nd tank battalion was formed in its composition, which became the only tank unit of the IDF during the War of Independence. It was armed with 10 Hotchkiss H39 tanks, purchased in France in March and arrived in Israel in June 1948. However, the technical condition of these machines left much to be desired, and already in October 1948, it was decided to withdraw them from combat strength. Instead, 30 Sherman medium tanks without weapons were purchased at a landfill in Italy at the price of scrap metal. However, we will talk about the "Shermans" separately.

In addition to the Hotchkisses, the 82nd battalion also had two Cromwell tanks (according to various sources, modifications of the Mk III or Mk IV), stolen from the British military base near the city of Haifa on the night of June 30, 1948.

"Cromwell" and "Sherman" from the "English" company of the 82nd tank battalion

In December 1948 - January 1949, during the fighting with Egyptian troops, nine M22 Locast tanks were shot down and captured, three of which entered service with the 82nd battalion. True, this happened after the end of the war. As of March 1, 1949, one tank of this type was listed as serviceable, and two were under repair.

All of the above tanks did not receive any special designations in Israel, but were simply called Renault, Hotchkiss, Cromwell and Locast, without specifying models and modifications. All these combat vehicles were withdrawn from service in 1952.

It should be noted that other types of tanks are also mentioned in connection with the War of Independence. So, for example, in 1948, several British-made Mk VI light tanks were captured from the Egyptian troops, but they were not accepted into service. In July 1950, one Valentine tank was under repair. Its origin is unknown, it may have been found in a scrap yard on one of the abandoned British military bases. It was also not accepted into service.

Israeli soldiers inspect a captured Syrian Renault R35 tank. 1948

In March - April 1948, 35 (according to other sources - 38) M5A1 Stuart light tanks were purchased in the USA. However, in July 1948 they were confiscated by the FBI and did not arrive in Israel. During 1948, negotiations were underway with Czechoslovakia on the purchase of 32 light tanks of two types, referred to in the documents as "9-ton" and "16-ton". It was about Pz.38(t) tanks and Hetzer tank destroyers, or rather LT-38/37 and ST-1. The deal did not take place because the parties did not agree on a price.

Sherman and AMX-13

The first Sherman tank was handed over to representatives of the Haganah organization on May 14, 1948. This was done by English soldiers sympathetic to the Jews, who were engaged in the destruction of armored vehicles that were not subject to export from Palestine. It was an M4A2 modification vehicle with a faulty cannon and a running gear in need of repair. Until June 3, 1948, this tank was listed as out of order and did not participate in hostilities. The second M4A2 tank was discovered at a scrap yard in the summer of 1948 and repaired by October.

"Sherman" M4A2 from the 7th tank brigade of the IDF at the parade in Tel Aviv. April 1953

In September 1948, 41 Sherman tanks were purchased from Italy. Some sources report that these were M4A1 tanks with a Continental engine and 105 mm howitzers. However, there was no M4A1(105) modification. In the fire support version, only M4 and M4A3 tanks with welded hulls were produced. At the same time, only the first was equipped with a Continental radial engine. So, most likely, tanks of the M4 (105) modification were bought in Italy, or rather, scrap metal, not tanks. All the vehicles had a faulty undercarriage, there were no machine guns, optics, communications equipment, etc. But most importantly, they had practically no main armament. Formally, there were guns, but without shutters and with trunks cut in several places by autogenous. But only 30 units of such cars managed to be shipped, and the rest were confiscated by the Italian authorities. Of the vehicles that arrived from November 1948 to January 1949, only 4 Shermans were completely restored by the end of the war, 5 more were on the move, but did not have guns and were used as training and tractors.

Tanks "Sherman" modification M4A4 at the parade in Tel Aviv in honor of Independence Day. April 1953

In total, as of November 1949, only 14 Sherman tanks were on the move. But only four of them had guns - three 75 mm M3 tank guns and one 77 mm Krupp field gun. Fifty of these World War I guns were purchased from Switzerland in August 1948. Subsequently, Krupp guns (sometimes erroneously referred to as 75 mm) were installed on five more Shermans. However, in the middle of 1950, after the purchase of 50 75-mm M3 guns in France, work on installing 77-mm guns on the Shermans was stopped, and the tanks already armed in this way were re-equipped with 105-mm M4 tank howitzers repaired in Israel.

In 1955, 10 Sherman Crab minesweepers were received from the UK, equipped with mine sweepers.

Here it would be useful to recall that the first Sherman that entered the Defense Army was for some time armed with a 20-mm Hispano-Suiza anti-aircraft gun, on the barrel of which a larger diameter casing pipe was put on, imitating the appearance of a real 75-mm gun.

At the end of 1950, 14 Shermans (12 M4A3 and 2 M4A1) bought in the Philippines arrived in Israel. In 1951, another 40 M4A4 tanks with 75 mm M3 guns were purchased from France. These vehicles were delivered to Israel before the end of 1952.

Tank "Sherman Degem Bet", armed with a 105-mm howitzer. In the background is an M10 tank destroyer re-equipped in Israel with a 17-pound English gun.

At the beginning of 1951, the Israel Defense Forces had 31 serviceable Sherman tanks (26 with the M3 cannon and 5 with the Krupp; in addition, one tank with the M4 howitzer was under repair). At the end of 1953, there were already 76 "Shermans" in the troops (30 "Italian", 40 "French" and 6 "Filipino"; all with M3 guns).

Tanks "Super Sherman" M1 at the parade in Tel Aviv on Independence Day. April 1957

In 1954, the Israeli military leadership made a fundamental decision to focus on the purchase of Sherman tanks, which are in a state of scrap metal, with their subsequent repair and modernization in Israel. As part of this decision, 181 tanks were purchased in 1951-1954. Of this number, 120 cars accounted for 1954. A year later, 10 more Shermans were purchased, in 1956 - 160 (of which 120 were in France, including 88 with 76-mm guns), in 1957 - 40, in 1958 - 8, in 1963 - 49 , in 1964 - 113 and in 1965 - 3. In 1959-1962, Israel did not purchase Sherman tanks, and since 1966, purchases of these vehicles have completely ceased. It should be noted that, except for the tanks purchased in 1956 in France, all the rest were bought at the price of scrap metal, which, in fact, they were.

In addition to tanks, 21 M10 Vulverin tank destroyers were bought in the UK in 1951, 30 more in 1957, 50 in 1960, and a total of 101 vehicles. All of them were armed with American 76 mm M7 guns. In Israel, some of the vehicles were re-equipped with 75-mm French M50 guns and 17-pounder British guns taken from Archer tank destroyers captured from Egypt in 1956. The M10 did not participate in the hostilities and were withdrawn from service in 1966. M10 tank destroyers, by the way, are often included in the same list as tanks, which introduces some confusion into the calculations and is the basis for discrepancies.

There is some confusion with the names of the Sherman tanks in Israel. The fact is that for a long time the original Israeli names were unknown and their own were used in the Western press. It was they, for the most part, who migrated to Russian publications. Let's try to put an end to this.

Immediately after the Revolutionary War, the Israel Defense Forces standardized two types of Shermans. The tank with the 75 mm M3 cannon was designated Sherman Degem Alef (Sherman Mk 1), and the tank with the 105 mm M4 howitzer was designated Sherman Degem Bet (Sherman Mk 2). In 1952, these names were abandoned, moving to the designation "Sherman" in accordance with the brands of guns installed on them. So, the two above-mentioned samples began to be called "Sherman" M3 and "Sherman" M4, respectively. The M4A1 tanks with the 76-mm M1 gun that entered service with the IDF began to be called the Sherman M1. At the same time, tanks with horizontal suspension HVSS and 24-inch tracks were called "Super Sherman" M1 or simply "Super Sherman".

Until now, we have been talking about standard modifications of the Sherman tank, that is, no different from those that were in service with the armies of the United States and other countries. However, besides them, the IDF also had modifications created directly in Israel.

Along with the long-barreled gun, a characteristic external feature of the M50 tank was a voluminous welded niche of the turret, which, among other things, served as a counterweight

Sherman M50 is a Sherman tank armed with a French 75mm CN75-50 cannon. The ballistics of this gun, mounted on the AMX-13 light tank, was borrowed from the German KwK 42 gun of the Panther tank. Her armor-piercing projectile had an initial velocity of 1000 m/s. The idea to install this gun in the Sherman tank arose sometime in September 1953, but technical difficulties delayed the implementation of this project. Only at the end of 1955, French specialists from the arsenal in Bourges, who were carrying out an Israeli order, completed the installation of the CN75-50 gun in the Sherman tank turret. To do this, it was necessary to change the design of the mask and weld a new aft part to the tower in the form of a developed niche, which housed a radio station and a fan. After placing a new gun with a more massive breech, there was no more room left in the tower for either one. In addition, the niche played the role of a counterweight, balancing the long and heavy cannon barrel. It goes without saying that in the Sherman the gun lost its automatic loader. Upgrade kits (including the cannon) were made in France, and the final assembly was carried out in Israel. The IDF Arms Service began assembling tanks in early March 1956. The CN75-50 gun received the name M50 in Israel, and the tank with it - the Sherman M50. At the same time, the first 50 cars had a vertical suspension and a Continental R975 carburetor engine, and the rest had a horizontal suspension and a 460 hp Cummins diesel engine. By the end of 1964, up to 300 Sherman tanks were upgraded to the M50 variant.

"Sherman" M50 during tactical exercises. On the roof of the niche, the fan hood and two antenna inputs are clearly visible.

Sherman M51 is a Sherman tank armed with a 105 mm French CN105-F1 cannon designed for the AMX-30 tank. However, it turned out that this gun, which had a barrel length of almost 6 m and an initial velocity of an armor-piercing projectile of 1000 m / s, could not be installed in the Sherman turret due to the lack of space for rollback. The barrel of the gun had to be shortened by 1.5 m and equipped with a massive muzzle brake, structurally similar to the brake of the 90-mm gun of the Panar AML-90 armored car. This muzzle brake became a characteristic external feature of the tank. The muzzle velocity of the sharp-headed armor-piercing projectile has decreased to 800 m/s. The installation of a new gun, which received the designation M51 in Israel, required the placement of a counterweight niche on the rear of the tower even larger than that of the M50. 180 Sherman tanks were upgraded, mostly with a cast hull, which was considered the most suitable for mounting a heavy turret. Some of the M50 tanks were also re-equipped. All tanks were equipped with HVSS horizontal suspension, 23-inch caterpillar, American Cummins VT8-460 engines with 460 horsepower. and automatic transmissions. These tanks became known as the M51.

Medium tank "Sherman" M51, armed with a 105-mm cannon

In the period 1952-1954, the Sherman tank was the only type of IDF tank, and until the end of the 1960s it remained the most massive Israeli tank. As of March 1957, there were 183 combat-ready Shermans in the Defense Army (and a total of 203), in 1958 - 405 (including 51 M10 tank destroyers), in 1962 - 487 (including 101 M10). By the beginning of 1967, the number of combat-ready Shermans had reached 522 (by this time, the M10s had been withdrawn from service).

Self-propelled 155-mm howitzer M50 in the exposition of the tank museum in Latrun. In the background is the 290-mm Episkopi launcher, also made on the basis of the Sherman tank.

During the 1967 war, Shermans made up 46% of the IDF tank fleet and up to 56% of the medium tank fleet. By the beginning of the fighting, there were 515 combat-ready Shermans (107 M1, 231 M50 and 177 M51) in service.

In 1973, 341 Sherman M50 (diesel only) and M51 tanks remained in service. They were equipped with part of the battalions of the reserve tank brigades. After the war, the Shermans were again withdrawn to the reserve, and in the early 1980s they were removed from service.

160-mm self-propelled mortar based on the Sherman tank, followed by a 155-mm Roem self-propelled howitzer

Decommissioned tanks were re-equipped with M50 and Roem self-propelled guns (known as L33 in Western literature), 160-mm self-propelled mortars, Episkopi launchers, Ivri MLRS and several variants of special vehicles. A number of tanks were handed over to "Major Haddad's army" in South Lebanon and the Falangist militia in Beirut and took part in the civil war. Israel sold a small number of combat vehicles of this type to Uganda and Nicaragua. In the latter, the "Shermans" participated in battles with the Sandinista partisans. In the early 1980s, 117 (according to other sources - up to 150) M50 and M51 tanks were delivered to Chile. There they installed new engines and operated until the end of the 20th century.

Light tank AMX-13 in Latrun

As for the light French tanks AMX-13, the first five vehicles (plus an option for 25 additional ones) were bought in 1954, and arrived in Israel in February 1955. In 1955, the option for 25 of the aforementioned tanks was also implemented (all arrived before November 1955) and 30 more were purchased (arrived in February 1956). In July-September 1956, another 120 AMX-13s, seized from units and warehouses of the French army, were delivered to Israel as urgent military assistance. The tanks arrived in batches of 30. In total, by the 1956 war, the IDF had 180 AMX-13 tanks, of which 65 (according to other sources - 61) participated in battles and had no irretrievable losses. At the same time, however, a significant number of tanks failed due to breakdowns, and on October 31, 1956, two AMX-13s were damaged as a result of an erroneous attack on them by Israeli aircraft. In 1962, Israel acquired four more AMX-13s. As a result, the Defense Army received 184 of these tanks.

By the 1967 war, all these tanks were in service (including 174 of them were operational on June 4, 1967) and fought on all fronts. There are no data on the losses of Israeli tanks of this type, but, apparently, they were quite high, since AMX-13s were withdrawn from service immediately after the war as they did not meet the requirements for tanks in modern combat. Data were published on the sale in 1969 of 72 AMX-13 tanks to Singapore.

In December 1958, a contract was signed for the supply of 60 Centurion tanks to Israel (with an option for another 20-30 vehicles). In 1959, this agreement was revised and the number of purchased tanks was reduced to 30 (16 used Mk 5 and 14 new Mk 7). However, already in May 1960, a new contract was signed, providing for the supply of another 60 used "centurions" Mk 5. In 1961, a contract was signed to replace the original 20-pounder (83. -mm gun L7. Purchased in 1962, 45 used Mk 5 105-mm guns were already installed in the UK. There was also a major overhaul. From about 1964, the replacement of guns and the overhaul of acquired tanks were carried out in Israel. In addition, an additional fuel tank was installed on the tanks, and other changes were made. So, for example, a pivot installation of a 12.7-mm Browning M2 machine gun was mounted on the commander's hatches.

Tanks "Shot" with 20-pounder guns. 1965

Tank "Centurion" - "Shot" Mk 5 with a standard 20-pounder (83.8 mm) gun

Medium tank "Shot Kal Gimel" in the tank museum in Latrun

Deliveries of tanks "Centurion" to Israel

Note. There is evidence that deliveries continued into 1973. According to some sources, in total Israel purchased 1000 or even 1100 Centurion tanks.

Medium tank "Shot Kal"

Taking into account deliveries at the beginning of 1967 for the Six-Day War, Israel had 385 Centurion tanks, of which 293 were combat-ready (26.3% of the total tank fleet), 283 with 105-mm guns. Only 10 vehicles that fought on the Central Front (against Jordan) still had 20-pounder guns.

In December 1969, a line for the modernization of Centurion tanks began to operate at a military tank repair plant. The modernization consisted mainly of replacing the Meteor gasoline engine and Merritt-Brown manual transmission with a Teledyne Continental AVDS-1790-2AC diesel (AVDS-1790-2A modification; here C is from Centurion) and an Allison CD-850-6 hydromechanical automatic transmission (then CD-850-6A). The new motor-transmission unit was larger than the old one, so the aft hull sheet had to be deflected by 3.5 ° from the vertical, and the MTO roof had to be raised. It was also possible to increase the capacity of the fuel tanks, which, along with the installation of a less “gluttonous” diesel engine than a gasoline engine, led to an almost doubling of the power reserve. In addition to modernizing the power unit, the brakes were improved, new fire extinguishing and power supply systems were installed, some vehicles received a 12.7-mm machine gun mounted above the gun barrel. Shooting from a machine gun was carried out remotely using an electric trigger. Externally, the upgraded "Centurion" was distinguished by an MTO of increased height, a rear armor plate of the hull tilted back and the presence of an air cleaner located on the fender.

In 1970, 185 tanks were modernized, in 1971 - 248, in 1972 - 258 (according to other sources - 276), a total of 691 or 709 vehicles. Modernization continued in 1973-1974, but there are no exact data on it. By the beginning of the 1973 war, the Israel Defense Forces had 787 modernized and 222 non-modernized Centurion tanks, totaling 1009. They accounted for about half of the Israeli tank fleet at the beginning of the war. It is known for sure that on April 1, 1973, Israel had 2009 tanks, including 975 Centurions (48.5%).

In Israel, the tank "Centurion" was named Shot ("shot" - scourge, whip). However, the original name was also widely used, as well as the combination of Centurion Shot.

Tank "Shot Kal Gimel", equipped with elements of dynamic protection Blazer. 1980s

The upgraded tank with a new engine and transmission was named Shot Kal ("Shot Kal"). Literally, this means "light shot", thus the increased mobility of the tank is noted in the name. However, there is also a play on words: “Kal” is short for “Continental”, the name of the engine manufacturer. There were several modifications of this tank.

Shot Kal Alef ("Shot Kal Alef", that is, "Shot Kal" Mk 1 or Mk A) - the basic upgraded sample.

Medium tank "Shot Kal Dalet" - the latest version of the Israeli modernization of the tank "Centurion"

Shot Kal Bet ("Shot Kal Bet", that is, Mk 2 or Mk B) - the turret and gun control drives were changed from electric to hydraulic, the same as on the M48A3 tank. Modernization of Mk A to Mk B took place from the mid to late 1970s, according to some reports, the total number of upgraded vehicles was small, these tanks were received by only one armored brigade.

Shot Kal Gimel ("Shot Kal Gimel", that is, Mk 3 or Mk C) - in addition to hydraulic drives, this tank received a weapon stabilizer the same as on the M60A1. The exhaust is brought back through two characteristic pipes. A generator with a current of 650 A was installed, that is, the engine was upgraded to the AVDS-1790-2AG variant (G - from Generator). Subsequently, the tank received Blazer hinged dynamic protection and new CL-3030 smoke grenade launchers. According to some reports, Shot Kal Gimel received a fire control system. Modernization of Mk B into Mk C took place from the late 1970s to the early 1980s.

Shot Kal Dalet (“Shot Kal Dalet”, that is, Mk 4 or Mk D) - in addition to previous improvements, the tank received a new FCS “Barak-Or” (“barak” in Hebrew - lightning, “or” - light). A heat-insulating casing was installed on the gun barrel, Browning М1919A4 machine guns were replaced by MAG 58. The modernization of Mk C to Mk D took place around 1984-1988.

Heavy armored personnel carrier "Nagmashon"

The size of the fleet of Shot Kal tanks in the Israel Defense Forces after the 1973 war ranges from 900 to 1100 units. By 2002, it was reduced to 800 (according to other sources - up to 1000) units (including heavy armored personnel carriers based on a tank). On October 21, 1992, an official ceremony was held to remove these tanks from service, but, apparently, it was only about regular units and only directly about tanks. However, according to some reports, Shot Kal tanks were in service with reserve tank units until 2001. The tanks being withdrawn from service are being converted into heavy armored personnel carriers and armored personnel carriers.

A family of heavy armored personnel carriers and assault engineering vehicles was created specifically for operations in southern Lebanon. The first was Nagmashot - an assault armored personnel carrier for sappers, which appeared in 1982. Using the experience of its operation, Israel has developed two new machines - Nagmachon and Nakpadon. The Nagmachon entered service in the late 1980s and the Nakpadon in the early 1990s. For the manufacture of some of them, Nagmashot chassis were used. In both designs, the same landing pattern was used. The soldiers first left the hull through the upper hatches, and then crossed the roof of the engine compartment and jumped to the ground. The Nagmachon had a more powerful dynamic armor set than the Nagmashot. It also had heavy side screens installed. Each screen consisted of seven sections, each of which was suspended on double hinges, which made it possible to raise the section for maintenance of the undercarriage. Dynamic protection was located in the front four sections, and the rear three were made of simple steel sheets. Often the rear sheets were fixed in a raised state to protect the landing infantrymen. In addition, Nagmachon had enhanced protection against mines.

The security level of the Nakpadon armored personnel carrier was even higher. The Israeli army kept the design of hinged dynamic armor a secret for a long time, and only recently it became known that its modern samples have a multilayer structure, which, in addition to sheets of steel and explosives, includes layers of rubber and ceramics. This design allows you to protect the car from anti-tank guided missiles, RPG-7 hand grenade launchers and armor-piercing ammunition with a caliber of up to 20 mm.

All heavy armored personnel carriers designed for local conflicts have smoke grenade launchers. Nagmachon has four launchers for the Cl-3030 Instant Curtain System, and Nakpadon has two. Both types of vehicles are equipped with an electronic countermeasures system capable of blocking the passage of radio signals to detonate improvised explosive devices. The antenna of this system is installed in the stern of the machine.

Heavy armored personnel carrier "Puma"

Armament of heavy armored personnel carriers consisted of four 7.62-mm machine guns or one 12.7- and three 7.62-mm machine guns. They were placed on pivot mounts at the corners of the armored cabin. As for the Nagmachon-Mifleset modification, it received a fully armored high turret with four machine gun mounts in the corners.

The mass of both machines is about 50–55 tons. Nagmachon has a 750 hp diesel engine, Nakpadon has an engine compartment with an AVDS-1790-6A engine with 900 hp. borrowed from the Merkava 1 tank.

The latest version of the heavy armored personnel carrier based on the Centurion tank was the Puma. However, to be precise, this machine was created as a standard combat vehicle of the engineering troops. In this capacity, Puma was mainly used. The characteristic details of the external appearance of this vehicle were the absence of a cabin as such and a bulwark, borrowed from the Merkava tank.

"Tyrant" and other Soviet captured tanks

During the Six Day War of 1967, Israeli troops captured up to 820 Egyptian tanks and self-propelled guns in the Sinai, including several hundred T-54s and T-55s (according to some sources, 291 T-54s and 82 T-55s). Another 15 T-54s and 5 T-55s were captured in the Golan Heights. About 200 captured vehicles were fully operational, among others there were many tanks with minor damage. Experiencing a constant need to replenish the tank fleet, the Israelis decided to take captured Soviet tanks into service. Already in July 1967, the first 130 tanks were put into operation: 81 T-54s and 49 T-55s. At the first stage, repairs were made, the replacement of machine guns and radio equipment, and a number of other minor changes were made (parts were partly made locally, partly purchased in Finland). In total, in 1968-1969, 146 tanks were adopted by the Israel Defense Forces - 139 in 1968 and 7 in 1969. In the course of further modernization and bringing the tanks to the standards of the Defense Army, the original 100-mm cannon was replaced by the 105-mm American M68.

Tanks "Tiran-4Sh" at the parade in Jerusalem. 1973

T-54/55 tanks participated in the War of Attrition in 1969-1970, including Operation Raviv on September 9, 1969 - a raid of 6 T-55s and 3 BTR-50s with paratroopers along the African coast of the Gulf of Suez, and then in the Judgment War days in 1973. By the beginning of this war, they accounted for 7.6% of the Israeli tank fleet. The irretrievable losses of the T-54/55 amounted to 7 vehicles. However, it should be noted that the brigade equipped with these tanks entered the battle only on October 12, 1973.

In 1973, Israel captured about 1,500 Arab tanks (including about 200 T-62s), 550 of them in technically sound condition. Of these tanks, 400 were commissioned, including 72 T-62s. In the mid-1970s, the T-54/55 and T-62 accounted for up to 20% of the IDF tank fleet.

Tank "Tiran-5Sh" in the exposition of the museum of tank troops of the IDF in Latrun

In the Israel Defense Forces, the T-54/55 tanks, and then the T-62, were called Tiran. Moreover, this name is not borrowed from the island at the exit from the Gulf of Eilat in the Red Sea, but “tyrant” in the sense of “cruel ruler”. There were several modifications of this tank.

"Tiran-4" - T-54 with a standard 100-mm gun. Two or three 7.62-mm Browning M1919A4 machine guns (coupled and on pivot mounts at the commander’s and loader’s hatches) and one 12.7-mm Browning M2NV machine gun (rigidly above the gun barrel, with remote electric trigger), 60-mm mortar on starboard side of the turret (on parts of the vehicles), voluminous boxes for equipment on the starboard side and aft of the turret and stern of the hull, new radio station and PPO system.

Tank "Tiran-6" at the range in the Negev desert

"Tiran-4Sh" - "Tiran-4" with a 105-mm gun M68. Here "SH" (the letter "shin" in Hebrew) - from the word "sharir" (strong) - this is how the IDF called the 105-mm English gun (both the original L7 and its American version M68, as well as the version produced in Israel under license from IMI). The ammo rack has been changed for 105 mm rounds.

"Tiran-5" - T-55 with a standard 100-mm gun. The rest is similar to the Tiran-4 tank.

"Tiran-5Sh" - "Tiran-5" with a 105-mm gun M68.

"Tiran-6" - T-62 with a standard 115-mm gun. Three 7.62-mm Browning M1919A4 machine guns (coaxial and on pivot mounts near the commander's and loader's hatches) and one 12.7-mm Browning M2NV machine gun (rigidly above the gun barrel, with remote electric trigger), 60-mm mortar on the starboard side towers, voluminous boxes for equipment on the starboard side and aft of the tower and aft of the hull, new radio station and PPO system.

Model “S” is an export version of the modernization of the Tiran-5Sh and Tiran-6 tanks, which appeared in 1984. The tank is equipped with: a Detroit Diesel 8V-71T engine with a power of 609 hp; semi-automatic hydromechanical transmission; dynamic protection Blazer; weapon stabilizer from HR Textron Incorporated; MSA Matador; heat-insulating casing of the gun; new commander's cupola; passive night devices of the commander, gunner and driver, new tank controls (steering wheel); new equipment boxes, etc.

On the basis of the T-55 tanks in Israel, the heavy armored personnel carrier Achzarit was created. It was developed in the early 1980s by NIMDA. These armored personnel carriers entered service in 1989. The turret was removed from the tank and lighter armament was installed. The armor of the sides and roof of the hull was reinforced. The engine compartment has been completely redesigned, the engine has been replaced with an American one and placed at the rear - on the left, to leave room for the landing. The landing is carried out from behind along a hydraulically operated ramp, while the landing party passes over the transmission. Three crew members - the driver, commander and gunner are in front. Armament - combat module OWS company Rafael. The car accommodates 7 paratroopers.

Achzarit has a high level of protection with a total weight of 44 tons. In the frontal part, the vehicle is protected from armor-piercing ammunition of 125 mm caliber. In the rear of the hull, spaced TOGA armor made of perforated steel sheets is installed. The space inside the spaced armor is used to accommodate landing equipment and supplies of drinking water. In addition, survivability is increased by collective protection systems, PPO and smoke screening. In addition, the engine is equipped with a smoke exhaust system.

Armored personnel carrier "Ahzarit"

Three OWS combat modules were originally installed on the Achzarit armored personnel carrier. They have a modular design that allows you to install a choice of machine guns of 7.62 or 12.7 mm caliber. Alternatively, a 40 mm grenade launcher can be mounted. However, the main option for reasons of economy is the FN Herstal M240 caliber 7.62 machine gun. Weight OWS 160 kg. On serial machines, only one module is installed.

The power plant of the machine is borrowed from the M109 self-propelled guns. It uses a 650 hp engine. Detroit Diesel with Allison automatic transmission. NIMDA also developed a newer version of the Achzarit 2 armored personnel carrier with an 850 hp engine.

According to official Israeli data, at the end of 1997, this armored personnel carrier was used in two infantry brigades - one regular ("Golani") and one reserve. It was planned to equip all infantry units with them. In the motorized infantry battalion on the Achzarit armored personnel carrier there are 37 such vehicles, which, based on 3 battalions in the brigade, gives a total of 222 units. Taking into account the training units, in 1997 the number of these machines in the AOI is unlikely to exceed 250-300 units. As of mid-2002, of the regular infantry brigades, Achzarit still had only Golani. However, during the hostilities in the Palestinian territories in 2000-2002, these armored personnel carriers were also used by other infantry units.

It is not easy to evaluate the fleet of Tiran tanks in the AOI. Apparently, in the mid-1990s, these machines were withdrawn from service. Perhaps several dozen vehicles are still in storage in reserve formations. Judging by reports in the Israeli press, at the end of 2005, the replacement of "tyrants" with Magach tanks began in the units of the Southern Military District. Old "tyrants" will be converted into heavy armored personnel carriers.

Since the early 1980s, the Tiran 4 and Tiran 5 tanks have been supplied to the Lebanese Christian militias, as well as the South Lebanese Army (SLA). For example, about 18 Tiran 4s were delivered to the SLA in 1987. Since the end of the 1980s, the AJL has constantly had about 30 tanks of both modifications. After the collapse of the AJL in May 2000, some of the tanks returned to Israel, some were destroyed (including the bombing of Israeli aircraft), and several hit Hezbollah. It should be noted that only tanks armed with Soviet 100-mm guns were delivered to Lebanon.

Tank IS-3, captured by Israeli troops, at a parade in Tel Aviv. 1967

In 1990, 30 Tiran 5 tanks were sold to Ethiopia, and in 1997-1998, 15 “S” model vehicles were sold to Uruguay.

Light amphibious tanks PT-76 were first captured from Egypt in 1967. By the beginning of the war, Egypt had 28 such tanks in the Sinai, and almost all of them became Israeli trophies. There is no data on how many of them were in good condition and how many were in need of repair. It is reliably known that the IDF used about a dozen PT-76s in the 1973 war (as of May 1973, the unit operating these tanks had 7 PT-76s in service). During the 1973 war, a significant number of PT-76 tanks were captured. Suffice it to say that by the start of hostilities, Egypt had 101 such tanks, and Syria had 90. In addition, Iraq had 20 PT-76 tanks, and perhaps all or part of them fought in Syria as part of the Iraqi Expeditionary Force. According to Western data, in 1974-1981, the IDF had 65 PT-76s. They were withdrawn from service in the early 1980s.

Speaking of captured Soviet tanks in the Israel Defense Forces, it should be mentioned that over 300 T-34-85 tanks were captured from Egypt in 1956, 1967 and 1973, from Syria in 1967 and 1973, and from the Palestinians in 1982. These vehicles were not accepted into service. However, they found some use. Separate tanks were transferred to museums (both Israeli and foreign), as well as to settlements as monuments. Diesels were removed from several T-34-85s captured in 1956 for use on Sherman tanks, but things did not go beyond experiments. The hulls of the T-34-85 unit were cut, and the armor plates obtained in this way were used to additionally armor some special vehicles based on the Sherman. A large number of tanks were used on ranges as targets.

Captured Soviet tank PT-76 in the exposition of the museum of tank troops of the IDF in Latrun

The most interesting is the use of IS-3 tanks (they were called “Stalin tank” or “Stalin-3 tank” in Israel). Up to 40 of these vehicles were captured from Egypt in 1967. The engine and transmission were removed from several of these tanks, additional ammunition was placed in the vacated space, and the tanks themselves were installed on inclined concrete surfaces, which made it possible to give their gun barrels an elevation angle of 45 ° versus the standard 19 °. Two such IS-3s were used during the War of Attrition in 1969-1970 at the Tempo Stronghold (OP) of the Bar-Leva Line (the northernmost OP located along the Suez Canal, 10 km south of Port Said), two more - in the OP "Budapest" (on the Mediterranean Sea, 12 km east of Port Said). After the depletion of stocks of captured 122-mm ammunition, the use of IS-3 tanks ceased. Unfortunately, there is no data on whether all of them were taken out of the OP or left without use, and whether there were IS-3s in other OPs. It is only known that during the war of 1973, one such tank was available (but not used) in the OP "Budapest".

The first M48 tanks arrived in Israel in the early 1960s from Germany as part of the payment of reparations. In 1964, Israel received the first 40 tanks of this type. By that time, information about Germany's military ties with Israel was leaked to the newspapers, and the Arab countries began to threaten the recognition of the GDR and the curtailment of trade ties with the FRG. The Germans stopped military assistance, but the United States took over their obligation to supply the remaining 110 tanks. In June 1970, Israel ordered 100 more M48A1s and 150 M60/M60A1s (apparently 50 M60s and 100 M60A1s) from the United States. The deal was approved by Congress in January 1971, and all tanks were delivered before the end of 1971. In subsequent years, deliveries of both types of tanks continued, and most intensively after the 1973 war. In total, since 1964, Israel has received about 800 M48 and 1400 M60 of various modifications.

One of the first M48A1 tanks received by Israel from Germany. 1960s

In the Israel Defense Forces, the M48 and M60 tanks were named Magach (“magicians” - the numeral “forty-eighth - third” in Hebrew, meaning the M48A3 tank, to the level of which the American M48A1 and M48A2C tanks that arrived in Israel were originally upgraded) and were repeatedly upgraded after their adoption in 1965. At first, the modernization was focused on installing the 105 mm L7 gun, which Israel began to produce under a British license. Later, a common element of all Israeli tank upgrades, both M48 and M60, was the installation of low-profile Urdan commander's turrets, thermal insulating covers for gun barrels, 60-mm mortars for setting a smoke screen and additional machine guns on pivot mounts. In addition, AVDS-1790-2A diesel engines from the American company Teledyne Continental and Blazer dynamic armor were installed.

Medium tank "Magah-5"

By 1985, despite all the upgrades, the Mage was increasingly lagging behind the tanks of potential opponents. Particularly acute was the problem of the inadequately low level of protection of the tower, which is hit in tank-to-tank collisions with the maximum probability. The equivalent thickness of the homogeneous armor of the M60 tank turret at its widest point was 254 mm. And in other places it was even less. In the 1970s, a standard 120 mm armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile could penetrate about 400 mm. And by the 1990s, armor-piercing shells of 120 and 125 mm calibers began to penetrate up to 800 mm.

The set of hinged dynamic protection Blazer has a mass of 800 to 1000 kg. Against cumulative ammunition, it gave an increase in protection equivalent to what 10 tons of steel could give. However, despite the constant improvement and increase in the effectiveness of this dynamic armor, it still could not provide an adequate level of protection against conventional armor-piercing projectiles and new ATGMs. In November 1997, two Blazer Magach 6Bs were hit by heavy anti-tank rockets fired by Hezbollah fighters. If in 1982 RPGs and ATGMs could not penetrate the Blazer, in this case the tanks were knocked out. Thus, Blazer dynamic armor has become ineffective not only against kinetic ammunition, but also against new-generation cumulative ones. Strengthening the passive armor would lead to an unacceptable increase in mass. Therefore, it was decided to apply new ballistic materials, and use the results of the development to modernize Magach.

Medium tank "Magah-6 Bet". Attention is drawn to the elements of the hinged dynamic protection Blazer

This process led to a new variant of the Magach 7 in the mid-1990s. They had an increased level of passive armor, increased engine power accordingly to compensate for the increase in mass, and also applied a new fire control system. Magach 7 has passive armor that is equally effective against both armor-piercing and HEAT ammunition. It consists of a multilayer composite material, the composition of which is classified. Armor plates are installed both on the hull and on the turret. In addition, side screens have been added. They are mounted on heavy springs to keep the material from loosening when maneuvering. The first two panels of side screens are made of composite material, the rest are made of steel. Since the modernization process was expensive and time consuming, it took place in small batches, and not all machines were subjected to it.

In 1999, the Israeli army demanded that the Magach 6B be fitted with expensive but more effective body armor. This order was completed extremely quickly, in just 10 months. The upgraded machine was named Magach 6B Batash.

The turret of this tank has hybrid armor packages, including both reactive and passive layers. Most likely, they are optimized for protection against several hits by anti-tank missiles, which is typical for local conflicts. The frontal hull plate is protected by the second-generation Super Blazer dynamic armor. On-board screens are similar to those installed on Magach 7.

It should be noted that Moked laser warning systems were periodically installed on the Magah tanks in operation. In addition, they are equipped with a modern PPO system from the Israeli company Spectronix.

Magah-6 Bet Gal. The photo shows the main external distinguishing features of this modification - a heat-shielding casing of the gun, a new basket at the rear of the turret and tracks borrowed from the Merkava tank

All Magach variants retained the 105 mm gun. The increase in their firepower was achieved mainly by improving the fire control system and more efficient ammunition. The hydraulic drive of the turret was reinforced to compensate for the increase in turret mass caused by the increased armor. An advanced fire control system was also installed on some Magach 6Bs. The new fire control system is called Gal. It was supplied to the international market by Elbit and El-Op under the name Matador. Magach 6B with the new FCS was called Magach 6B Gal. The same Gal control system was installed on the Magach 7. In it, the original optical rangefinder was replaced with a laser one, and the gunner received a new day/night sight. To improve performance, the gunner's semi-stabilized sight is connected to the cannon, which has independent stabilization. The commander received his own sight integrated into the turret on the right side of the turret. Under it, a place freed from the old optical rangefinder is used.

"Magah-6 Bet Gal Batash" - the first version of the Israeli modernization of the M60 tank using powerful additional passive armor protection

The mass of the original M60 was 49.7 tons. The heaviest Magach 7 began to weigh up to 55 tons, despite the replacement of tracks with lighter ones, which saved 1.7 tons. The price for greater security was a decrease in mobility. To maintain specific power, 750 hp engines. were replaced by AVDS 1790-5A with 908 hp. General Dynamics Land Systems with an automatic transmission borrowed from the Merkava 1 tank. In addition, the Israeli company Kinetics upgraded the undercarriage. In real life, according to the crews, Magach 7 became even more mobile than the M60. Crew fatigue has decreased. Due to the fact that the body in motion has become more stable, the accuracy of shooting has increased.

For the period from 1965 to the present, several modifications of the Magah tanks have been operated in the Israel Defense Forces.

Magach 3 - M48A1 / A2C, upgraded to the level of M48A3.

Magach 5 - the original American M48A5. The main difference from the Israeli Magach 3 was the engine - AVDS-1790-2D instead of AVDS-1790-2A and the CD-850-6A transmission instead of CD-850-6.

Magach 6 - M60. The same name is used to refer to the M60 in general, all models.

Magach 6 Alef (i.e. Magach 6A) - М60А1. In Israel, the M60 of this and other models were modernized: a new Israeli-made commander's cupola was installed, the engine turbocharging system was improved, hinged dynamic protection and a heat-insulating casing on the gun barrel were installed. A gradual transition was made to all-metal tracks with developed lugs, similar to the tracks of the Merkava tank, etc.

Magach 6 Bet (i.e. Magach 6B) - M60A1 (RISE), i.e. M60A1 with an improved engine, the so-called AVDS-1790-2C RISE (Reliability Improved Selected Equipment engine), instead of the original AVDS-1790-2A diesel. In addition, the tank received a more advanced gun stabilization system, as well as T142 type tracks with rubber pads, while the Magach 6A had smaller T97 type wedge-shaped tracks. Gradually, the engine and stabilizer were improved on all M60A1, that is, all Magach 6 Alefs were upgraded to the level of Magach 6 Bet. As a consequence, the name Magach 6 Alef fell into disuse.

Magach 6 Bet Gal - Magach 6 Bet with the new FCS Gal ("Wave"), created on the basis of the Matador FCS of the Merkava tank. In addition, the configuration of the dynamic protection units has changed, and a new basket for larger items has been installed at the stern of the tower.

Magach 6 Bet Gal Batash is a variant of the Magach 6 Bet Gal with powerful additional passive armor for the turret and frontal part of the hull, side screens (hence the unofficial name of this model - Magach 6 "Memugan" - "protected"). A characteristic feature of the tank is the configuration of the additional turret armor, giving it a flattened shape. 750 hp engine replaced by a more powerful one, 908 hp The word "batash" means "bitahon shutef", i.e. "providing daily security." Usually, the word “batash” means guarding relatively peaceful borders, but in this case, it meant the daily work of the IDF in Lebanon (until the withdrawal of troops from there in May 2000) - this model was created for this. A small number of Magach 6 Bet Gal tanks were upgraded to this variant.

Magach 6 Bet Baz - similar to Magach 6 Bet Gal, but with the Baz FCS (as on the Merkava 3 tank) instead of the Gal FCS. A small number of Magach 6 Bet tanks have been upgraded to this level.

Magach 6 Gimel (i.e. Magach 6C) - М60А3.

Magach 6 Resh (i.e. Magach 6R) - M60 (unlike M60A1 and M60A3) with a new gun stabilizer (as on Magach 6 Bet), engine upgraded to AVDS-1790-2AG. The main difference between AVDS-1790-2AG and AVDS-1790-2A is a generator with a current of 650 A instead of the original 300 A, in order to meet the increased power needs of the gun stabilization system (10 hp engine of the hydraulic system, gyroscope, servos guns, and later - the SLA).

Magach 6 Resh * (Magach 6 R *) - Magach 6 Resh, prepared for the installation of the new Nachal-Oz FCS, but does not yet have this system.

Magach 6 Mem (Magach 6M) - Magach 6 Resh* with FCS Nachal-Oz.

Magach 7 is a deep modernization of the M60. New additional passive armor for the turret and hull, side screens, 750-horsepower AVDS-1790-2AG diesel engine replaced by a 908-horsepower AVDS-1790-5A with an automatic starter, two 6-round smoke grenade launchers (instead of the previous 10-round ones), etc.

Magach 7 Alef (Magach 7А) - has almost vertical additional armor on the frontal part of the turret. The designation Magach 7 Alef is not used, just Magach 7 is used.

Magach 7 Bet (Magach 7B) - Magach 7 armored like Magach 7 Gimel. Prototype, not mass-produced.

Magach 7 Gimel (Magach 7С) - the armor is similar to the armor of the Sabra tank, that is, with a strong inclination of the front armor plates of the turret. It was on this model that the replacement of the engine from AVDS-1790-2AG to AVDS-1790-5A began.

The main battle tank "Magah-7A" - you can understand that it is based on the M60, only in rear view

Currently, the Israel Defense Forces, according to various sources, is from 700 to 1000 Magach 6 and Magach 7 tanks of various modifications. As of 2007, there were 111 Magach 7 tanks.

Especially for participation in the tender for the modernization of the M60 tanks, announced by Turkey, the Sabra variant was developed. This modernization option includes changes similar to the Magach 7 (the form of additional armor is most similar to the Magach 7 Gimel), in addition, the 105 mm M68 rifled gun was replaced with a 120 mm MG251 smoothbore gun (created and produced by IMI for the Merkava 3 tank). Work on replacing the guns was carried out back in 1994. Ammunition consists of 42 shots. In addition, the machine is equipped with a 7.62-mm twin and additionally two machine guns mounted on the roof of the tower in front of the hatches of the commander and loader. It is also possible to install a 60-mm Soltam mortar. The Sabra Mk 2 main battle tank is equipped with an advanced Knight III computerized fire control system with a laser rangefinder, which is supplied by El-Op (Electro-Optics) Industries Ltd. and Elbit Systems. At the request of the customer, a diesel engine from the German company MTU with a capacity of 1000 hp can be installed on the tank. or AVDS-1790 with 1200 hp. American company General Dynamics Land Systems.

Main battle tank "Magah-7S"

The Israelis won the Turkish tender. In 2002, Turkey ordered the modernization of 170 of its M60A1 tanks into the Sabra Mk 3 variant, which, among other things, included the installation of an MTU diesel engine with an HP 1000 power. and Renk automatic transmission. Work began at the Turkish repair plant in Kayseri in 2006 and was completed in April 2010. The upgraded tanks received the designation M60T (T - Turkish).

"Merkava"

The possibility of producing tanks directly in Israel first began to be seriously considered in February 1964. It was then about the assembly of the French AMX-30 tank, while its hull was planned to be manufactured in Israel, and the turret was to be brought ready from France. For various reasons, this venture was abandoned.

At the beginning of 1966, Great Britain expressed a preliminary agreement to sell the Chieftain tanks to Israel and even organize its licensed production in Israel (at first, a screwdriver assembly from imported components, and then a gradual transition to full domestic production). In November 1966, two delegations left for the UK - the tank troops and the weapons service - for a comprehensive study of the tank. In early 1967, two Chieftain tanks arrived in Israel to undergo extensive testing. After the development of motor resources, these vehicles were changed to two new tanks. In total, the tests lasted two and a half years. During them, numerous proposals were made to change the design to better adapt the tank to work in the desert. On October 17, 1968, Israel officially asked the UK to purchase the Chieftain tanks. In April 1969, the Israeli delegation began to study the technology of production of "chieften" in the UK. During this period, there was a discussion in the British government about the sale of the tank to Israel. The Ministry of Defense was in favor, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was against. In the end, in December 1969, Britain formally refused Israel. At the end of the same month, both tanks in Israel were sent back to England.

A group of officers of the tank troops of the IDF. Far right - Israel Tal

Failures with the organization of licensed production of tanks in Israel, apparently, finally approved the Israeli military leadership in the need to develop and further mass production of a tank of its own design. The main "pusher" of this idea was, of course, General Israel Tal. Since the role of this man in the creation of Israeli tanks can hardly be overestimated, a few words should be said about him, especially since in Russian publications they write basically all sorts of nonsense about him. Her latest example is the announcement of Tal as a “native of the Soviet Union”! Well, of course, a talented tanker, by definition, cannot be non-Soviet or, at worst, without Soviet roots. Well, or studied with us. No other way! From the same clip of the fable about Guderian, who "studied" tank business in the USSR. To complete the picture, it remains only to find the Odessa roots of General Patton, and everything will be in perfect order! Against the backdrop of such Glavpur obscurantism, a brief biographical note about General Tal is simply necessary.

The prototype (more precisely, the running layout) of the Merkava tank. In its manufacture, the hull of the Centurion tank was used.

So, Israel Tal was born in 1924 in Palestine. He began his military service in 1942, when he volunteered for the British Army, where he fought in North Africa and Italy. In 1946, Tal returned to British-mandated Palestine and joined the Haganah organization. During the War of Independence, he fought in the infantry, after the war he commanded a battalion in the Givati ​​Brigade, and in 1956 became the commander of one of the IDF infantry brigades. Later, Tal moved to the tank troops, where he served as deputy commander, then commander of the 7th armored brigade, and in 1964-1969 he was commander of the tank forces of the IDF, during the Six Day War, at the same time commanding the 162nd tank division, advancing on north of the Sinai Peninsula. General Tal met the war of 1973, being the head of the operational department and deputy chief of the general staff, and at its final stage he commanded the Southern Front. In 1976, Yisrael Tal resigned and became Assistant Minister of Defense. In this position, he led the development and production of the Merkava tank for many years. But this is probably not the main thing. General Tal was an outstanding tank commander and is rightfully considered the creator of the Israeli tank forces. It was under his leadership that the IDF tank forces turned into a formidable force that played a major role in the wars waged by Israel. General Tal belonged to the number of genuine tank fanatics who knew and loved military equipment to the last screw. The soldiers more than once saw their general in a field uniform stained with engine oil, when he, along with mechanics, sorted out the breakdowns of tank units. Israeli tankers gave their commander the affectionate nickname Talik. General Tal died on September 8, 2010.

One of the full-fledged prototypes of the Merkava Mk 1 tank is on display at the IDF Tank Museum in Latrun

It was under the influence of Tal that the concept of an Israeli tank began to take shape. He believed that none of the models of tanks, whether the American M48 and M60 tanks or the British Centurion, did not meet the basic requirements of the Israeli tank doctrine. The Israeli army needed a completely new combat vehicle that most closely matches the theater of operations and the combat experience of Israeli tankers. The main emphasis, along with firepower and maneuverability, was placed on maximum protection of the crew members: the tank can be completely disabled, but the crew must survive. This approach is fundamentally different from the generally accepted one, in which the three components of the design of any tank - security, mobility and firepower - are in a certain balance. But it is not at all accidental for a country in which the death of every soldier is a national tragedy. On June 6, 1970, General Israel Tal sent the results of an economic study to the Israeli Ministries of Defense and Finance on the feasibility of developing and producing their own tank. The development program, called the "Merkava Program", was officially approved by the government on August 20, 1970, and the research center at the state association IMI (Israel Military Industry) began designing. It should be emphasized that the work was carried out in close cooperation with the United States. In addition, a group of tank officers, led by General Tal, took part in the development of the tank. The design was carried out at a very high pace, despite the fact that initially only 35 people took part in the work. All bureaucratic delays were minimized largely thanks to Tal himself and the closest cooperation between the military and designers.

Assembly shop of the plant in the city of Tel-a-Shumer

In December 1974, the first prototype was handed over for testing (this was preceded by testing prototypes converted from Centurion tanks). The first 4 production vehicles were handed over for testing to the Israel Defense Forces on April 26, 1979. The official adoption of the Merkava tank (“merkava” - chariot) took place on October 29, 1979. Serial production has been carried out since 1979 at a factory in the city of Tel-a-Shumer. In 1980, after the release of the first 30 tanks, the production rate was 7-10 vehicles per month, then it grew to 10 vehicles per month or more. By the 1982 war, the troops had about 200 Merkava Mk 1 tanks.

Merkava Mk 1

The design of the Merkava tank reflected the desire of the developers to ensure its maximum survivability and crew protection. The tank has an increased combat weight compared to comparable samples of the main tanks and an unusual layout. To enhance the protection of the crew, the engine with the transmission is located in the bow of the hull and thus serve as an additional barrier to the projectile if it breaks through the frontal armor. In addition, this placement of the engine compartment made it possible to free up a significant reserved volume in the rear of the vehicle to accommodate an additional amount of ammunition. The department of management is located behind the MTO. Access to it is provided both through the hatch in the roof of the hull and through the fighting compartment. Three periscopic observation devices are installed in the hatch, the middle of which can be replaced by a non-illuminated night vision device. The fighting compartment is located in the aft part of the hull.

End of introductory segment.

The Merkava-4 tank, the photo of which is presented below, was first shown to the general public on June 24, 2002. A year later, mass production of this model began. As of today, according to the authoritative American military analytical agency Forecast International, it is one of the best battle tanks on the planet and surpasses the German Leopard and the Russian T-90 in its main characteristics. The word "Merkava" translated into our language means a war chariot.

Model Creator

Merkava-4, like its three previous modifications, was born thanks to the legendary Israeli tank general Israel Tal. Throughout his career, he fought in various units and led officer courses. Analyzing the battles during the Six Day War and the Sinai campaign, in which he was directly involved, he realized that not a single tank in service with his country met the requirements of the Israeli tank doctrine. In this regard, Tal came to the conclusion that it was necessary to build a fundamentally new combat vehicle. The main requirement for it was to fully comply with the wishes and military experience of Israeli tankers, as well as the theater of operations. As a result, later he managed to translate his plan into reality. In addition, he became the founder of the IDF - the armored forces, which, under the leadership of this man, achieved the most significant victories in all the wars in which Israel took part. Not surprisingly, the portrait of General Tal is displayed at the Center for American Tank Forces (Hall of the Great Tank Commanders) at Fort Knox (USA).

Design

The history of the Merkava-4 tank began with a modification of the Merkava-1. Initially, only 35 specialists took part in the creation of the project. Thanks to his great authority, General Tal was able to minimize all sorts of bureaucratic nuances. When developing the machine, special attention was paid not so much to maneuverability and firepower as to providing the most possible protection for the crew. As planned, the life of the soldiers was supposed to be preserved even with the complete incapacitation of the tank. Since, according to statistics, the main cause of death of personnel was the detonation of ammunition, the crew members and ammunition had to be reliably covered. In August 1970, the final draft of the Merakva-1 tank was approved, after which mass production of the model began.

Perfection

In each new generation of Merkava, Israeli engineers embodied the latest ideas in world tank building. In particular, over time, the hull began to be made in a single casting, and the armor was mounted on bolted joints specially designed for this. The latest version of the machine is equipped with a fully computerized control system. It was developed using the technologies of Israeli designers and has no analogues in the whole world. It should be noted that the principle of active armor for the first time on the planet was embodied on this model. Four generations have already rolled off the assembly lines. The Merkava-4 tank, whose characteristics are described in more detail below, was adopted by the Israeli army after a series of tests in 2004.

Layout: a fundamental difference from analogues

The layout of the machine is fundamentally different from all American and European analogues built according to the classical scheme. In its front part there is a management compartment, in the center - a combat compartment, and behind - a motor-transmission section. The engine of the Merkava-4 model is located in front, thereby playing the role of additional protection for the crew members, because it is the frontal part that takes on most of the shells.

Tower

The vehicle received an updated turret equipped with completely new armor modules on all sides (forehead, sides and roof). In this regard, the designers had to make the commander's hatch more massive and provide it with an electronic mechanism for opening and closing. The loader's hatch has been removed altogether. In connection with this design, the tower is distinguished by stepped outlines. A machine gun is installed on its right side, from which the crew commander can conduct remote fire in all 360 degrees. On top are cassettes of smoke grenade launchers.

A gun

The Israeli Merkava-4 tank is equipped with a 120mm smoothbore gun. Thanks to a number of improvements, it is now able to withstand increased pressure, which allows the use of powerful high-explosive fragmentation projectiles here. Their peculiarity lies in the fact that already in the charging gun of the barrel, programming takes place depending on the required task. The efficiency of shooting is significantly increased by the integral heat-insulating casing, which, among other things, reduces barrel wear. A machine gun (7.62 mm) is paired with a cannon. The standard is a 60-mm mortar of a new design.

Behind the armored partition there is a semi-automatic cannon loader with an electric drum for ten shots, which it automatically transfers to the loading tanker on its own. The remaining 38 shells are packed in a protective container, which helps prevent an explosion inside the hull or turret of the Merkava-4 tank.

The fire control system boasts the ability to auto-track the target. This includes improved television and thermal imaging channels. The crew commander and gunner have independent stabilization sights.

Engine and transmission

Now a few words about the engine installed on the Israeli Merkava-4 tank. The characteristics of the power plant that is used here are significantly different from the motors of other such machines. Engine power is 1500 horsepower. The designers have improved the mass-dimensional parameters of the unit, power parameters, as well as fuel efficiency. The developers improved the turbocharging system, increased the intensity of oil and liquid cooling of the pistons. In the power supply system, individual fuel pumps with controlled fuel supply are used. The motor functions smoothly in conditions of any banks. This was achieved largely thanks to the use of a new design oil pan and an additional flat oil tank in the car. The engine is controlled by a computer, which provides the driver with all the necessary information through the monitor. It is impossible not to note the five-speed automatic, hydromechanical transmission of the model with a hydrostatic rotary mechanism. It is supplied by the German company Renk.

Active protection

Israeli engineers consider the active protection system of the Merkava-4 tank to be their real pride, the characteristics of which many world experts after the appearance of the model called a revolution in the protection of armored vehicles. This is not surprising, because the machine is able to detect, track and destroy most modern anti-tank missiles at a considerable distance without causing any damage to itself. This system is produced by two Israeli companies and is called Trophy. In fairness, it should be noted that something similar was used in Soviet tanks in the eighties of the last century. Some sources claim that "Trophy" is an improved version of those systems.

Other features and systems

The mass of the Merkava-4 model is 65 tons. The dimensions of the machine in length, width and height, respectively, are 7970x3720x2660 mm. The crew includes four people. The tank is capable of speeds of 65 km / h, and a full tank will last him about 500 kilometers.

In order to prevent the defeat of the crew commander during the hostilities, the developers provided a special turret for him inside. Four video cameras are installed on the body, which display the image on the driver's screen, thereby helping him in driving. Excellent visibility at the same time is provided both in daylight and in the dark. The Merkava-4 tank, among other things, is equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing system. The tower has chains with balls that serve as protection for its lower part from RPG grenades. In order to facilitate the process of maneuvering in narrow places for the driver, marker pins are mounted on the body.

Completion

Models from the Merkava series have proven themselves excellently during the Israeli military operation in Lebanon. Then only five tanks were irretrievably lost, and almost all damaged vehicles returned to service after repairs. This is another proof of their high efficiency. The latest generation of the model is able to perfectly cope with the missile threat. In conclusion, one cannot help but focus on the fact that the concept of round-the-clock use of the tank is embodied here, for which there is a place to accommodate two crews, one of which can rest while the other is working.