Success

Modern Israeli tank. Mikhail Baryatinsky Israeli tanks in battle. Compare and think

The Israeli main battle tank Merkava (Chariot) was first shown in 1979 and surprised many with its layout, eventually becoming the subject of debate as to whether such a design for a modern MBT was justified. Its development took into account predominantly defensive battle tactics and the need for maximum crew protection, which led to a change in priorities. Most MBTs are designed on the principle of firepower-protection-mobility, while the Merkava has protection as a priority.

The Israelis created an MBT that was to be used only in their country and not exported to others. Therefore, Merkava fully meets their specific requirements, while having shortcomings that would be noticeable in other armies, but we will talk about them at the end of the article.

Design

The chief designer, Israel Tal, led an armored brigade during the Suez Crisis and a division during Six Day War, therefore, like no one else, he knew about the peculiarities of combat and significantly influenced the armored doctrine of Israel.

According to it, most combat operations were to be conducted from pre-prepared defensive positions in natural shelters due to differences in altitude. Thus, often only the tower will be vulnerable to enemy fire. Therefore, when developing the Merkava, the frontal silhouette of its turret was reduced as much as possible, and fighting compartment moved as much as possible into the building.

The second task to be solved was maximum protection of the crew. And here the car stands out again. Its layout is not similar to other modern MBTs, since the engine, transmission and fuel tank moved forward, separated from each other by an armored partition and separated by another armored partition from the crew, who are thus protected not only by frontal armor.

In addition, the fighting compartment in the hull is maximally enlarged and has a door at the rear, so the Merkava MBT can transport 6 paratroopers, 4 stretchers with wounded or additional ammunition, which is a unique feature.

Armor protection

The tank's protection itself is unusual and stands out from others. The differences are in the already mentioned layout, in which the engine and transmission act as additional armor, and the higher altitude contributes to a greater number of hits. The hull and turret are cast, have a strong slope, and the top armor plate can be removed and has a special protrusion that covers the junction of the turret and the hull.

On the sides of the hull there are screens protecting the chassis.

The Merkava tower, as already mentioned, has a small frontal projection, which is ensured by a wedge-shaped shape, which also increases the chances of a rebound. Its design is original, since the protection consists of two layers of spaced armor, between the walls of which there are cartridge boxes for machine guns. The battles in Lebanon showed that this was not enough, so the following modifications received additional armor.

An interesting feature is the headlights, which are hidden in the body under the cover of armor and open during use.

With each modification, the Merkava's armor protection increases. For example, additional screens and modular armor appear.

Armament

Initially, they installed the American 105 mm M68, which is a licensed version of the English L7A1, but immediately provided for the installation of a larger caliber gun in the turret design. The ammunition load is 62 rounds, but can always be increased due to the fighting compartment.

Starting with the Mk.3 modification, the tank began to be equipped with an Israeli-made 120 mm MG251 gun.

Auxiliary armament consists of a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and two additional detachable FN MAG machine guns on the roof of the turret. The total ammunition load is 2000 rounds. Optionally, a 12.7 mm M2NV machine gun can be mounted on the gun mantlet.

To set up smoke screens, a mortar is provided, which allows you to fire while under the cover of armor, starting with Mk.2.

The Matador fire control system is at a high level and is updated with each modification. However, the accuracy and rate of fire are at a rather mediocre level. This is due to both the layout and the requirements of the Israeli military.

As with all modern MBTs, targeting is carried out using sighting devices. The problem is that the engine located at the front with jets of hot air greatly reduces the capabilities of these devices, creating a constant thermal field around the tank. This can be partly solved by firing tactics from previously prepared positions and with a cooled engine, but this is not always applicable in practice.

Moreover, due to the layout, the front part of the Merkava is very heavy, which creates strong longitudinal vibrations, significantly reducing the accuracy of a repeated shot and forcing the rate of fire to be reduced several times due to pauses between shots.

But the Israeli military does not consider all this critical, due to the tactics and use of adjustable ammunition, which allows them to hit targets with almost 100% accuracy with the first shot.

Chassis and engine

Israeli engineers decided to create a chassis based on the Centurion, since its suspension had excellent resistance to mines and explosive devices. It uses coil springs and four bolts to the body of each suspension assembly, allowing for easy replacement of damaged parts and a V-shaped body bottom that is resistant to explosions from below.

In total, on each side of the Merkava there are 6 rubber-coated road wheels, 5 support rollers, a drive wheel at the front and a guide wheel at the rear.

The tracks are also borrowed from the Centurion.

Most tanks are equipped with American AVDS-1790 diesel engines with a power of 900 hp. and modified American Allison CD-850-6B semi-automatic transmissions. Due to their specific location, almost any projectile that penetrates the frontal armor immobilizes the vehicle. But they are assembled in one module, which allows for quick and easy replacement in the field. IN once again The Merkava is not like other MBTs, in which in such a situation part of the crew is disabled, but the tank itself does not lose the ability to move.

Modifications

Merkava mk.1

The first version, mass production began in 1979, a total of about 250 units were created. Participated in the 1982 Lebanon War, after which, taking into account the shortcomings and vulnerabilities that emerged, it was decided to create new version, as a result of which a modification of the Merkava Mk.2 (Merkava Mk.1B) appeared. All tanks of the first modification were later brought to a new level.

Merkava Mk.2

A version created based on the experience of the Lebanon War. Received much better protection, increased firepower and increased maneuverability. We replaced the side screens and improved the turret protection by installing overhead screens. At the back of the tower there are baskets for property and metal chains with balls hung, all this provides additional protection from cumulative ammunition.

The Matador-2 control system and thermal imager were installed, the transmission was replaced with the Israeli Ashot, the capacity of the fuel tanks was increased by 25% and the suspension was modernized.

In total, about 600 of these tanks were produced.

Merkava Mk.3

The tank was equipped with modular armor protection for the hull and turret, which consists of special modules bolted to the hull and turret. This design allows you to easily and quickly replace damaged sections of armor and increase the Merkava’s protection by simply replacing modules with more advanced ones.

The LWS-2 laser radiation system appeared, warning the crew about aiming various weapons at the tank, the control system was replaced with Matador-3, the hydraulic drives for turning the turret and aiming the gun were replaced with electric ones, adding the possibility of manual duplication.

To increase firepower, a locally produced 120 mm MG251 smoothbore gun was installed, and to improve mobility, the AVDS-1790-9AR diesel engine was boosted to 1200 hp. and replaced the transmission with an Israeli one, and also improved the suspension.

In total, about 640 units of such modifications were produced.

Merkava Mk.4

Latest and most advanced version.

The protection was further increased, which is why the dimensions increased, the weight reached 70 tons. To maintain mobility, it was installed new engine GD 883 with 1500 hp The Trophy active protection complex has been installed, protecting the Merkava from guided missiles and grenades from anti-tank grenade launchers.

The turret has increased in size, is protected by modular armor and has only one hatch used by the commander; a new commander's cupola has been installed. Added underbody protection.

The Merkava Mk.4 tank promises to be the last in the series, after which it will be replaced in principle new car next generation.

Epilogue

As can be seen from the article, the Merkava tank was created strictly according to the requirements israeli army, therefore has pronounced strong and weaknesses. It was not designed for long-distance transportation, so heavy weight and the dimensions have practically no effect on anything. The impossibility of accurate shooting with minimal pauses, as well as shooting on the move, is gradually being corrected by new fire control systems and adjustable ammunition, in addition, modern technologies make it possible to correct the increased thermal field in front of observation devices. The inability of the tank to move after breaking through the frontal armor is more than compensated by the protection of the crew, who, although they turn into simple infantry after the tank is hit, survive, and this is the main thing in the Merkava’s idea.

It is incorrect to compare this tank with other modern MBTs, since they are trying to make them universal and adapted to various climatic and combat conditions. Merkava is completely different.

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

"Merkava MK.4"

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

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

The tank is equipped with a diesel engine from the American manufacturer Generals Dynamics, whose power is 1500 horsepower. The combat vehicle does not have equipment designed to overcome water obstacles, and there are no mechanisms for self-digging either.

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

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

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

"Magah 3"

In the period from 1964 to 1966, 150 units of M48A1 tanks and about 100 M48A2C combat vehicles, which later received the name “Magah”, which translated means “ram strike,” were supplied to the Israeli army from Germany and the United States.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Sabra"

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

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

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

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

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

Israeli Tank Forces

Israeli tank forces consist of four tank brigades:

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

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

Conclusion

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

Israel is considered a great tank power: the IDF tank fleet is one of the largest in the world - it is armed with from 4 to 5 thousand tanks, the Merkava tank built at Israeli tank factories, according to many experts, is the best main battle tank in the world, Israeli 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 armor strategy and tactics tank troops: 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 IDF ground forces were born in the battles of the War of Independence. In February 1948, the Armored Service was created under the command of Yitzhak 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 dangers 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 began to take shape tank war, adopted by the IDF. It is based on the following principles:
The first is “Totality of the Tank”. This means that tank formations, due to mobility, armor and firepower, are capable of independently solving the main tasks of a land war.
The second is “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.

The 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 tanks Centurion, which in Israel received the name Shot (translated from Hebrew as “whip”)

Israeli tank Shot Centurion.

With this updated 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 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 for 9 hours walked through the enemy’s rear with a fiery wave, mercilessly destroying radar stations and positions missile forces and artillery, 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 ordeal 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 the world military 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 the 252nd tank division General Mendler. 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 and established a pontoon crossing across 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 about the 14th tank brigade who fought 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 in Hebrew means “ war chariot" 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. Israeli designers were the first in the world to develop dynamic armor, the use of which greatly reduced the likelihood of a tank being hit by shells and guided missiles. Blazer dynamic protection units were installed on Merkava tanks, and on most of the Centurions, M48 and M60 that remained in service with the IDF
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) 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 warfare 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. and the equipment accumulated by the militants, according to their plans, 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 to anti-tank warfare - they carried out continuous mining in tank-hazardous areas, 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, during the battles the militants carried out hundreds of launches of anti-tank missiles, but their effectiveness was quite low: there were only 22 cases of penetration of tank armor; damaged tanks returned to service after repairs during the 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 most modern Merkava 4 tank.
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.

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

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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, the main striking force of the IDF ground forces, were born in the battles of the War of Independence. In February 1948, the Armored Service was created under the command of Yitzhak 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.

Israeli tank Sherman M4. War of Independence. 1948

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 conducting an offensive 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

An analysis of tank battles showed a high percentage of 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.

The formation of tank forces

Israeli tanks AMX-13. Operation Kadesh 1956

Israeli Super Sherman tanks

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

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 of 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.

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.

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.” One of the largest tank battles in the world unfolded in the vastness from Sinai to the Golan Heights. military history- Up to six thousand tanks took part in it on both sides.

A particularly dangerous situation arose 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.

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

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 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

Tank Merkava

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 in production, 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.

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 warfare against terrorist groups.

The terrorist organization Hezbollah created a deeply echeloned system of fortified areas in southern Lebanon, which included 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.

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.

Israeli Armored Forces

Throughout its short history of independence, Israel has been forced to fight to defend its borders and defend against terrorist attacks. To survive, the Israelis had to devote great attention development of the armed forces and the military-industrial complex. Today, the Israeli Army (IDF) is one of the most advanced and combat-ready armed forces in the world, and the country’s military-industrial complex is considered no less advanced. In 2010, Israel exported $7.2 billion worth of military products, ranking fourth in the world. Only the USA, Russia and Germany had better results.

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

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

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

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

History of creation

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

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

After analyzing the Six-Day War and the Sinai Campaign, Tal came to the conclusion that all the main battle tanks(MBT) are not very suitable for the 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, the protection of the crew. Even after the destruction of the vehicle, the tankers had to survive. Another important feature of Israel, which largely determined the appearance and characteristics of the Merkava, is the compactness of this country. The fact is that the dimensions and weight of tanks 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's turret is very vulnerable, so the developers tried to reduce its frontal projection and place most of the fighting compartment in the hull.

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

Description of design

The main difference between the Merkava and others modern tanks is its layout: the engine and transmission are located in the front 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 part of the armored fender niches; in their front part there are air intakes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tank modifications

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

The turret's armor was strengthened with the help of additional screens with combined armor, side protection has also been improved. The mortar was moved inside the turret, and now fire could be fired without leaving the vehicle. Baskets for various property were mounted on the tower, which provided additional protection. To protect against cumulative ammunition, balls 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 more high blood pressure powder gases. An automatic loader has appeared in the turret niche, which can accommodate 10 shells. The rest of the ammunition is located in the rear of the tank.

After the 2006 Lebanon War, the Trophy active protection complex (KAZ) was installed on the Merkava Mk.4. War 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 of the hull when firing and reduces accuracy. The heat from the engine interferes with the operation of the sighting devices.

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

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