New Israeli tank. The Merkava tank is the revolutionary chariot of God. Evaluation of the combat vehicle and its future

In this article we will talk about weapons. Let's take a closer look at the three models of the most common Israeli tanks and look at them combat characteristics and application.

"Merkava MK.4"

One of the most prominent representatives our list. The project was developed and approved in August 1970. In December 1974, the first two prototypes of the Merkava MK.1 tank were produced, and 5 years later this tank was officially adopted by the Israeli army.

After "MK.1" takes part in the Lebanon War, the Israeli government will decide to modernize this model. Between 1982 and 2002, the combat vehicle will be modernized three times, and in 2004, the final version of the Merkava MK.4 tank will appear in service with the Israeli Army.

The tank is equipped with a diesel engine from the American manufacturer Generals Dynamics, whose power is 1500 horsepower. Equipment designed to overcome water obstacles, is absent on the combat vehicle, and there are no mechanisms for self-digging either.

The Israeli tank has a mass of 70 tons, but its level of protection is lower than that of the T-90, which weighs 50 tons. The new turret, after a number of changes, received the highest armor, but the lower armor plate of the tank has only 100 mm of armor.

The Merkava MK.4 is equipped with an MG 253 gun, which has an excellent rate of fire and a drum loading mechanism, the number of rounds in the drum is ten. The entire ammunition load is 46 shells (including the initially loaded drum). Another advantage of this gun is that the crew has the ability to fire light anti-tank missiles LAHAT.

During their entire existence in combat, Israeli Merkava MK.4 tanks were tested twice: the Second Lebanese War (2006), the Gaza Strip (2011).

"Magah 3"

Between 1964 and 1966 from Germany and the USA into service israeli army 150 units of M48A1 tanks and about 100 combat vehicles of the M48A2C brand were received, which later received the name “Magakh”, which translated means “ram strike”.

On December 15, 1966, work began on modernizing the Magah 1 and Magah 2 models. The end result, after a number of changes, was the Israeli tank "Magah 3", which differed from its predecessors in the new English L7 gun with a caliber of 105 mm; previously, an American M41 gun with a caliber of 85 mm had been installed. The tower was completely replaced and had a very low profile, gasoline engine was replaced by a diesel engine, the power of which was 750 horsepower, and non-flammable fluid began to be used to operate the hydraulic system; for greater protection of the crew, Blazer dynamic protection was added to the tank.

Subsequently, the Magah-3 tank went through about 15 modernizations; at the beginning of the 1990s, the Israeli army had more than 1,800 units of tanks of the Magah family of various modifications in service.

Israeli tanks of the Magah family performed well in combat and took part in wars such as the Six-Day War, the War of Attrition, and the doomsday, Lebanon War. Also, these combat vehicles took part in combat operations in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

In 2006, all obsolete Magah models were replaced by Israeli Merkava tanks. After replacing all the old models, it was decided that the Magah model tanks would remain in service with the 460th training brigade; the remaining combat units were transferred to the army reserve.

A brief history of the Magakh 3 tank in the Russian Tank Museum

During the fighting in Lebanon, Syrian troops managed to capture the Magah 3 tank, three members went missing, the Israeli government announced a reward of 10 million dollars for information about their whereabouts, at the moment Israeli tank in Kubinka. The media previously discussed many different versions regarding the seizure of a combat vehicle by Syrian troops.

In the Moscow Tank Museum there are no similar exhibits on which Blazer dynamic protection or something like that is installed; “Mag 3” remains the only representative for now, but, most likely, the tank will be returned to its homeland in the near future.

"Sabra"

Israeli tanks are also represented by a combat vehicle, which was developed by an Israeli company between 2002 and 2005, its name is “Sabra”.

This model is a deep modernization of the US M60A3 tank. Compared to its American predecessor, the Sabra's armor and protection are significantly higher, and due to the fact that a passive modular armor protection kit is installed on the vehicle, the weight of the combat vehicle can be changed depending on the situation on the battlefield, which is a big plus.

The tank is equipped with a MG 253 gun with a caliber of 120 mm. Pros given choice are that the weapon has a very long range to hit the target, a periscope day vision device with a magnification of X8 and a night vision device with a magnification of X5.3 are used to aim it.

It is possible to fire using a computer; this function was developed by the Israeli companies Elbit Systems and El-Op. The machine's fire extinguishing system is automatic.

In addition to the main gun, the tank is equipped with a 60 mm mortar and two machine guns of 7.62 and 5.56 mm calibers; the vehicle is also equipped with smoke grenade launchers, which provide the vehicle with camouflage after firing. The main gun's ammunition load includes 42 rounds.

Israeli Tank Forces

Israeli tank forces consist of four tank brigades:

7th - in service with Merkava 4 tanks
188th - "Merkava 3".
401st - "Merkava 4".
460th Tank Training Brigade - many in service various types technology.

Since July 2016, the ground command staff has been headed by Major General Kobi Barak.

Conclusion

During the existence of the Israeli army, the country participated in many military conflicts, so the development of the military industry in Israel remained one of the main tasks. Today, the Sabra tank is worthy of competing on the world market with its “classmates” from other countries. Even though most Israeli tank models are based on American combat vehicles, the differences between them are truly significant.

Throughout its short history of independence, Israel has been forced to fight to defend its borders and defend against terrorist attacks. To survive, the Israelis had to devote great attention development of the armed forces and the military-industrial complex. Today the Israeli Army (IDF) is one of the most advanced and combat-ready armed forces in the world, and the The country's military-industrial complex. In 2010, Israel exported $7.2 billion worth of military products, ranking fourth in the world. Only the USA, Russia and Germany had better results.

This is not surprising: almost all Israeli military developments are tested in real combat conditions. The country's military leadership pays great attention to the development of armored forces and the creation of new, more and more advanced models of armored vehicles.

For several decades now, the main IDF tank has been the Merkava; it was put into service in the late 70s of the last century. Merkavah is translated from Hebrew as “war chariot,” but the meaning of this word is somewhat deeper. It is found in Old Testament texts and denotes the chariot of God and at the same time his throne, drawn by fantastic animals.

The authoritative American analytical agency Forecast International publishes a rating every year best tanks peace. IN recent years The Merkava almost always takes a leading position in it, ahead of the German Leopard and the Russian T-90. In terms of its layout and some characteristics, the Merkava is a truly unique combat vehicle that has no analogues among modern battle tanks.

A special feature of the Merkava is its development for a specific theater of military operations and its “tailoring” to tactical techniques that are most often used by IDF tank crews. Since 1979, four modifications of the Merkava have been created: Mk.1, Mk.2, Mk.3 and Mk.4. Currently, work is underway to create the next modification of the tank, but, most likely, the Merkava-5 will be a new generation combat vehicle, unlike its predecessors.

History of creation

Development of the Merkava tank began in 1970 after the British refused to sell the Chieftain Mk 1 to the Israelis. Such a demarche came as a complete surprise to the country's leadership; a decision was made to create its own combat vehicle.

The developers were led not by an engineer, but by a professional tanker, Israel Tal, who went through the entire Second World War. world war, stood at the origins of the creation of the IDF and took part in all the Arab-Israeli wars. This is a rather unusual situation for the world tank building industry. Tal is considered the founding father of Israeli armored forces.

After analyzing Six Day War and the Sinai campaign, Tal came to the conclusion that all the existing main battle tanks(MBT) are not very suitable for the Israeli army. was needed new car, the characteristics of which would be most consistent with the nature of the theater of operations and Israeli defense doctrine.

When creating a new tank, the main emphasis was on its firepower, maneuverability and, most importantly, the protection of the crew. Even after the destruction of the vehicle, the tankers had to survive. One more important feature Israel, which largely determined the appearance and characteristics of the Merkava, is the compactness of this country. The fact is that the dimensions and weight of tanks set the standards for rail transportation to the greatest extent. Israel created a combat vehicle to protect its own territory, where it is quite possible to use vehicle platforms for transportation. The designers had less stringent restrictions on the weight and dimensions of the vehicle being developed, so today the Merkava is one of the most heavy tanks.

The Merkava is not suitable for use in frosty conditions, tropical humidity or Russian off-road conditions. But it is perfectly adapted to the mountains and deserts of the Middle East. Such a narrow specialization practically negated the export potential of the tank, but the Israelis created it to protect their country.

The tactics of the Israeli armored forces involve shooting from well-prepared positions on the slopes of heights. When used in this way, the tank's turret is very vulnerable, so the developers tried to reduce its frontal projection, and most of place the fighting compartment in the hull.

The first prototype of the Merkava was ready in 1971. At the beginning of 1979, the first production Merkava Mk.1 vehicles entered service. 250 units of this modification were produced. Since then, four generations of the combat vehicle have been created, and in each of them the designers have implemented ideas that were revolutionary for modern tank building.

Description of design

The main difference between the Merkava and others modern tanks is its layout: the engine and transmission are located in the front of the body, and fighting compartment occupies the middle and back part. At the rear of the tank there is a landing compartment in which infantrymen, wounded soldiers, additional ammunition or a replacement crew can be transported. This unique design idea essentially turns the Merkava into universal car, capable of performing the role of infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers.

Another non-standard solution is the design of the tank’s hull and turret – they are cast. The Merkava's armor has large angles of inclination, the engine compartment is shifted to the right side of the tank, and on the left there is a control compartment with a driver's seat. He has three observation devices (periscopes), but due to the shift of his workplace to the left, his view is severely limited.

An armored partition is installed between the engine and fighting compartments. The main fuel supply is located in the rear part of the armored fender niches; in their front part there are air intakes.

The tank's turret has a wedge-shaped shape, which increases the number of ricochets when it hits its front part. The Merkava turret has spaced armor, with additional protection elements located between the two main walls. At the back of the tower is a basket.

The turret contains space for three crew members: the loader, the tank commander and the gunner. The loader's position is located to the left of the gun; if necessary, he can serve as a gunner or driver. The gunner's position is to the right of the gun; to perform his functions, he has an optical sight with a laser rangefinder and a ballistic computer. For general overview There is a periscope observation device.

The commander's position is behind and slightly above the gunner. It has a panoramic optical sight, and in addition, the commander has access to the data received by the gunner. Based on them, he can give target designations or aim a weapon.

At the rear of the tank there is a compartment that can accommodate paratroopers (6 people), four stretchers with wounded or additional ammunition. The tactics of using the Merkava do not provide for the transportation of troops; usually the rear compartment is used for additional shells.

The Merkava Mk.1 is armed with a 105-mm M68 cannon, created in the USA and produced in Israel under license. The gun is stabilized in two planes and has a thermal casing. The ammunition load is 62 rounds. The gun is paired with a Belgian 7.62 mm MAG machine gun, produced under license. Two more machine guns (7.62 mm) are mounted on the roof of the turret. Above the gun barrel there is a 12.7 mm machine gun, which is controlled remotely. Also installed on the turret is a 60-mm mortar, its ammunition capacity is 30 min.

The engine is an American diesel AVDS-1790-5A with turbocharging, the transmission is CD-850-6B, also made in the USA, it has been modified by local specialists.

Spring suspension, Christie type. On each side there are six rubberized road wheels and five support rollers. The tracks are all-metal, their width is 640 mm.

Tank modifications

The Merkava Mk.1 took part in the Lebanon War of 1982; after its end, Israeli designers created the Merkava Mk.2 modification. It took into account the experience of the first combat use tank. The changes affected the vehicle's security, its maneuverability and increased firepower.

The turret's armor was strengthened with the help of additional screens with combined armor, side protection has also been improved. The mortar was moved inside the turret, and now fire could be fired without leaving the vehicle. Baskets for various property were mounted on the tower, which provided additional protection. To protect against cumulative ammunition Balls were hung on chains from the tower.

The tank received a more advanced ballistic computer and range finder, and a little later a thermal imager was installed on it.

The weight of the Merkava Mk.2 increased to 65 tons.

"Merkava Mk.3". For this modification, the sides and turret received additional armor protection, the tank was equipped with a more powerful 120 mm MG251 smoothbore gun. Ammunition was reduced to 46 rounds. Laser radiation sensors were installed on the Merkava Mk.3, which warned the crew about the danger of shelling guided missiles. This modification received the Matador-3 fire control system.
The weight of the Merkava Mk.3 was 65 tons.

"Merkava Mk.4". It was put into service in 2004. It was equipped with a new diesel engine GD883 General Dynamics (USA) with a power of 1500 hp. With. and Renk RK 325 transmission (Germany) with five speeds.

The shape of the turret has changed significantly due to the new configuration of armor modules, and the gun has received a mantlet. The main armor was also strengthened, the loader lost his hatch, and the commander's hatch became so massive that it opens mechanically. The visibility for the driver was improved, he received a rear view camera. The mine protection of the bottom has become more reliable.

The tank commander received a new panoramic sight with a thermal imager, and the gunner's sight was installed on the roof. The tank was equipped with a new BIUS "Tsayad".

The Merkava Mk.4 was equipped with a new MG253 gun, which can withstand more high blood pressure powder gases. An automatic loader has appeared in the turret niche, which can accommodate 10 shells. The rest of the ammunition is located in the rear of the tank.

After the 2006 Lebanon War, the Trophy active protection complex (KAZ) was installed on the Merkava Mk.4. Combat vehicles equipped with KAZ received the designation “Merkava Mk.4M”. "Trophy" is designed to combat anti-tank missiles (ATGMs) and rocket-propelled grenades. The system consists of 4 radars, they detect ammunition approaching the vehicle and give the command to destroy it.

KAZ "Trophy" is the first such system that has been tested in real combat conditions.

During the last IDF combat operation in Lebanon, Hezbollah militants fired more than 1 thousand Russian-made ATGMs at Merkava Mk.4 tanks. Only 22 vehicles (mostly old modifications) were damaged, and 5 tanks were lost. That is, the effectiveness of modern Russian ATGMs against the Merkava was only 0.5%. Now an even more advanced KAZ Meil Ruach (“Air Cloak”) is being developed.

Evaluation of the combat vehicle and its future

OBS "Merkava" is, without a doubt, one of the best tanks of our time. It has certain disadvantages, caused primarily by its non-standard layout. Due to the location of the engine in the front of the vehicle, the nose of the tank is very heavy, which creates strong longitudinal vibrations body and reduces accuracy. The heat from the engine interferes with the operation of the sighting devices.

The current mass of the tank has reached 70 tons, which indicates the impossibility of further increasing the armor. The mass introduction of fire control systems on tanks has changed the statistics of hits, now more of them are on the hull. The Merkava has less protection than the turret.

However, the overall security of the Merkava, the comfort of the crew, is high firepower outweighs the above disadvantages. If an Israeli tank is damaged, its crew simply turns into infantry, and any serious defeat of Soviet tanks (Russian, Ukrainian) is almost guaranteed to lead to the death of the tank crews.

Specifications

Crew	4 people
Weight with ammunition	65 tons
Tank length	7 m 45 cm
Length with gun	9 m 40 cm
Clearance	53 cm
Width over tracks	3 m 72 cm
Tower hatch height	2 m 70 cm
CHARACTERISTICS IN MOVEMENT CONDITIONS
Engine power, 12-cylinder, four-stroke, water-cooled, turbocharged diesel engine	1500 l. With.
Diesel fuel tank life on the highway; capacity 1400 liters	500 km
Highway speed	65 km/h
Speed on arable land	50 km/h
Obstacle elevation angle	30 degrees
Obstacle barrier	1 m
Barrier ditch	3 m
Obstacle ford	1 m 38 cm
COMBAT WEAPONS
Gun type; caliber	Smoothbore caliber 120 mm
Gun ammunition	10 shells in the machine gun + 36 shells + 14 emergency
FN MAG coaxial machine gun	7.62 mm
Anti-aircraft machine gun	7.62 mm
Mortar	60 mm
PROTECTION AND DEFENSE
Combined cast steel armor, active, dynamic protection.

Video about the tank

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

Israel Defense Forces tanks

The first IDF tanks

The deployment of IDF armored forces began during the War of Independence of 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 issue of the division of Palestine, which was under British rule after the First World War. At 5:31 p.m. New York time, the decision was passed by a majority of 33 votes to 13, with 10 abstentions.

In anticipation of the UN decision on the Palestinian issue, a delegation of the Yishuv (the Jewish population of Palestine) met with the leadership of the League of Arab States (LAS) to try to work out a compromise solution on the division of spheres of influence in Palestine. This attempt was met with 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 division of Palestine and they would have to defend their right to any part of its territory with arms in hand.

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

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

On May 14, 1948, the independence of the State of Israel was proclaimed, and on the night of May 15, troops of five Arab states invaded Palestine. However, describing the events of the Revolutionary War is not the purpose of this book. We are, in fact, 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 vehicle was in the hands of the Germans during World War II

The “Russian” company of the 82nd Tank Battalion of the Israel Defense Forces is in service. 1948 The vehicle with the number "612" has a French-style commander's cupola. Soviet-style tank helmets are noteworthy. Such Czechoslovak-made helmets were used by 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. On May 31, 1948, the Haganah was transformed into the IDF - the regular Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In June, it formed the 82nd Tank Battalion, which became the IDF's only tank unit during the War of Independence. It received 10 Hotchkiss H39 tanks, purchased from France in March and arriving in Israel in June 1948. However technical condition These vehicles left much to be desired, and already in October 1948 it was decided to withdraw them from service. Instead, 30 medium Sherman tanks without weapons were purchased from 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 Mk III or Mk IV), stolen from the English 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 battles with Egyptian troops, nine M22 Locust 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 or 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 Revolutionary War. For example, in 1948, several English-made Mk VI light tanks were captured from Egyptian troops, but they were not accepted for service. In July 1950, one Valentine tank was under repair. Its origin is unknown, but it may have been discovered in a scrap metal dump at one of the abandoned British military bases. It was also not accepted for 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 United States. However, in July 1948 they were confiscated by the FBI and did not arrive in Israel. During 1948, negotiations were conducted with Czechoslovakia on the purchase of 32 light tanks of two types, referred to in documents as “9-ton” and “16-ton”. We were talking about Pz.38(t) tanks and Hetzer tank destroyers, or more precisely, LT-38/37 and ST-1. The deal did not take place because the parties did not agree on the price.

From the book I Fought on a T-34 author Drabkin Artem Vladimirovich

DECISION OF THE STATE DEFENSE COMMITTEE No. GOKO-1227s dated May 11, 1942 Moscow, Kremlin. ABOUT THE PROCEDURE FOR ISSUING VODKA TO THE TROOPS OF THE ACTIVE ARMY 1. Stop the mass daily distribution of vodka to the personnel of the troops of the active army from May 15, 1942.2. Save daily

From the book Marshal Bagramyan. “We experienced a lot in silence after the war” author Karpov Vladimir Vasilievich

ORDER OF THE FIRST DEPUTY PEOPLE'S COMMISSIONER OF DEFENSE ON THE PUNISHMENT OF THOSE GUILTY FOR DISRUPTION OF THE COMBAT ORDER ON THE CONCENTRATION OF TANK UNITS IN THE 40TH ARMY No. 006 January 20, 1944. According to the combat order given by me and the military council of the 1st Ukrainian Front, they should have

From the book Israeli tanks in battle author Baryatinsky Mikhail

ORDER OF THE FIRST DEPUTY PEOPLE'S COMMISSIONER OF DEFENSE ON THE PROHIBITION OF AWARDING VEHICLES TO PERSONNEL OF THE RED ARMY No. 148 dated August 3, 1944. Some military councils and commanders of fronts and armies, as well as commanders of formations and units award individual

From the book The Battle of Stalingrad. From defense to offense author Mirenkov Anatoly Ivanovich

Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR, Head of Logistics of the Ministry of Defense Candidates for commanders of military districts were considered, discussed and approved at a meeting of the Politburo. (In those days it was called the Presidium of the Central Committee.) Marshal Malinovsky proposed

From the book Great Patriotic War Soviet people (in the context of World War II) author Krasnova Marina Alekseevna

Conversation between V.V. Karpov and the Chief of Logistics of the Armed Forces Russian Federation- Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Vladimir Ilyich Isakov - Vladimir Ilyich, to the common reader Marshal Soviet Union Baghramyan is known first

From the book Battle of Kursk. Offensive. Operation Kutuzov. Operation "Commander Rumyantsev". July-August 1943 author Bukeikhanov Petr Evgenievich

Tanks of the Israel Defense Forces The first tanks of the IDF The deployment of armored forces of the Israel Defense Forces began during the War of Independence of 1947–1949. The event that became the starting point of this war was the vote of the UN General Assembly on November 29, 1947

From the book Submariner No. 1 Alexander Marinesko. Documentary portrait, 1941–1945 author Morozov Miroslav Eduardovich

No. 10 Order of the People’s Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 227 on measures to strengthen discipline and order in the Red Army and the prohibition of unauthorized departure from combat positions on July 28, 1942, the publication threw new forces to the front and, regardless of great losses for it, climbs

From the book Armor Collection 1996 No. 04 (7) British armored vehicles 1939-1945 author Baryatinsky Mikhail

No. 19 ORDER OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSIONER OF DEFENSE No. 298 WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PROVISIONS ON PENALTY BATTALIONS AND COMPANIES AND STAFF OF THE PENALTY BATTALION, COMPANY AND BACKGROUND DETACHMENT OF THE ACTING ARMY September 28, 1942 I announce for the leadership: 1. Regulations on penal battalions of the current

From the book Armored vehicles of France and Italy 1939-1945 author Kolomiets M.

3. ORDER OF THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE OF THE USSR ON IMPOSING PENALTIES ON THE COMMAND OF THE 6TH ARMY, COMMANDERS OF A NUMBER OF UNITS FOR ILLEGAL ACTIONS ON THE TERRITORY OF WESTERN UKRAINE November 10, 1939 On October 16, a letter was received from the military prosecutor of the 6th Army, Comrade Stalin, and mine. Nechiporenko about

From the author's book

1.2. The state of defense of the Oryol bridgehead of the German army, the grouping of German troops on the bridgehead and the plans of the German command for its defense. Since August 1942, the German command took all measures to turn the Oryol bridgehead into a powerful

From the author's book

Document No. 7.11 Report of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Fleet Admiral V. N. Chernavin, to the USSR Minister of Defense, Army General D. T. Yazov Report. Military Council Navy On February 22, 1990, considered numerous applications and requests public organizations And

From the author's book

Document No. 7.12 Service memo to the Minister of Defense of the USSR, General of the Army D.T. Yazov Alexander Ivanovich MARINESKO, former commander of the M-96 and S-13 submarines. Captain 3rd rank. Born 1913, Ukrainian. Feat: January 30, 1945 submarine S-13 under the command of Marinesko A.I. after

From the author's book

American tanks and self-propelled guns in the British army The defeat of British troops on the European continent and their loss of almost 2/3 of their tanks forced the British to turn to an overseas ally for help. Make up for losses through own production the British don't

From the author's book

French tanks in the Italian army After the defeat of France in 1940, Italy received 109 captured Renault R35 light tanks, 32 Somua S35 medium tanks and several B1 bis heavy tanks. Refinement of the resulting material was kept to a minimum. Only installed on tanks

1. Development of the Israeli Merkava tank began in 1970 after Great Britain refused to sell a batch of Chieftain Mk 1 tanks to Israel. The Israelis had previously repeatedly faced all sorts of embargoes and disruptions in arms supplies, but still this demarche of the British came as a surprise to them, and the Israeli government set the task of creating domestic tank. In 1974 the first prototypes the first Israeli tank, and in 1979 the Merkava Mk.1 tank was adopted by the Israel Defense Forces.

Merkava tanks in the Museum of Armored Forces near the Israeli village of Latrun
Photo by the author

2. Over the entire history of the tank, four modifications were created: “Merkava Mk.1”, “Merkava Mk.2”, “Merkava Mk.3” and “Merkava Mk.4”. According to representatives of the Israeli defense industry, the next generation of this tank will not be the Merkava Mk.5, but fundamentally new tank with improved fire and protective characteristics, maneuverability and speed. Based on press reports, it is assumed that this tank will be equipped with a laser cannon, and its testing will begin in 2020.

Comparison of the main technical characteristics modifications of the Merkava tank
Infographics by the author

3. The Merkava development team was headed by Israel Tal, who was not a professional engineer, but a military man who began his career as part of the “Jewish Brigade”, which fought as part of the British army in World War II, and subsequently took part in all Arab-Israeli wars. wars.

4. The word “Merkava” is translated from Hebrew as “chariot” and also has a religious and mystical meaning. This word is mentioned in the vision of the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel and means the “Divine chariot-throne”, which is harnessed to four winged creatures - tetramorphs, each of which has four wings and four faces: a man, a lion, a calf and an eagle.

5. The design of the tank was influenced by the nature of the defensive battles waged by the Israelis. IDF tank crews prefer to be located in specially equipped positions located on the slopes of hills. For this reason, the probability of shells and bullets hitting the tank’s turret is quite high, which is why in the Merkava the fighting compartment is moved as deeply as possible inside the hull.

Tank "Merkava Mk.1" in the museum of armored forces near the Israeli village of Latrun
Photo by the author

6. Another requirement of the Israeli military for the development team was to maximize the protection of the crew. Therefore, the engine and transmission compartment was moved to the front of the tank, which provided the tankers with additional protection.

7. At the rear of the tank there is a compartment for transporting wounded or landing troops. It can also be used to transport ammunition. Thus, the Merkava can perform the functions of not only a tank, but also an armored personnel carrier and infantry fighting vehicle. This compartment has an armored door in the stern through which the crew can evacuate if this is not possible through the top hatch.

8. All Merkava weapons were manufactured by the Israeli military concern Israel Military Industries. The tank is equipped with an American 105-mm M68 rifled gun (licensed version of the English L7 gun); a 7.62-mm MAG machine gun coaxial with the cannon, produced in Israel under a Belgian license (installed to the left of the cannon); two more such machine guns are mounted on brackets next to the commander’s and loader’s hatches; 60mm mortar mounted on the left side of the turret roof. In addition, a remote-controlled 12.7 mm machine gun is installed above the gun barrel.

9. The Merkava Mk.1 tank was created after the last full-scale Arab-Israeli war - the Yom Kippur War, and baptism of fire took over during the First Lebanon War in 1982. In this conflict, Israel deployed approximately 1,000 tanks, 200 of which were Merkava tanks, in six tank battalions.

10. Until 2014, the Merkava was only in service with the Israel Defense Forces, and the export of the tank was prohibited due to fears that its design would be studied by the intelligence services of Arab countries. In June 2010, the tank was declassified and exhibited at the 10th International Arms Exhibition and military equipment ground forces And ground means Air defense "Eurosatori-2010" in connection with the search for partners for its further modernization. In 2014, the first export contract was concluded for the supply of Merkava Mk.4 tanks to Singapore - the amount of this transaction was 500 million US dollars.

11. The Merkava tanks are equipped with the Israeli Meil Ruach (Hebrew for “windbreaker”) active tank protection system. This is the only SATZ that has undergone a full-fledged baptism of fire, repeatedly protecting Israeli tanks from shells fired in their direction. The vast majority of Meil Ruach use occurred in the Gaza Strip or surrounding areas.

12. In 2006, the Military Channel named the ten best tanks of the 20th century, which included the Israeli Merkava tank. Along with it, the T-34, M-1 Abrams, Tiger, WW-1, Centurion, Mk-IV, Challenger, T-54/55 and M-4 Sherman tanks made it into the TOP 10.

13. Combat losses of Merkava tanks during their combat use are only 8 copies. Three of them were destroyed during the First Lebanon War, the rest during the conflicts in the Gaza Strip. The Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah calls these data significantly underestimated.

According to resolution No. 181 of the UN General Assembly of November 29, 1947 on the division 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 state was to consist of three territories bordering each other only at corners. The Jews agreed to the partition, but 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, Arabs fired at a bus carrying Jews heading from Netanya to Tel Aviv, killing five and wounding seven. The war has begun.

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

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

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. On May 31, 1948, the Haganah was transformed into the IDF - the regular Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In June, it formed the 82nd Tank Battalion, which became the IDF's only tank unit during the War of Independence. It received 10 Hotchkiss H39 tanks, purchased from France in March and arriving in Israel in June 1948. However, the technical condition of these vehicles left much to be desired, and already in October 1948 it was decided to withdraw them from service. Instead, 30 medium Sherman tanks without weapons were purchased from 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 Mk III or Mk IV), stolen from a 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

Israeli soldiers inspect a captured Syrian Renault R35 tank. 1948

"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 British soldiers who sympathized with Jews and were engaged in the destruction of armored vehicles that could not be removed from Palestine. It was an M4A2 modification vehicle with a faulty cannon and a chassis 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 metal dump in the summer of 1948 and repaired by October.

"Sherman" M4A2 from the 7th tank brigade IDF at a 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, the M4A1(105) modification did not exist. In the fire support version, only M4 and M4A3 tanks with welded hulls were produced. At the same time, only the first one was equipped with a Continental radial engine. So, most likely, tanks of the M4 (105) modification were purchased in Italy, or rather, scrap metal, and not tanks. All the vehicles had a faulty chassis, there were no machine guns, optics, communications equipment, etc. But most importantly, they had practically no main weapons. Formally, there were guns, but without bolts and with barrels cut in several places by autogenous guns. But only 30 units of these vehicles were 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 fully restored until the end of the war; another 5 were operational, but did not have guns and were used as training and tractors.