Soviet tanks in the service of Israel (25 photos). Mikhail Baryatinsky Israeli tanks in battle Evaluation of a combat vehicle and its future

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 pay great attention to the development of the armed forces and the military-industrial complex. Today the Israeli Army (IDF) is one of the most advanced and combat-ready armed forces in the world, and the 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 armor tank troops and the creation of new, increasingly 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.

Every year, the authoritative American analytical agency Forecast International releases a ranking of the best tanks in the world. In recent years, the Merkava almost always occupies 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 “customization” for 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, 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 the Six-Day War and the Sinai Campaign, Tal came to the conclusion that all main battle tanks (MBT) existing at that time were not very suitable for israeli army. A new vehicle was needed, the characteristics of which would most closely correspond to the nature of the theater of military operations and the Israeli defense doctrine.

When creating a new tank, the main emphasis was on its firepower, maneuverability and, most importantly, on 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, which is why today the Merkava is one of the heaviest 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 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 other modern tanks is its layout: the engine and transmission are located in the front part of the hull, and the fighting compartment occupies the middle and rear parts. 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 a universal vehicle capable of performing the role of infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers.

Another non-standard solution is the design of the 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 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. There is a basket at the back of the tower.

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 range finder 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 completion, Israeli designers created the Merkava Mk.2 modification. It took into account the experience of the first combat use of the 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, and the side protection was similarly 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 on chains were hung 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 fire from 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 higher pressure of 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 Merkava Mk.4 was equipped with the Trophy active protection complex (KAZ). 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 massive 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 ease of operation of the crew, and high firepower outweigh 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

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Israeli tank forces appeared in the middle of the last century during the War of Independence. Today, the Israeli army's tank fleet numbers from 4 to 5 thousand tanks, and tank crews have invaluable combat experience, which they gained in numerous wars and armed conflicts.

Before the 1956 war, the Israeli government decided to reorganize the army, the core of which was to become tank troops. For these purposes, 1000 units were purchased in the UK. “Centurions”, in the USA “M48” and somewhat later “M60”. After the war, over 500 Soviet captured T-52, T-55 and T-62 appeared in the army; in addition, the fleet included vehicles from the Second World War.

In attempts to modernize outdated models, and most importantly in the desire to unify the “motley” tank fleet among themselves, it allowed Israeli designers to accumulate production and design experience, which allowed them to start developing their own tank.

In the 70s, the Israeli government's program to create a national tank began. The main requirement for the creation of a main battle tank was: ensuring high survivability of the tank as a whole and the crew in particular, possibly even to the detriment of some others technical specifications. The result of solving such requirements was the front location of the engine and transmission compartment as additional protection for the crew. Already in 1976, the main battle tank Merkava-1 was put into mass production at Israeli factories. After a number of upgrades “Merkava MK 2”, “Merkava” MK 3” and “Merkava MK 4” the tank is considered one of the best in the world.

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 Yom Kippur War are not inferior in scope, intensity and dynamism to the battles of the Second World War, and it’s not for nothing that the legendary Merkava is called one of the best modern tanks (if not the best), which has proven its highest efficiency both in war and during anti-terrorist operations. A new book by a leading armor historian pays tribute to the Hebrew "chariots" (that's how the word "merkavah" is translated from Hebrew), restoring true story combat use of ALL types of Israeli tanks in ALL Arab-Israeli wars and refuting many myths and fables generated by the regime of secrecy, with which everything is in order in the Holy Land - the USSR is resting! This book is a veritable encyclopedia of Israeli tank power, illustrated with hundreds of exclusive drawings and photographs.

• Israel Defense Forces tanks

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The given introductory fragment of the book Israeli tanks in battle (M. B. Baryatinsky, 2012) provided by our book partner - the company liters.

Dedicated to my untimely departed mother

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 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.

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, the technical condition of these machines left much to be desired, and already in October 1948 it was decided to withdraw them from service. combat personnel. 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

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.

"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 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, 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, 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.

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

In total, as of November 1949, only 14 Sherman tanks were operational. 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 mistakenly called 75 mm) were installed on five more Shermans. However, in mid-1950, after the purchase of 50 75-mm M3 guns from France, work on installing 77-mm guns on 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 minesweeper tanks equipped with striker mine trawls were received from Great Britain

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

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

Sherman Degem Bet tank armed with a 105 mm howitzer. In the background is an M10 tank destroyer, rearmed in Israel with a 17-pounder English gun.

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

Super Sherman M1 tanks 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 were 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 vehicles were produced in 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 stopped. It should be noted that, except for the tanks purchased in 1956 in France, all the others were purchased at the price of scrap metal, which, in fact, was what they were.

In addition to tanks, 21 M10 Wulverine tank destroyers were purchased in Great Britain in 1951, another 30 in 1957, 50 in 1960, and a total of 101 vehicles. All of them were armed with American 76-mm M7 cannons. In Israel, some of the vehicles were re-equipped with 75-mm French M50 cannons and 17-pound British cannons taken from Archer tank destroyers captured from Egypt in 1956. The M10s did not take part in combat operations 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 Sherman tanks in Israel. The point is that for a long time the original Israeli names were unknown and Western press used their own. It was they, for the most part, that migrated to Russian publications. Let's try to put an end to this.

Immediately after the War of Independence, two types of Shermans were standardized in the Israel Defense Forces. The tank with the 75 mm M3 cannon was designated “Sherman Degem Aleph” (“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. Thus, 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 HVSS suspension 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, in addition to them, the IDF also had modifications in service that were created directly in Israel.

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

Sherman M50 is a Sherman tank armed with a French 75 mm CN75-50 cannon. The ballistics of this gun, mounted on light tank AMX-13, was borrowed from German gun KwK 42 Panther tanks. Its armor-piercing projectile had an initial speed 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, fulfilling an Israeli order, completed the installation of the CN75-50 cannon in the turret of the Sherman tank. 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 in which the radio station and fan were located. After the placement of a new gun with a more massive breech, there was no more room left in the turret for either one. In addition, the niche played the role of a counterweight, balancing the long and heavy gun barrel. It goes without saying that the Sherman gun lost its automatic loader. The upgrade kits (including the gun) were manufactured in France, and final assembly was carried out in Israel. The IDF Armaments Service began assembling tanks in early March 1956. The CN75-50 gun was named M50 in Israel, and the tank with it was called the Sherman M50. Moreover, the first 50 cars had a vertical suspension and a Continental R975 carburetor engine, and the rest had a horizontal suspension and a Cummins diesel engine with a power of 460 hp. By the end of 1964, up to 300 Sherman tanks had been upgraded to the M50 variant.

Sherman M50 during tactical training. The fan hood and two antenna inputs are clearly visible on the roof of the niche.

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 was a gun with a barrel almost 6 m long and an initial speed armor-piercing projectile 1000 m/s, impossible to install in the Sherman turret due to lack of space for rollback. The gun barrel 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 Panhard AML-90 armored car. This muzzle brake has become a characteristic external feature tank. The initial speed of a sharp-headed armor-piercing projectile decreased to 800 m/s. The installation of the new gun, designated M51 in Israel, required the placement of a counterweight niche even larger than that of the M50 on the rear of the turret. 180 Sherman tanks were modernized, mostly with a cast hull, which was considered most suitable for installing a heavy turret. Some M50 tanks also underwent rearmament. All tanks were equipped with a horizontal HVSS suspension, a 23-inch track, and American Cummins VT8-460 engines with 460 hp. and automatic transmissions. These tanks became known as 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 popular Israeli tank. As of March 1957, there were 183 combat-ready Shermans in the Defense Army (203 in total), 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 reached 522 (by this time the M10s had been withdrawn from service).

Self-propelled 155-mm howitzer M50 on display at the Tank Museum in Latrun. In the background is a 290-mm Episkopi launcher, also based on 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 in service (107 M1, 231 M50 and 177 M51).

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

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

The tanks removed from service were converted into self-propelled guns M50 and Roem (known in Western literature as L33), 160-mm self-propelled mortars, Episkopi launcher, Ivri MLRS and several variants special machines. A number of tanks were transferred to the “army of Major Haddad” in Southern Lebanon and the Phalangist militia in Beirut and took part in civil war. Israel sold a small number of combat vehicles of this type to Uganda and Nicaragua. In the latter, the Shermans took part 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 were installed with new engines and operated until the end of the 20th century.

Light tank AMX-13 in Latrun

As for the light French AMX-13 tanks, the first five vehicles (plus an option for 25 additional ones) were purchased in 1954 and arrived in Israel in February 1955. In 1955, the option for 25 of the above-mentioned tanks was implemented (all arrived before November 1955) and another 30 were purchased (arrived in February 1956). In July–September 1956, another 120 AMX-13s, recovered from French army units and warehouses, were delivered to Israel as emergency military aid. 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 irreparable 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 of these tanks were in service (including 174 of them in service 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 immediately after the war the AMX-13 was withdrawn from service as not meeting the requirements for tanks in modern combat conditions. Data were published on the sale of 72 AMX-13 tanks to Singapore in 1969.

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 tanks purchased was reduced to 30 (16 used Mk 5 and 14 new Mk 7). However, already in May 1960 it was signed new agreement, which provided for the supply of another 60 used Mk 5 Centurions. In 1961, a contract was signed to replace the original 20-pounder (83.8 mm) gun on 90 tanks already purchased by Israel with the latest 105 mm L7 gun. 45 used Mk 5 105-mm guns purchased in 1962 were installed in the UK. Major repairs were also carried out there. Since about 1964, replacement of guns and major repairs of purchased tanks were carried out in Israel. In addition, the tanks were equipped with an additional fuel tank, other changes were made. For example, a pivot mounting of a 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun was mounted on the commander’s hatches.

Shot tanks with 20-pound cannons. 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 Centurion tanks to Israel

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

Medium tank "Shot Kal"

Taking into account deliveries at the beginning of 1967, Israel had 385 Centurion tanks for the Six-Day War, 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 modernizing Centurion tanks began operating at the 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 engine (modification AVDS-1790-2A; here C - from Centurion) and an Allison CD-850-6 hydromechanical automatic transmission (then CD-850-6A). The new engine-transmission unit was larger in size than the old one, so the rear hull sheet had to be tilted 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, and some vehicles received a 12.7 mm machine gun mounted above the gun barrel. The machine gun was fired remotely using an electric trigger. Externally, the modernized Centurion was distinguished by an increased height MTO, a rear hull armor plate 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 exact data about it is not available. By the start of the 1973 war, the Israel Defense Forces had 787 modernized and 222 non-modernized Centurion tanks, for a total of 1009. They made up approximately half of the Israeli tank fleet at the start 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 Centurion tank received the name Shot (“shot” - scourge, whip). However, the original name was widely used, as well as the combination Centurion Shot.

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

The modernized tank with a new engine and transmission was named Shot Kal. Literally this means “light Shot”, so the name indicates the increased mobility of the tank. However, there is also a play on words: “Kal” is an abbreviation for “Continental,” the name of the engine manufacturer. There were several modifications of this tank.

Shot Kal Alef (“Shot Kal Aleph”, that is, “Shot Kal” Mk 1 or Mk A) is a basic modernized model.

The Shot Kal Dalet medium tank is the latest version of the Israeli modernization of the Centurion tank.

Shot Kal Bet (“Shot Kal Bet”, that is, Mk 2 or Mk B) - the turret and gun control drives were replaced from electric to hydraulic, the same as on the M48A3 tank. The modernization of Mk A to Mk B took place from the mid to late 1970s; according to some sources, the total number of modernized vehicles was small; only one armored brigade received these tanks.

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 routed rearward through two distinctive pipes. A generator with a current of 650 A was installed, that is, the engine was upgraded to the AVDS-1790-2AG version (G for Generator). Subsequently, the tank received Blazer mounted dynamic protection and new CL-3030 smoke grenade launchers. According to some reports, Shot Kal Gimel received a fire control system. The modernization of Mk B to 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 control system “Barak-Or” (“barak” in Hebrew means lightning, “or” means light). A heat-insulating casing was installed on the gun barrel, Browning M1919A4 machine guns were replaced with MAG 58. The modernization of Mk C to Mk D took place around 1984–1988.

Heavy armored personnel carrier "Nagmashon"

The size of the Shot Kal tank fleet in the Israel Defense Forces after the 1973 war ranges from 900 to 1,100 units. By 2002, it had decreased to 800 (according to other sources - up to 1000) units (including heavy armored personnel carriers based on the tank). On October 21, 1992, an official ceremony to remove these tanks from service took place, but, apparently, it was only about regular units and only the tanks themselves. However, according to some reports, Shot Kal tanks were in service with reserve tank units until 2001. Tanks removed from service are converted into heavy armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles.

The family of heavy armored personnel carriers and assault engineering vehicles was created specifically for operations in southern Lebanon. The first was the 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. Some of them were made using Nagmashot chassis. Both designs used the same landing scheme. The soldiers first left the hull through the upper hatches, and then crossed the roof of the engine compartment and jumped to the ground. Nagmachon had a more powerful set of reactive armor than Nagmashot. It also featured heavy side screens. Each screen consisted of seven sections, each of which was suspended on double hinges, allowing the section to be lifted for servicing the chassis. The front four sections contained dynamic protection, and the rear three were made of simple steel sheets. Often the rear sheets were fixed in a raised position to protect the landing infantrymen. In addition, Nagmachon had enhanced protection against mines.

The level of security of the Nakpadon armored personnel carrier was even higher. The Israeli army has long kept the design of mounted dynamic armor secret, and only recently has it become known that its modern examples 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 vehicle from anti-tank guided missiles, fire from RPG-7 hand grenade launchers and armor-piercing ammunition with a caliber of up to 20 mm.

All heavy armored personnel carriers intended for local conflicts have launchers for smoke grenades. The Nagmachon has four launchers for the Cl-3030 instant air curtain system, and the 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 at the rear of the vehicle.

Heavy armored personnel carrier "Puma"

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

The latest version of a heavy armored personnel carrier based on the Centurion tank was the Puma. However, to be precise, this vehicle was created as a standard combat vehicle engineering troops. Puma was mainly used in this capacity. Characteristic details appearance What made this vehicle so special was the lack of a deckhouse as such and a bulwark, borrowed from the Merkava tank.

"Tiran" 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-54 and T-55 (according to some sources, 291 T-54 and 82 T-55). Another 15 T-54s and 5 T-55s were captured on the Golan Heights. About 200 captured vehicles were fully operational, among others there were many tanks with minor damage. Feeling a constant need to replenish their tank fleet, the Israelis decided to take captured Soviet tanks into service. Already in July 1967, the first 130 tanks entered service: 81 T-54 and 49 T-55. At the first stage, repairs were made, machine guns and radio equipment were replaced, and a number of other minor changes were made (spare parts were partly produced 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 Defense Army standards, the original 100 mm gun was replaced with a 105 mm American M68.

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

T-54/55 tanks took part 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 Yom Kippur War days in 1973. By the beginning of this war, they made up 7.6% of the Israeli tank fleet. The irretrievable losses of the T-54/55 amounted to 7 vehicles. It should be noted, however, that the brigade equipped with these tanks entered battle only on October 12, 1973.

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

Tank "Tiran-5Sh" on display at the IDF Tank Forces Museum in Latrun

In the Israel Defense Forces, the T-54/55 and then the T-62 tanks were called Tiran. Moreover, this name was borrowed not 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 cannon. Two or three 7.62-mm Browning M1919A4 machine guns are installed (coaxial and on pivot mounts near the commander’s and loader’s hatches) and one 12.7-mm Browning M2НВ machine gun (rigidly above the gun barrel, with remote electric trigger), 60-mm mortar on the starboard side of the turret (on some of the vehicles), large boxes for equipment on the starboard side and stern of the turret and the stern of the hull, a new radio station and PPO system.

Tank "Tiran-6" at a training ground in the Negev desert

"Tiran-4Sh" - "Tiran-4" with a 105 mm M68 cannon. Here “Sh” (the letter “shin” in Hebrew) comes 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 ammunition rack has been modified to accommodate 105 mm rounds.

"Tiran-5" - T-55 with a standard 100 mm cannon. Otherwise it is similar to the Tiran-4 tank.

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

"Tiran-6" - T-62 with a standard 115 mm cannon. Installed three 7.62-mm Browning M1919A4 machine guns (coaxial and on pivot mounts near the commander and loader hatches) and one 12.7-mm Browning M2НВ machine gun (rigidly above the gun barrel, with remote electric trigger), 60-mm mortar on the starboard side turrets, large boxes for equipment on the starboard side and stern of the turret and hull stern, 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: Detroit Diesel 8V-71T engine with a power of 609 hp; semi-automatic hydromechanical transmission; Blazer dynamic protection; weapon stabilizer from HR Textron Incorporated; MSA Matador; heat-insulating casing of the gun; new commander's cupola; passive night instruments for the commander, gunner and driver, new tank controls (wheel); new equipment boxes, etc.

The Achzarit heavy armored personnel carrier was created in Israel on the basis of the T-55 tanks. 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 weapons were installed. The armor of the sides and roof of the hull was strengthened. The engine and transmission 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 party to exit. The landing is carried out from behind along a hydraulically driven ramp, while the landing party passes over the transmission. Three crew members - driver, commander and gunner - are located in front. Armament: OWS combat module from Rafael. The vehicle accommodates 7 paratroopers.

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

Armored personnel carrier "Akhzarit"

The Achzarit armored personnel carrier was initially equipped with three OWS combat modules. 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 installed. However, the main option for reasons of economy is the M240 7.62 caliber machine gun from FN Herstal. OWS weight 160 kg. On production machines, only one module is installed.

The vehicle's power plant is borrowed from the M109 self-propelled gun. It uses a 650 hp engine. Detroit Diesel with Allison automatic transmission. NIMDA has 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 it. The motorized infantry battalion on the Achzarit armored personnel carrier has 37 such vehicles, which, based on 3 battalions in the brigade, gives a total number of 222 units. Taking into account the training units, in 1997 the number of these vehicles in the IDF hardly exceeded 250–300 units. As of mid-2002, Achzarit still only had the Golani among its regular infantry brigades. However, during the fighting in the Palestinian territories in 2000–2002, these armored personnel carriers were also used by other infantry units.

It is also difficult to evaluate the fleet of Tiran tanks in the IDF. Apparently, these vehicles were withdrawn from service in the mid-1990s. Perhaps several dozen vehicles are still in storage in reserve formations. Judging by Israeli press reports, at the end of 2005, units of the Southern Military District began replacing “tyrants” with Magach tanks. Old "tyrants" will be converted into heavy armored personnel carriers.

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

An IS-3 tank 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 Sinai, and almost all of them became trophies of the Israelis. There is no data on how many of them were in good condition and how many were subject to repair. It is reliably known that the IDF used about a dozen PT-76s in the 1973 war (as of May 1973, the unit that operated 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 beginning of hostilities, Egypt had 101 such tanks, and Syria – 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 about captured Soviet tanks in the Israel Defense Forces, it is necessary to mention 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 for service. Nevertheless, they found some use. Individual tanks were transferred to museums (both Israeli and foreign), as well as populated areas as monuments. Diesels were removed from several T-34-85s captured in 1956 for use on Sherman tanks, but things did not go further than experiments. The hulls of part of the T-34-85 were cut, and the armor plates thus obtained were used for additional armoring of some special vehicles based on the Sherman. A large number of tanks were used at training grounds as targets.

Captured soviet tank PT-76 on display at the IDF Tank Forces Museum 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 free space, and the tanks themselves were installed on inclined concrete surfaces, which made it possible to give the barrels of their guns an elevation angle of 45° versus the standard 19°. Two of these IS-3s were used during the War of Attrition in 1969–1970 at the Tempo strongpoint of the Bar-Leva Line (the northernmost OP located along the Suez Canal, 10 km south of Port Said), two more - in the Budapest OP (on the shores of 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 there without use, as well as whether IS-3s were present in other OPs. It is only known that during the 1973 war, one such tank was available (but not used) in the Budapest OP.

The first M48 tanks arrived in Israel in the early 1960s from Germany as part of reparations payments. In 1964, Israel received the first 40 tanks of this type. By that time, information about Germany's military ties with Israel had leaked to the newspapers, and Arab countries began to threaten recognition of the GDR and the curtailment of trade ties with Germany. The Germans stopped military assistance, but the United States assumed their obligations to supply the remaining 110 tanks. In June 1970, Israel ordered another 100 M48A1 and 150 M60/M60A1 (apparently 50 M60 and 100 M60A1) from the United States. The deal was approved by Congress in January 1971, and all tanks were delivered by the end of 1971. In subsequent years, deliveries of tanks of both types continued, 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 called Magach (“magah” is the numeral “forty-eighth - third” in Hebrew, meaning the M48A3 tank, to the level of which they were originally upgraded American tanksМ48А1 and М48А2С, which arrived in Israel) and were repeatedly modernized after their adoption in 1965. Initially, the modernization was focused on the installation of the 105 mm L7 gun, which Israel began producing under British license. Later common element All Israeli modernizations of tanks, both M48 and M60, included the installation of low-profile Urdan commander's turrets, thermal insulation covers for gun barrels, 60-mm mortars for setting up a smoke screen and additional machine guns on pin 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 modernizations, the Magakh was increasingly lagging behind the tanks of potential opponents. Particularly acute was the problem of an inadequately low level of protection for the turret, which is most likely to be damaged in tank-versus-tank clashes. 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 sub-caliber shells of 120 and 125 mm calibers began to penetrate up to 800 mm.

The Blazer mounted dynamic protection kit weighs from 800 to 1000 kg. Against cumulative ammunition, it gave an increase in protection equivalent to what 10 tons of steel could provide. 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 Magach 6Bs equipped with Blazer protection elements were hit by heavy anti-tank missiles fired by Hezbollah. If in 1982 RPGs and ATGMs could not penetrate the Blazer, then in this case the tanks were hit. Thus, the Blazer's dynamic armor has become ineffective not only against kinetic ammunition, but also against the new generation of cumulative ammunition. Strengthening passive armor would lead to an unacceptable increase in mass. Therefore, it was decided to use new ballistic materials and use the results of the development to modernize the Magach.

Medium tank "Magah-6 Bet". Noteworthy elements of the Blazer mounted dynamic protection

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

In 1999, the Israeli army required expensive but more effective padded armor to be installed on the Magach 6B. This order was completed extremely quickly, in just 10 months. The upgraded vehicle was named Magach 6B Batash.

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

It should be noted that Moked laser irradiation warning systems were periodically installed on Magakh tanks in operation. In addition, they are mounted modern system Software from the Israeli company Spectronix.

"Magah-6 Bet Gal". The photo shows the main external distinctive features of this modification - the heat-protective 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 cannon. Increasing their firepower was achieved mainly through improved fire control systems and more effective ammunition. The turret's hydraulic drive was strengthened to compensate for the increased turret mass caused by increased armor. An improved fire control system was also installed on some Magach 6Bs. New system fire control is called Gal. It was supplied to the international market by Elbit and El-Op under the name Matador. Magach 6B with the new control system 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, a semi-stabilized gunner's sight is linked to the gun, which is independently stabilized. The commander received his own sight, integrated into the cupola on the right side of the turret. The space vacated by the old optical rangefinder is used for it.

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

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

From 1965 to the present, several modifications of the Magah tanks have been used in the Israel Defense Forces.

Magach 3 – М48А1/А2С, upgraded to the М48А3 level.

Magach 5 – 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 (that is, Magach 6A) - M60A1. 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, mounted dynamic protection and a heat-insulating casing were installed on the gun barrel. A gradual transition has been 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 engine. In addition, the tank received a more advanced gun stabilization system, as well as T142 type tracks with rubber cushions, while the Magach 6A had smaller wedge-shaped T97 type tracks. Gradually, the engine and stabilizer were improved on all M60A1s, that is, all Magach 6 Alefs were upgraded to the Magach 6 Bet level. As a consequence, the name Magach 6 Alef fell into disuse.

Magach 6 Bet Gal – Magach 6 Bet with the new Gal (“Wave”) control system, created on the basis of the Merkava tank’s Matador control system. In addition, the configuration of the dynamic protection units has changed, and a new basket for property of increased volume has been installed at the rear 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, and side screens (hence another, unofficial name for this model - Magach 6 “Memugan” - “protected”). A characteristic feature of the tank is the configuration of the additional armor of the turret, giving it a flattened shape. Engine 750 hp replaced with a more powerful one, 908 hp. The word "batash" means "bitachon shutef", i.e. "ensuring daily security." Usually the word “batash” refers to the protection of relatively peaceful borders, but in this case it meant the daily work of the IDF in Lebanon (before the withdrawal of troops from there in May 2000) - this is what this model was created for. 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 a Baz control system (as on the Merkava 3 tank) instead of a Gal control system. A small number of Magach 6 Bet tanks have been upgraded to this level.

Magach 6 Gimel (that is, Magach 6C) - M60A3.

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

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

Magach 6 Mem (Magach 6M) – Magach 6 Resh* with Nachal-Oz control system.

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

Magach 7 Alef (Magach 7A) - has almost vertical additional armor for the front part of the turret. The designation Magach 7 Alef is not used, just Magach 7 is used.

Magach 7 Bet (Magach 7B) – Magach 7 with armor like the Magach 7 Gimel. Prototype, not mass produced.

Magach 7 Gimel (Magach 7С) – the armor is similar to that of the Sabra tank, that is, with a strong slope 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 from the rear view

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

The Sabra variant was developed specifically for participation in the tender for the modernization of M60 tanks announced by Turkey. This upgrade 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 is replaced by a 120 mm smoothbore MG251 (created and produced by IMI for the Merkava 3 tank). Work to replace the gun was carried out back in 1994. The ammunition load consists of 42 rounds. In addition, the vehicle is equipped with a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and an additional two machine guns mounted on the turret roof in front of the commander and loader hatches. It is also possible to install a 60-mm Soltam mortar. The Sabra Mk 2 main battle tank features an advanced computerized Knight III fire control system with laser rangefinder, 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 power 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 included, among other things, the installation of a 1000 hp MTU diesel engine. and automatic transmission from Renk. Work began at the Turkish repair plant in Kayseri in 2006 and was completed in April 2010. The modernized tanks received the designation M60T (T - Turkish).

"Merkava"

The possibility of producing tanks directly in Israel began to be seriously considered for the first time in February 1964. At that time, we were talking about assembling the French AMX-30 tank, while the hull was planned to be manufactured in Israel, and the turret was to be imported ready-made from France. For various reasons, this idea was abandoned.

At the beginning of 1966, Great Britain expressed preliminary agreement to sell Chieftain tanks to Israel and even organize its licensed production in Israel (initially, a screwdriver assembly from imported components, and then a gradual transition to full in-house production). In November 1966, two delegations - the tank forces and the weapons service - went to the UK for a comprehensive study of the tank. At the beginning of 1967, two Chieftain tanks arrived in Israel to undergo extensive testing. After their service life was exhausted, these vehicles were replaced by two new tanks. In total, the tests lasted two and a half years. During their course, numerous proposals were made to change the design to better adapt the tank to work in the desert. On October 17, 1968, Israel officially approached Great Britain with a request to purchase Chieftain tanks. In April 1969, the Israeli delegation began studying the technology for producing "chieftains" in the UK. During this period, there was a discussion in the British government on the issue of selling the tank to Israel. The Ministry of Defense was in favor, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was against. Ultimately, in December 1969, Britain officially refused to accept Israel. At the end of the same month, both tanks located in Israel were sent back to England.

A group of officers of the IDF tank forces. Far right – Israel Tal

Failures to organize licensed production of tanks in Israel, apparently, finally confirmed 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 Russian publications write mostly all sorts of nonsense about him. Its latest example is the announcement of Tal “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. There is no other way! From the same clip there are fables about Guderian, who “studied” tank engineering in the USSR. To complete the picture, all that remains is to find General Patton’s Odessa roots, and everything will be in perfect order! Against the background of such Glavpurov obscurantism, a brief biographical note about General Tal is simply necessary.

A prototype (more precisely, a running model) of the Merkava tank. The hull of the Centurion tank was used in its manufacture.

So, Israel Tal was born in 1924 in Palestine. He began his military service in 1942, when he voluntarily joined the British Army, with which he fought in North Africa and Italy. In 1946, Tal returned to British-mandated Palestine and joined the ranks of 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 he became the commander of one of the IDF infantry brigades. Later, Tal moved to the tank forces, where he held the position of deputy commander, then commander of the 7th armored brigade, and in 1964-1969 he was commander of the IDF tank forces, 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 1973 war as the chief operational management and Deputy Chief of the General Staff, and at its final stage he commanded the Southern Front. In 1976, Israel Tal resigned and became assistant minister of defense. While occupying this position, he headed 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 became a formidable force that played a major role in the wars fought by Israel. General Tal was one of the true tank fanatics who knew and loved military equipment down to the last screw. The soldiers more than once saw their general in field uniform, stained with machine oil, when he, together with the mechanics, sorted out breakdowns of tank units. Israeli tank crews gave their commander the loving 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 the Israeli tank began to take shape. He believed that none of the tank models, be it the American M48 and M60 tanks or the British Centurion, satisfied the basic requirements of Israeli tank doctrine. The Israeli army needed a completely new combat vehicle, one that most fully corresponded to the theater of operations and the combat experience of Israeli tank crews. The main emphasis, along with firepower and maneuverability, was on maximum protection for the crew: the tank could 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 Israeli Ministries of Defense and Finance the results of an economic study on the feasibility of developing and producing its 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 design. 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 reduced to a minimum, largely thanks to Tal himself and the close cooperation of the military and designers.

Assembly shop of a plant in Tel Hashumer

In December 1974, the first prototype(this was preceded by testing prototypes converted from Centurion tanks). The first 4 production vehicles were transferred to the Israel Defense Forces for testing 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 plant in the city of Tel a-Sumer. In 1980, after the release of the first 30 tanks, the production rate was 7-10 vehicles per month, then it increased 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 reflects the desire of the developers to ensure its maximum survivability and crew protection. The tank has an increased combat weight compared to comparable models of main tanks and an unusual layout. To enhance the protection of the crew, the engine and transmission are located in the forward part of the hull and thus serve as an additional barrier for a projectile in the event that it penetrates the frontal armor. In addition, this placement of the engine and transmission compartment made it possible to free up a significant reserved volume in the rear of the vehicle to accommodate additional ammunition. The management department is located behind the MTO. Access to it is provided both through a hatch in the roof of the hull and through the fighting compartment. The hatch has three periscope surveillance devices, the middle of which can be replaced with a non-illuminated night vision device. The fighting compartment is located in the rear of the hull.

End of introductory fragment.

If the first combat aircraft that were at the disposal of the Israeli army were Messerschmitts of the Czech post-war assembly (S-199), then their first tanks were the English Cromwells. At the same time, the first two Cromwell medium tanks were literally stolen right from under the noses of the British. Two sergeants were involved in this detective story: Irish mechanic Michael Flanagan and Scotsman Harry MacDonald. One of the tanks they stole can still be seen in Latournay, where the Israeli armored forces museum Yad Le-Shiryon is located.

In 1947, Britain decided to abandon its colonial mandate to govern Palestine. The British were frankly tired of looking for any solution to the Arab-Jewish conflict, so they decided to get rid of this problem. The official end of their mandate was supposed to occur on May 14, 1948. On the same day, the creation of the independent state of Israel was announced, after which the second stage of the Arab-Israeli war of 1947-49 began, which in the Jewish state itself, as in most countries of the world, is called the “War of Independence” (at that time as states that sympathized with the anti-Israeli coalition call it differently - “Nakba”, that is, “catastrophe”).

In fact, the war in Palestine began even before representatives of the British administration left it. However, at the first stage of this conflict, the fighting was exclusively positional in nature, and the parties to the conflict were mainly engaged in obtaining weapons, building fortifications and strengthening their positions. At the same time, by the beginning of the war, the Jews managed to create two large semi-clandestine military organizations - the Hagana and the Irgun. Both organizations were dissolved in 1948, joining the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) formed in May of the same year.

At the same time, the Israel Defense Forces were armed with weapons of a wide variety of origins. The collection of various weapons began long before May 1948. The arsenals collected by the Jews were incredibly diverse in models, calibers, origin and age. For example, even before the start of World War II, the Hagana had smuggled submachine guns at its disposal; these were the Finnish Suomi and the American Thompson, which were very convenient for fighting in the city and settlements. The flow of arms smuggling did not stop even after the end of the great war in Europe. From 1946 to 1948, more than 1,300 different submachine guns were transferred to Israel, and approximately another 870 submachine guns, mainly British Stans, were obtained directly “on site” during the period 1941-1947. They were stolen from British warehouses, bought from Arab smugglers, etc. Repeated rifles and even light mortars were obtained in the same way.

As a result, the territory of Palestine was literally filled with weapons. Cache caches were found all over the country. So in 1946 in Tel Aviv, in just one building of the Tahemoni school, representatives of the British administration discovered more than 50 mortars, 50 rifles and several thousand cartridges and mines for them. And in Kibbutz Dorot, two dozen submachine guns and light machine guns were found. Weapons were even bought from the British themselves. At the same time, this was explained quite simply: discipline in the troops, who were already counting the days until their departure from Palestine, was, to put it mildly, lame. For example, already in 1951, an officer was convicted in Great Britain who in 1948 sold a shipment of weapons to Jews. Initially, he was going to sell the entire lot to the Arabs for 25,000 pounds sterling, but representatives of the Haganah offered 30 thousand for it and won. As a result of this transaction, they received an armored car, a jeep, 180 Browning machine guns, rifles and thousands of cartridges for them. At the same time, the Haganah bought weapons not only from the British, but also from the Arabs themselves in Palestine, as well as neighboring Egypt and Syria.

There was also a hunt for serial armored vehicles; they were obtained from the same British. In some cases, armored vehicles were simply stolen. The Jews acted according to all the rules: they took the armored vehicle under their supervision and waited for the moment until the crew went for a swim or a snack. However, this was not about tanks. The first tanks, which became the ancestors of the Israeli tank forces, were stolen from the British contingent by the British soldiers of the Hussar Regiment located in Haifa. These were two Cromwell medium tanks armed with 75 mm cannons.

Before the cancellation of the British Mandate in Palestine, the Haganah managed to obtain the two Cromwell tanks listed above, one Daimler armored car, two disarmed Sherman tanks (they were purchased) and the GMS Otter reconnaissance vehicle. Already in May 1948, the formation of the Israeli armored service began, but on May 15, of all the tanks of the newly proclaimed Israeli state, only one was on the move. In June of the same year, 10 Hotchkiss N-39 light tanks arrived in Israel, which at that time were hopelessly outdated vehicles; they were bought in France. And in July, Hotchkiss, Cromwell and Sherman already took part in battles with the Arabs as part of the 82nd Tank Battalion of the Israel Defense Forces. Moreover, out of 30 faulty Sherman tanks that were hastily purchased from Italy, only two vehicles were put into operation during the war.

Returning to the British medium tank "Cromwell", which in English terminology was a cruising tank, it can be noted that during the Second World War this tank was rightfully considered one of the best British combat vehicles. This tank was created in Great Britain already during the war years and, thanks to its relatively light armor and powerful Rolls-Royce engine, was distinguished high speed movement. Armed with a 75-mm cannon, the tank found worthy use during the Second World War, fighting against German troops. The history of the appearance of these tanks in the IDF begins with an idea that came to the mind of Isaac Sada, the founder of the first tank brigade of the Jewish state. In the spring of 1948, he decided to take advantage of the British evacuation of his army in order to simply steal several of these vehicles, joining them with the Haganah forces.

The first attempt to steal tanks from the British during their transfer from a military base in the Jezreel Valley to Haifa was planned for the end of May 1948. Previously, a “purchasing” department specially created under the Hagan was able to agree with several British soldiers that during the move the last tanks would lag behind the column and turn onto a side road, where the organization’s fighters would be waiting for them. For each of the stolen tanks, the soldiers were promised 3 thousand pounds sterling. However, this plan failed, as the security of the convoy was strengthened, which frightened the soldiers who took part in the deal. But Isaac Sade was not going to give up and ordered a search for new opportunities to take possession of the tanks. So at the beginning of the summer of the same year, the Haganah was able to contact two British sergeants - Irish mechanic Michael Flanagan and Scotsman Harry MacDonald, who served as commander of one of the tanks.

The operation to steal armored vehicles was planned for the night of June 29-30, 1948, on the eve of the departure of the last units of the British army from Palestine. The four remaining Cromwell tanks were planned to be stolen from the base located at the Haifa airfield, with the help of the two above-mentioned sergeants and a couple of Jewish soldiers who managed to take a crash course in operating a Cromwell tank. In the absence of other opportunities for this, British sergeants taught their partners how to control a combat vehicle, conducting only theoretical classes in one of the cafes in Haifa - with the help of drawings and drawings.

On the evening before “Day X,” trained Haganah fighters infiltrated a British airfield, where they hid inside a light aircraft that belonged to one of the wealthy Jews. At the appointed hour of the night, all four hijackers took their places in tanks prepared in advance by the sergeants for the hijacking, which were loaded with spare parts and ammunition. However, this is where the first problems began. One of the newly minted Israeli driver mechanics was unable to start the tank and, abandoning the combat vehicle, fled from the base. Three other tanks, breaking through the gates of the base, rushed towards Kibbutz Yagur, located in the Jezreel Valley, several tens of kilometers east of Haifa. Here it finally became clear that the theoretical training that was received in the cafe was clearly not enough to control tanks. Another Cromwell, driven by a Jewish driver, went off the road and literally got stuck in the sand. Trying to free the tank from the trap, the inexperienced driver only damaged the gearbox. As a result, the combat vehicle had to be abandoned. Subsequently, it became clear that the two abandoned tanks helped the others escape. In the atmosphere of terrible confusion that arose at the British base after the daring hijacking, the officers spent at least 30 minutes clarifying the situation and inspecting the two abandoned tanks, which allowed the other two Cromwells to successfully break away from the pursuit.

Directly at Kibbutz Yagur, the tanks were supposed to meet trailers designed to transport them, but there were no trucks on site. It was dangerous to wait for their arrival, since by that time the British had launched aircraft into the air, which were supposed to find and destroy the fugitives. Therefore, the Cromwells rushed to Tel Aviv, but under their own power. Ahead, showing the tankers the way, was the Hagan jeep. And old trucks, purchased in advance during preparation for the operation, loaded with rubble and with punctured tires, blocked junctions after the passing tanks, cutting them off from possible pursuers. The combat vehicles that reached Tel Aviv were hidden directly in the courtyard of a residential building in one of the eastern suburbs of the city - Givatayim.

Tank stolen by Mike Flanagan

Upon learning of the successful theft of tanks, the British command was furious. The officers refused to participate in the farewell banquet organized by the mayor of Haifa and, hoping to somehow hush up this shameful story for the British army, unofficially proposed an exchange, giving the Haganah three tanks of a different type in exchange for the two stolen Cromwells. Apparently, the proposal turned out to be not so interesting and the British officers were refused.

And a week later, both stolen Cromwell tanks ended up at the location of the 82nd tank battalion of the 8th tank brigade of Yitzhak Sade. Actually, they, together with the Sherman tank, which at that time did not have a gun, made up the first and only heavy tank company of the Israeli army at that time. In addition to them, the tank brigade had only a few light French tanks, which were recaptured from the Syrians during the fighting in May 1948.

In July of that year, an Israeli tank unit took part in the daring and successful Operation Tribute, which resulted in the subsequent capture of Lydda Airport (today Ben Gurion Airport) and other strategic positions located in the center of the country. In October 1948, the brigade was transferred to the southern front, where, during Operation Joab, it was able to capture the Iraqi Suwaydan police fort. And during the winter Operation Horev, Israeli tanks managed to defeat parts of the Egyptians and reached the border with Sinai.

The memory of the first Israeli Cromwells lives on to this day; the silhouette of this tank adorned the emblem that can be found on the berets of Israeli tank crews. The tanks themselves were able to get into the Museum of Tank Forces, located on the site of the British Fort Latrun, which was never captured during the War of Independence (the Israelis captured the fort only during the Six-Day War). British sergeants Harry MacDonald and Michael Flanagan remained in Israel, enlisting in Sadeh's brigade. Over time, MacDonald left the service and left Israel, and Flanagan converted, married Ruth Levy, who served in the same unit, and settled with her on Kibbutz Sha'ar Ha'Amakim.

It is still quite difficult to judge what exactly made two British Army sergeants desert in the summer of 1948, taking their tanks with them. Over time this story, as often happens, has become overgrown with a large number of legends - about the girls with which the Haganah seduced the sergeants, and about the huge monetary reward, and about the fact that Israeli underground fighters threatened the sergeant with weapons. Perhaps the fact that both hijackers were Irish and Scottish by nationality and did not feel entirely comfortable in the British army also played a role.

However, Amnon Doumani, who personally knew Flangan for many years while he lived in Kibbutz Shaar HaAmakim, is convinced that the Irishman was not pushed to steal the tank by lyrical or commercial reasons. His choice was influenced by something completely different. Michael Flangan graduated from military school at the age of 16, and at the age of 19 he took part in the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Europe. In the concentration camp, he saw something that greatly shocked him and changed his life forever. However, he never spoke in detail about the camp he saw, trying to avoid these conversations. During his service in Palestine after the end of World War II, he became openly sympathetic to the Jews, eventually deciding to stay in the country to help the young state survive the fight against the Arabs. Sergeant Harry MacDonald was like-minded and supported his choice.

Sources of information:

Israel's Fist of Steel
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, is, according to many experts, the best main battle tank in the world, Israeli tank crews have invaluable combat experience gained in numerous wars and armed conflicts. The Israeli combat example had a significant impact on the development of strategy and tactics of 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
Israel's Fist of Steel

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, is, according to many experts, the best main battle tank in the world, Israeli tank crews have invaluable combat experience gained in numerous wars and armed conflicts.

The Israeli combat example had a significant impact on the development of strategy and tactics of armored forces: Israeli tank generals Israel Tal and Moshe Peled are presented in the Hall of Great Tank Commanders at the General Patton Tank Forces Center, along with German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and American General George Patton .

Emblem of the Israeli Armored Forces (Heil HaShiryon) Creation of tank forces

Israeli tank forces, main impact force ground forces IDF, born in the battles of the War of Independence. In February 1948, the Armored Service was created under the command of Yitzhak Sadeh, 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, it was possible to acquire 10 Hotchkiss N-39 tanks, which, together with the Sherman M4 tank and two Cromwell tanks stolen from the British, entered service with the first tank unit - the 82nd Tank Battalion. The battalion commander was former Polish Army major Felix Beatus, who served from Stalingrad to Berlin. The battalion's crews included tank crews - 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 of Independence. 1948

Among them were several former Red Army tank officers. They were called "suicide bombers" - they deserted the Soviet occupation forces in Germany and reached Eretz Israel by different routes. In the USSR they were sentenced to death in absentia for “treason to the Motherland.” They went through mortal danger to fight for the Jewish state.

By mid-1948, the 7th and 8th tank brigades were formed and took part in battles with the Arab aggressors.

Israeli tank general Moshe Peled. Portrait from the gallery of "Great Tank Commanders" in

In those years, the doctrine of tank warfare began to take shape, adopted by the IDF. It is based on the following principles:
The first one is Totality 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 “Armored Fist” as the main tank maneuver,” which consists of introducing large tank forces into a breakthrough, capable of attacking at high speed, destroying enemy forces along the way.
The main combat unit of the Israeli armored forces is the tank brigade. During combat operations, tank divisions and corps are formed from tank brigades.

Israeli tank general Israel Tal. Portrait from the gallery of "Great Tank Commanders" in
General Patton US Tank Forces Center

Analysis of tank battles showed high percentage losses among tank commanders. This is due to the requirements of a unique code of commander’s honor adopted in the Israeli army:
“Follow me!” - the main command 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 folded back, controls the actions of the crew. This significantly expands visibility and allows you to fight with your eyes open, but the commander becomes a prime target for enemy fire.

Formation of tank forces

The first battle test of this doctrine took place during Operation Kadesh in 1956. In three days, the 7th and 27th tank brigades, interacting with infantry and parachute units, broke through the enemy’s defenses and, having passed through the Sinai Desert, reached the Suez Canal. During the fighting, up to 600 units of 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 battles, the AMX-13 tanks purchased in France performed well - the first modern tanks to enter service with the IDF. In total, about 200 of these tanks entered service with the IDF.
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 United States finally agreed to sell M48 tanks, called Magah in Israel. However, the Americans tried to hide this deal from their Arab friends. Therefore, a deal was concluded between Germany and the United States, and Israel formally purchased 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 in Israel received the name Shot (translated from Hebrew as “whip”)

Israeli tank Shot Centurion.

With this renewed tank fleet, Israel was to fight fierce tank battles in
Six Day War of 1967 and the Yom Kippur War of 1973.

In 1964, General Israel Tal became commander-in-chief of the tank forces. This most experienced tanker, based on combat experience, developed completely new tactical techniques for conducting tank warfare. These include conducting 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 battle during the “Battle for Water” in 1964-1966. Then Syria tried to divert the water of the Jordan River, and thereby deprive Israel water resources. The Syrians began to build a diversion canal, which Israel could not allow.
It was decided to use tank gun fire to destroy the enemy’s earth-moving equipment, tanks and artillery batteries covering the construction.

For this purpose, the Israeli command equipped the Sherman and Centurion tank units with trained crews, with General Tal personally taking the place of the gunner in one of the tanks, and the loader - the commander of the 7th Tank Brigade, Colonel Shlomo Lahat

The Israelis sent a tractor into the no man's land as bait. The Syrians immediately bought into the ruse and opened fire. The targets were immediately detected. Sniper fire from Israeli tank crews 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 the water.

Six Day War. 1967
The Six-Day War of 1967 was a true triumph for Israeli tank forces. For the first time, Israeli tank formations operated simultaneously on three fronts. They were opposed by many times superior forces of five Arab states, but this did not save the Arabs from total defeat.


Six Day War 1967 Israeli tank crews

On the southern front, the attack was carried out by the forces of three tank divisions of generals Tal, Sharon and Joffe. In the offensive operation, called the “March through Sinai,” Israeli tank formations, interacting with aviation, motorized infantry and paratroopers, made a lightning-fast breakthrough of the enemy’s defenses and moved through the desert, destroying the encircled Arab groups. On the northern front, General Peled's 36th Tank Division advanced along impassable mountain paths, and 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 and thousands of armored vehicles, mostly Russian-made, were captured. Captured Russian T-54/55 tanks underwent major modernization at Israeli tank factories and entered service with the tank forces under the name "Tiran-4/5".

Captured Russian armored vehicles captured in the Six-Day War, at a parade in Jerusalem.

On September 9, 1969, an armored group consisting of 6 captured Russian T-55 tanks and three BTR-50 armored personnel carriers captured in the Six-Day War was secretly transported on landing ships to the Egyptian shore of the Suez Canal. The main goal was the destruction of the Russian air defense system, which was interfering with the actions of Israeli aviation. During this brilliantly conceived and executed operation, called Raviv, Israeli tank crews spent 9 hours in a barrage of fire behind enemy lines, mercilessly destroying radar stations, missile and artillery positions, headquarters, warehouses and army bases. Having successfully completed the raid without losses, the Israeli armored group returned safely on landing ships to its base.

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 military personnel were on leave. Israel was suddenly attacked on all fronts by vastly superior aggressor forces, including 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 in the Golan Heights - there, only 200 tanks of the 7th and 188th tank brigades confronted almost 1,400 Syrian tanks on a 40-kilometer stretch. Israeli tank crews fought to the death, demonstrating mass heroism.

The names of the tank heroes who stopped the enemy went down in the history of Israel. Among them are platoon commander Lieutenant Zvi Gringold, company commander Captain Meir Zamir, nicknamed “Tiger,” and battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Kahalani.

Lieutenant (already a captain in the photo) Zvi Gringold is a tanker who accomplished an unprecedented feat: during a battle that lasted about a day, he destroyed up to 60 Russian tanks

The tankers fought until 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, and the 210th Tank Division, under the command of General Dan Laner, arrived in time and completed the defeat of the enemy.

Israeli Centurion tanks. Yom Kippur War 1973 Sinai desert

Israeli Centurion tank. Yom Kippur War 1973. Golan Heights

During the fighting, the Iraqi tank corps, which was sent to help the Syrians, was also destroyed. 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 initially managed to push back units of General Mendler’s 252nd Panzer Division. General Mendler died in battle, but stopped the enemy's further advance. 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 Arab forces were destroyed.

Commander of the 162nd Tank Division, General Abraham Adan (Bren)

On October 14, the largest counter battle of tank formations since World War II took place, “tanks against tanks,” in which 260 enemy tanks were destroyed. Israeli tank crews lost 20 of their combat vehicles.

On October 16, Israeli tank forces launched a counteroffensive. General Sharon's tankers broke through the front, established a pontoon crossing 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 Tank Brigade fighting during the Yom Kippur War in Sinai

War of Yom Kippur. October 1973

During the fierce tank battles of the Yom Kippur War, Israeli tank forces 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 Israeli tank crews who heroically fought died in the battles.

Tank Merkava

One of the results of past wars was the creation of our own tank, in which the requirements of Israeli tank crews for a combat vehicle were most fully realized 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, imposed by foreign manufacturers every time wars began. This situation was intolerable, since there was always a continuous flow of Russian weapons coming to the Arabs.

The Israeli tank project was headed by General Israel Tal, a combat tank officer who had gone through all the wars. Under his leadership, in just a few years, the project of the first Israeli tank, Merkava-1, was created, which already in 1976 was put into mass production at Israeli tank factories. The history of world tank building has never seen such a rate of creation of a tank industry.

The commander of the parachute 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 comes 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.

First generation tank Merkava Mk1


Second generation tank Merkava Mk2


Third generation tank Merkava Mk3


Fourth generation tank 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 Eastern theater of operations. The fourth generation of Merkava tanks is now 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 HaGalil” (Peace to 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 concentrated 11 divisions, united into three army corps. Each corps was assigned its own area of ​​responsibility or direction: the Western direction was commanded by Lieutenant General Yekutiel Adam, the Central direction - by Lieutenant General Uri Simhoni, and the Eastern direction - by Lieutenant General Janusz Ben-Gal. In addition, two divisions under the command of Lieutenant General Moshe Bar Kokhb were deployed to the Golan Heights, in the immediate vicinity of Damascus. The armored divisions included 1,200 tanks. 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.

Tank divisions advanced in the coastal direction and already on June 10 entered the suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut. Beirut was later 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 the landing ships of the Israeli Navy.

Particularly fierce fighting took place in the eastern direction, where the target of the offensive was the strategically important Beirut-Damascus highway. Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, Israeli tanks were stopped about 30 kilometers from the Syrian capital Damascus.

Israeli tanks and infantry are engaged in street 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 waging war against terrorist groups.

The terrorist organization Hezbollah created a deeply echeloned system of fortified areas in southern Lebanon, including many camouflaged underground bunkers, connected by tens of kilometers of tunnels. According to their plans, the weapons and equipment accumulated by the militants should have been enough for a multi-month defense, during which they expected to inflict heavy losses on the Israeli army.

The terrorists paid special attention anti-tank warfare- in tank-hazardous areas they carried out continuous mining, including laying dozens of landmines 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 impressive training of the militants, the IDF successfully completed all assigned tasks with minimal losses and completely eliminated the terrorist presence in the border areas.

According to Israeli data, militants carried out hundreds of launches during the fighting. anti-tank missiles, however, their effectiveness was quite low: there were only 22 cases of penetration of tank armor; damaged tanks returned to service after repairs during the battles in Lebanon. Irreversible losses amounted to only 5 tanks, two of which were blown up by landmines. During the fighting, 30 Israeli tank crews were killed.

Israeli Armored Forces

All military experts note the high survivability of Israeli tanks, especially the modern tank Merkava 4.
The experience of battles in Lebanon has shown that despite the minimal losses of armored vehicles during battles, the solution to the problem of survivability of the main battle tank and its crew on a battlefield saturated with anti-tank weapons is the use of high-tech active defense means that ensure a change in trajectory or destruction of all types of incoming cumulative ammunition.

In Israel, the development of active protection equipment for armored vehicles is carried out by the military-industrial concern RAFAEL; among the numerous projects, the Iron Fist and Trophy active protection systems should be noted. Israel is leading in this direction - the Trophy active protection system became the first in the world to be installed on mass-produced Merkava Mk4 tanks.

Israeli tank forces have gone through a glorious battle path and are rightfully considered one of the strongest in the world - according to open data, it is known that the IDF now has up to 5,000 tanks in service. This is more than, for example, countries such as the UK, France and Germany. But the main strength of the Israeli tank forces lies in people whose invaluable combat experience and courage are the guarantor of Israel's security.
Alex Shulman ( shaon )