Israeli tanks are modern. Jewish tank on the roads of Russia. Israeli armored forces

Israeli tank forces appeared in the middle of the last century during the war for independence. To date, the tank fleet of the Israeli army has from 4 to 5 thousand tanks, and the tankers have invaluable combat experience that they have gained in numerous wars and armed conflicts.

Before the 1956 war, the Israeli government decided to reorganize the army, the core of which was to be tank troops. For this purpose, 1000 pieces were purchased in the UK. "Centurions", in the USA "M48" and a little later "M60". After the war, over 500 Soviet captured T-52s, T-55s and T-62s appeared in the army, in addition to this, the fleet included vehicles from the period of the Second World War.

In an attempt to modernize obsolete models, and most importantly in an effort to unify the "motley" tank fleet among themselves, Israeli designers have gained production and design experience, which allowed them to develop their own tank.

In the 70s, the implementation of the program of the Israeli government to create a national tank began. The main requirement for the creation of the main battle tank was to ensure high survivability of the tank as a whole and the crew in particular, possibly even to the detriment of some other technical characteristics. The result of the solution of such requirements was the front location of the engine compartment, as an additional protection for the crew. Already in 1976, the main battle tank "Merkava-1" was put into mass production at Israeli factories. After a series of upgrades "Merkava MK 2", "Merkava" MK 3 "and" Merkava MK 4 "tank is considered one of the best in the world.

The Israeli "Chariot" was left far behind.
Comparison of tanks from different manufacturers in terms of combat use and everyday operation leaves no choice for potential buyers or independent experts.

In the last decade of the last century, and especially now, all kinds of ratings have become fashionable, the purpose of which is to identify the best product for its successful promotion to a potential buyer. The world arms market was no exception. Comparative characteristics of aircraft, ships, cannons, small arms, etc., etc. filled the pages of special military publications. Comparable indicators are in the hundreds and even thousands.

But as the military who have taken part in armed conflicts in recent years say, there is comparative statistics that demonstrate on paper the superiority of one or another model over its counterpart, and there is a battlefield - a real one, where equipment manifests itself in different ways. It is here, and not in the virtual space of computer exercises, that victory or defeat is determined, the obvious advantage of one combat vehicle over another.

Rating cabal

At the end of the first five years of this century, Forecast International analysts prepared another tank rating. In their opinion, the best in the world at that time was the American M1A2 SEP Abrams (manufactured by General Dynamics Corporation). He proved himself during the war in Iraq. In second place was the Israeli tank Merkava Mark IV (producer - Israel Ordnance Corps). In combat, he seemed to demonstrate good capabilities. The third position was taken by the Japanese "Type 90" (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries). The tank was created on the basis of the German Leopard 2 and was positioned as the most high-tech. However, this machine has not been tested in combat, and therefore it can only be evaluated theoretically. The German Leopard 2A6 (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann) did not experience the fire of battles either, and therefore ended up in fourth place. The fifth line went to the British Challenger 2 (Vickers Defense Systems Division), which also took a sip of fire and dust in Iraq, but did not meet some NATO standards.

Five years later, the Military Ordnance magazine (USA) replicated its view of the best tanks in the world, taking as a basis the main combat properties - mobility, firepower, armor protection. In this rating, the places in the top five were distributed as follows: Leopard-2A5 (Germany), M1A2 (USA), Type 90 (Japan), Leclerc (France), Challenger 2 (Great Britain). The Russian T-90S took the seventh position, and the Israeli Merkava Mk3 rounded out the top ten, leaving behind the legendary Soviet-era vehicle, the T-72 tank.

A few years later, the same American magazine published a new rating. As before, the first position was occupied by the German Leopard-2A6. The American M1A2 SEP flew from second to third place, letting the Japanese forward, Leclerc and Challenger 2 exchanged positions. The Russian main battle tank (MBT) T-90S failed to break into the top five. But it was he who became in these years the most sought-after machine on the international arms market. And this is not a rating, but a concrete fact, confirmed by real contracts. Following the Russian tank, Leopard-2, Leclerc and M1A2 were placed.

Let's take for comparison not only tactical and technical characteristics, but also such parameters as the novelty of tank technology, the conceptual features of combat vehicles, "price-quality", and most importantly - participation in real combat operations. According to these criteria, only two cars will have to be compared - the Russian T-90S and the Israeli "Chariot" (that's how "Merkava" is translated), more precisely, the "Merkava Mk4". Some experts consider this tank the best in the world.

The rest either did not participate in battles (German Leopard 2A6, Japanese Type 90, Chinese Type 99, South Korean K1A1 and K2), or were conceptually created back in the 70-80s of the last century. In addition, the price characteristics of the M1A2, Leclerc and Leopard tanks are simply off the charts and are beyond the reach of the vast majority of buyers of military equipment.

The tank took part in the second Lebanese war in 2006. Then about 400 tanks were involved. They were mainly used to support infantry and evacuate the wounded from the battlefield. This is the conceptual difference between the Merkava and the T-90S MBT, created, like all Soviet / Russian tanks, for offensive combat and the destruction of tanks, artillery and enemy fortifications. An indestructible armored fist that sweeps everything in its path with powerful fire - that's what the Russian T-90S is.

There is no exact information about the losses of Israeli tanks in 2006. But even according to those obviously underestimated data that were published in the Israeli newspaper Globes, one can judge serious damage. Of the 400 tanks of three modifications participating in the operation (Mk2, Mk3, Mk4), 52 were hit. Fifty vehicles were hit by ATGM missiles, two were blown up by land mines. But according to Lebanese military estimates, the Israel Defense Forces lost more than twice as many tanks.

"Black Sabbath" for armored vehicles fell on Saturday 12 August 2006. During the offensive of the best in the IDF, the 401st Ikvot ha-Barzel brigade, equipped with the latest Merkavs Mk4, 11 out of 24 vehicles that took part in the hostilities were hit by anti-tank missiles. The enemy did not have heavy weapons, moreover, Israel ensured its complete air supremacy. Under such conditions, even the losses officially published by the Israeli media can be considered very large.

Of the 50 Chariots hit by missiles, 22 (44%) had armor pierced, as a result of which 30 of the 208 crew members died and 25 were injured. For comparison: in the first Lebanese campaign in 1982, 47 percent of Israeli tanks were pierced through, in the Yom Kippur War, 60 percent of vehicles received such damage. Thus, the 2006 conflict of the year showed that it is not at all necessary to penetrate the armor of the Merkava in order to render the vehicle harmless. To defeat a tank, it is enough just to hit it. The statistics of those who died by type of tanks: 10 people died in three Merkava Mk2s, 9 in four Mk3s, and 11 in six Mk4s. This leads to an extremely disappointing conclusion: most of the crew members died in the most modern Israeli Merkava Mk4 tanks.

Export prospects

Nevertheless, in recent years, the Israeli leadership has been aggressively promoting its "Chariot" to the world market, including the dynamically developing countries of Southeast Asia (SEA). However, the top military leadership of these states, which has experience in combat operations, is very cautious about such proposals. They are well aware that the Merkava Mk4 was created exclusively for use in the IDF and can be effectively used in the Middle East theater of operations (TVD). It has a hot and dry climate, sandy and rocky soils, limited territories, no impenetrable forests and water barriers, and tanks are delivered to the place of combat use on trailers.

How will this car behave in the tropical jungle, on soft and swampy soils, in the absence of an extensive paved road network, long distances, an abundance of rivers, swamps and rice plantations? There are no answers to these questions, since the tests of the Merkava Mk4 in such climatic zones were not carried out, there is no experience of using an Israeli tank in the difficult physical and geographical conditions of the Southeast Asian region.

However, one does not need to be a major analyst to understand the obvious: the heavy Merkava Mk4 tank, weighing 67 tons, will get bogged down to the very tower, becoming a helpless target. In addition, there are very few stone bridges in this region that can withstand the weight of an armored monster. And the Merkava Mk4 will not be able to overcome water obstacles along the bottom, since it does not have equipment for underwater driving.

It was created on the basis of the experience of operation and combat use of the T-72 tank and is its further development. T-72 is one of the most massive in the world, is in service with many states. In addition, it is this machine that has unsurpassed experience in combat use in many local wars and armed conflicts in various climatic and physical and geographical conditions. The T-90S MBT retained all the best features of its predecessor, embodied new achievements of Russian military-technical thought and modern developments in domestic tank building. Therefore, the machine has received recognition in the global arms and military equipment market. Before making large-scale purchases, potential customers gave the Russian tank the most severe survival tests in the harshest climatic conditions and training situations as close as possible to combat. It was the T-90S that turned out to be the most reliable and enduring in the conditions of the Indian Thar Desert (Rajasthan). After successfully passing the exams, Jaswant Singh, who at that time held the post of Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs of India, said that the T-90S is the second deterrent factor for potential military threats after nuclear weapons.

Another important detail that potential buyers pay attention to. In the production of the Israeli Merkava Mk4 tank, 28 percent of the components are imported from abroad, including such critical units as the engine and transmission. MT883 engine components are manufactured by MTU (Germany), assembled under license by General Dynamics Land Systems in the USA and then exported to Israel as the GD883 power plant. The RK325 transmission is manufactured by Renk (Germany).

This makes the production and export of Israeli tanks heavily dependent on several foreign suppliers from different countries at once, which creates additional problems for buyers. For example, the repair of an engine or transmission must be carried out at the factory producing these components, which increases the repair time and cost. In addition, any change in the political vector can lead to a ban on the supply of spare parts, equipment, and ammunition. As a result, the tank becomes a pile of scrap metal.

Compare and Think

An unbiased look at military equipment allows us to draw objective conclusions. Let's compare the main characteristics of the two tanks.

A characteristic feature of the tank "Merkava Mk4" is the layout with the location of the engine compartment (MTO) in front of the hull with an offset to the starboard side. To the left of it is the control room. According to the developers, such a constructive solution provides additional protection for the crew. But the control compartment is not covered by the engine and transmission on the left side. In addition, due to the displacement of the driver's workplace to the port side and the slight angle of inclination of the upper armor plate of the MTO, the view to the right is very limited. This complicates the control of the machine, for example when maneuvering between obstacles.

Placing in the aft part of the Merkava Mk4 tank a compartment for infantrymen, a stretcher with the wounded or an additional set of ammunition significantly increased the internal armored volume. It is twice the booked volume of the Russian T-90S. Such an internal volume is very difficult to protect against modern anti-tank weapons, even with a weight of almost 70 tons. An attempt to bring the protection of the "Chariot" to the level of the T-90S will lead to an even greater increase in the weight of the Israeli vehicle.

In turn, the T-90S has a classic layout with a rear engine compartment. Thanks to optimal layout solutions and the use of an automatic loader, the tank has a minimum armored volume, which made it possible to provide protection at the level of modern requirements with a vehicle weight of 47.5 tons.

The placement of the T-90S tank driver in the center gives him a good overview and the ability to accurately control the tank in difficult traffic conditions. The crew of the Russian tank consists of three, not four people, as in Chariot. Landing and disembarking of the entire crew of the T-90S is carried out in 8–12 seconds. On the Merkava Mk4, this takes much longer, since the loader does not have its own hatch, and the commander's is so heavy and massive that an electric drive is used to open it.

The firepower of the Merkava Mk4 is provided by an armament complex, including a 120-mm gun-launcher, 7.62-mm and 12.7-mm machine guns. The latter can be replaced by a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. The installation of a 40-mm grenade launcher confirms the main purpose of the tank - the fight against enemy manpower.

The T-90S tank is armed with a 125-mm cannon-launcher of increased accuracy, coaxial 7.62-mm and anti-aircraft 12.7-mm machine guns.

Loading the gun of the tank "Merkava Mk4" manual. In this case, 10 shells are placed in an electric drum mechanism that feeds shells to the loader, the remaining 36 shots are in refractory containers in the aft part of the hull. The absence of an automatic loader reduces the rate of fire and also increases the internal armor volume, which again significantly increases the mass of the tank.

Loading the gun of the T-90S tank is automatic. The presence of an automatic loader increases the combat rate of fire of the tank to eight rounds per minute, which exceeds the capabilities of the Merkava Mk4. The main thing is that this rate of fire does not depend on fatigue, injury and the psychological state of the loader.

The fire control systems of both tanks are similar in composition and combat properties and include combined (day / night) sights with aiming line stabilization, a two-plane weapon stabilizer, automatic target tracking, a digital ballistic computer, and a guided weapon system.

The security of the Merkava Mk4, like the T-90S, is multi-level. It is provided with armor, an automated system for setting smoke screens, and active protection.

For a vehicle with an internal volume, as on the Merkava Mk4, it is impossible to provide all-round protection against modern anti-tank ammunition by passive means alone. This was confirmed by the experience of combat use. As a result, an active protection system was installed on the tank.

Strengthening protection against defeat from above led to an increase in the size of the Merkava Mk4. As a result, the tank became much higher, which significantly reduced its camouflage properties, and increased the area of ​​frontal and side projections.

The smaller dimensions of the T-90S tank, its height and frontal projection area make it difficult to detect the vehicle on the battlefield due to the better use of the protective properties of the terrain and significantly reduce the likelihood of hits by an opposing weapon. For the T-90S, the Cape camouflage kit has been developed, which significantly reduces the visibility of the vehicle in the optical, thermal and radar ranges, and its camouflage properties increase accordingly.

Another plus of the T-90S is the bulldozer blade, thanks to which the tank is able to dig a full-size trench in 20-30 minutes without auxiliary means. There is no such thing on the Merkava Mk4.

An analysis of the armor protection of two tanks allows us to conclude that the T-90S tank is superior to the Merkava Mk4 in terms of the ballistic resistance of the hull and turret due to the spaced armor and the quality of the armor plates, as well as the presence of dynamic protection. The dynamic protection that the T-90S tank is equipped with is the best in the world today. Its feature is high efficiency against both cumulative and armor-piercing sub-caliber ammunition.

The protection of the Merkava Mk4 tank is primarily aimed at reducing the damaging effect of cumulative ammunition. This once again confirms the fact that the Israeli "Chariot" is designed for use in specific conditions and against a specific enemy - manpower armed with ATGMs and RPGs. When conducting combat operations against tanks armed with powerful armor-piercing sub-caliber shells, the protection of the Merkava Mk4 is ineffective.

As for the automated system for placing smoke screens, which warns of laser guidance and provides automatic shooting of a smoke bomb towards the beam source, both machines are equipped with it.

The dimensions and heavy weight of the Merkava Mk4 significantly limit both operational-tactical and strategic mobility. The Israeli tank is equipped with a 1500 horsepower engine. The T-90S has an engine power of 1000 horsepower. But if we decompose the horsepower into the weight of the tanks, then their capabilities are comparable. Increased power leads to increased fuel consumption. The cruising range on the asphalt of both tanks is about 500 kilometers. But the "Chariot" will eat 1400 liters of fuel, and the T-90S - only 1200. The military understands that in combat conditions the difference is significant. In addition, the Merkava Mk4 only runs on diesel fuel. The engine of the T-90S tank is multi-fuel, which gives obvious advantages in wartime.

Not everyone knows that the Merkava Mk4 is equipped with a spring suspension. When driving over rough terrain, it limits the speed of the vehicle and the accuracy of firing on the move, since hull vibrations seriously affect the stabilization error when pointing the weapon. On the armored vehicles of the main armies of the world, this type of suspension is practically not used.

The T-90S tank is equipped with a torsion bar suspension, which ensures high ride comfort, the ability to move over rough terrain at high speeds and increased firing accuracy on the move. The automatic gear change improves the convenience of control, reduces the physical load and fatigue of the driver, especially on long marches when moving in a column.

The T-90S is highly reliable. This is one of the principles that guide Russian engineers when creating tanks. Our tanks have a huge reserve for modernization and are distinguished by the ease of training the crew and technical staff, high performance, which significantly reduces the requirements for the level of training of operators.

And, finally, in terms of the "price-quality" parameter, the Russian T-90S left far behind not only the Merkava Mk4, but also the tanks of other leading manufacturers. Therefore, it became the best-selling in foreign markets.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Israeli soldiers inspect a captured Syrian Renault R35 tank. 1948

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

Sherman and AMX-13

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

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

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

In this article we will talk about weapons. Let's analyze in detail the three models of the most common Israeli tanks, consider their combat characteristics and use.

"Merkava MK.4"

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

After "MK.1" will take part in the Lebanese war, the Israeli government will decide to modernize this model. In the period from 1982 to 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 Dinamics, whose power is 1500 horsepower. There is no equipment designed to overcome water obstacles on the combat vehicle, there are no mechanisms for self-digging either.

The Israeli tank has a mass of 70 tons, but the degree of its protection is lower than that of the T-90, whose mass is 50 tons. The new turret, after a series 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 a 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 rounds (together with the initially loaded drum). Another advantage of this weapon is that the crew is able to fire LAHAT light anti-tank missiles.

During its 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 M48A2S combat vehicles, which were later called "Magah", which means "ramming strike", were supplied to the Israeli army from Germany and the United States.

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

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

Israeli tanks of the "Magah" family proved to be excellent in combat operations and participated in such wars as the Six Day War, the War of Attrition, the Doomsday War, the Lebanese War. Also, these combat vehicles participated in the fighting in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

In 2006, all obsolete Magah models were replaced with Israeli Merkava tanks. After replacing all the old models, it was decided that the 460th training brigade would be armed with tanks of the Magah model, the rest of the combat units were transferred to the army reserve.

Brief history of the tank "Magah 3" 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, currently an Israeli tank in Kubinka. The media have previously discussed many different versions about the capture of a military vehicle by Syrian troops.

In the tank museum near Moscow there are no similar exhibits that have Blazer dynamic protection or something like that installed, Magah 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 in the period from 2002 to 2005, its name is "Sabra".

This model is a deep modernization of the US M60A3 tank. In comparison with the American predecessor, the armor and security of the Sabra is much higher, and due to the fact that the vehicle is equipped with a passive modular armor protection kit, it is possible to change the mass of the combat vehicle depending on the situation on the battlefield, which is a big plus.

The tank is equipped with an MG 253 gun with a caliber of 120 mm. The advantages of this choice are that the gun has a very long range of target destruction; for its guidance, a periscope day vision device with a magnification of X8 and a night vision device with a magnification of X5.3 are used.

It is possible to fire using a computer; the Israeli companies Elbit Systems and El-Op were engaged in the development of this function. The fire extinguishing system of the machine 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, and smoke grenade launchers are also installed on the equipment, which provide the vehicle with camouflage after a shot. Ammunition of the main gun includes 42 shells.

Israeli armored forces

Israel's tank forces consist of four tank brigades:

• 7th - in service with tanks of the brand "Merkava 4"
• 188th - "Merkava 3".
• 401st - "Merkava 4".
• 460th training tank brigade - many different types of equipment are in service.

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

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. To date, the Sabra tank is adequately capable of competing in the world market with its "classmates" from other countries. Although most models of Israeli tanks are based on American combat vehicles, the differences in them are really significant.

Steel Fist of Israel
Israel is rightfully considered a great tank power: the IDF tank fleet is one of the largest in the world - it is armed with from 4 to 5 thousand tanks, the Merkava tank built at Israeli tank factories, according to many experts, is the best main battle tank in the world, Israeli tankers have invaluable combat experience gained in numerous wars and armed conflicts. The Israeli combat example had a significant impact on the development of the strategy and tactics of the armored forces

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

All rights belong to Alexander Shulman(c) 2003-2009
2003-2009 by Alexander Shulman. All rights reserved
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Alexander SHULMAN
Steel Fist of Israel

Israel is rightfully considered a great tank power: the IDF tank fleet is one of the largest in the world - it is armed with from 4 to 5 thousand tanks, the Merkava tank built at Israeli tank factories, according to many experts, is the best main battle tank in the world, Israeli tankers have invaluable combat experience gained in numerous wars and armed conflicts.

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

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

Israeli armored forces, the main striking force of the IDF ground forces, were born in the battles of the War of Independence. In February 1948, the Armored Service was created under the command of Yitzhak Sade, but the tanks themselves did not yet exist - the main tank manufacturers - the USA, Great Britain and France, introduced a ban on the sale of weapons to the Jewish state.

Already during the battles of the War of Independence, 10 Hotchkiss H-39 tanks were acquired, which, together with the Sherman M4 tank stolen from the British and two Cromwell tanks, entered service with the first tank unit - the 82nd tank battalion. The battalion commander was a former Major of the Polish Army Felix Beatus, who had gone from Stalingrad to Berlin. The crews of the battalion included tankers - Jewish volunteers from around the world who fought against the Nazis in the ranks of the British Army and the Polish Army.

Israeli tank Sherman M4. War for independence. 1948

Among them were several former tank officers of the Red Army. They were called "suicide bombers" - they deserted from the Soviet occupation troops in Germany and reached Eretz Israel in different ways. In the USSR, they were sentenced to death in absentia for "treason." They went through deadly dangers to fight for the Jewish state.

Already by the middle of 1948, the 7th and 8th tank brigades were formed, which took part in the battles with the Arab aggressors.

Israeli tank general Moshe Peled. Portrait from the gallery "Great tank commanders" in

In those years, the doctrine of tank warfare, adopted by the IDF, began to take shape. It is based on the following principles:
The first is "Totality of the Tank". This means that tank formations, due to mobility, armor and firepower, are capable of independently solving the main tasks of a land war.
The second is the “Armored Fist as the main tank maneuver”, which consists in introducing large tank forces into the breakthrough, capable of conducting an offensive at high speed, destroying enemy forces in its path.
The main combat unit of the Israeli armored forces is the tank brigade. In the course of hostilities, tank divisions and corps are formed from tank brigades.

Israeli tank general Yisrael Tal. Portrait from the gallery "Great tank commanders" in
US Armored Forces Center named after General Patton

An analysis of tank battles showed a high percentage of casualties among tank commanders. This is due to the requirements of a kind of command honor code adopted in the Israeli army:
"Follow me!" - the main team in the IDF, the commander is obliged to lead his subordinates by personal example.
Tanks go into battle with open hatches - the commander, standing in the tank turret with the hatch opened, controls the actions of the crew. This significantly expands the view and allows you to fight with "open eyes", but the commander becomes the primary target for enemy fire.

The formation of tank troops

The first combat test of this doctrine took place during Operation Kadesh in 1956. In three days, the 7th and 27th tank brigades, interacting with infantry and paratrooper units, broke into the enemy defenses and, having passed the Sinai desert, reached the Suez Canal. During the fighting, up to 600 enemy armored vehicles were destroyed or captured, Israeli losses amounted to 30 tanks and armored personnel carriers.

Israeli tanks AMX-13. Operation Kadesh. 1956

The IDF tank fleet began to be replenished with modern military equipment. During the fighting, the AMX-13 tanks purchased in France showed themselves well - the first modern tanks that entered service with the IDF. In total, the IDF then received about 200 of these tanks.
In the early 60s, hundreds of Super-Sherman M-50 and M-51 tanks entered service with the IDF.

Israeli Super Sherman tanks

In the early 1960s, the US finally agreed to sell the M48 tanks, known in Israel as Magah. However, the Americans tried to hide this deal from their Arab friends. Therefore, the deal was made between Germany and the United States, with Israel formally purchasing these tanks from Germany. In total, as part of this deal, more than 200 M48 tanks entered service with the IDF.

Israeli tanks Magah M48.

Around the same time, several hundred British Centurion tanks entered service with the armored forces, which received the name Shot in Israel (translated from Hebrew - "whip")

Israeli tank Shot Centurion.

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

In 1964, General Israel Tal became the commander-in-chief of the tank troops. This most experienced tanker, based on combat experience, developed completely new tactics for tank warfare. Among them is the conduct of sniper fire from tank turret guns at long and ultra-long distances - up to 5-6 kilometers and even 10-11 kilometers. This immediately gave noticeable advantages in battle.

New tactics were tested in combat during the "Battle for Water" in 1964-1966. Then Syria tried to divert the water of the Jordan River, and thereby deprive Israel of water resources. The Syrians began to build a diversion channel, which Israel could not allow.
It was decided to destroy enemy earth-moving equipment, tanks and artillery batteries that were covering the construction by fire from tank guns.

To this end, the Israeli command staffed the units of the Sherman and Centurion tanks with trained crews, and General Tal personally took the place of the gunner in one of the tanks, and the commander of the 7th tank brigade, Colonel Shlomo Lahat, took the loader's place.

As a bait, the Israelis sent a tractor into no man's land. The Syrians immediately bought into the ruse and opened fire. The targets were immediately spotted. Israeli tank sniper fire destroyed all selected targets at a distance of up to 6 kilometers, and then tank fire was transferred to targets located at a distance of 11 kilometers.

Such tank fire strikes were carried out many times throughout the year. The Syrians suffered heavy losses and were forced to completely abandon their plans to divert water.

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


Six Day War 1967 Israeli tankers

On the southern front, the blow was delivered by the forces of three tank divisions of Generals Tal, Sharon and Ioffe. In the offensive operation, called the "March across the Sinai", Israeli tank formations, interacting with aviation, motorized infantry and paratroopers, made a lightning breakthrough of the enemy's defenses and moved through the desert, destroying the encircled groups of Arabs. On the northern front, the 36th Panzer Division of General Peled advanced along the difficult mountain paths, which, after three days of fierce fighting, reached the outskirts of Damascus. On the eastern front, Israeli troops drove Jordanian units out of Jerusalem and liberated ancient Jewish shrines from foreign invaders.

During the fighting, more than 1,200 enemy tanks were destroyed, thousands of armored vehicles, mostly Russian-made, were captured. Captured Russian tanks T-54/55 underwent major modernization at Israeli tank factories and entered service with the tank forces under the name "Tiran-4/5".

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

On September 9, 1969, an armored group consisting of 6 captured Russian T-55 tanks and three BTR-50 armored personnel carriers captured in the Six-Day War was secretly transported by landing craft to the Egyptian coast of the Suez Canal. The main goal was the destruction of the Russian air defense system, which interfered with the actions of Israeli aviation. During this brilliantly conceived and executed operation, called Raviv, Israeli tankers for 9 hours went through the rear of the enemy with a shaft of fire, ruthlessly destroying radar stations, positions of missile forces and artillery, headquarters, warehouses and army bases. Having successfully completed the raid without loss, the Israeli armored group returned safely to their base on landing craft.

Yom Kippur War. 1973

The most difficult test for Israel was the Yom Kippur War, which began on October 6, 1973, on the day of one of the most important Jewish holidays, when most of the military personnel were on vacation. Israel was suddenly attacked on all fronts by the vastly superior forces of the aggressors, which included the armies of Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Morocco, Jordan, Libya, Algeria, Lebanon, Sudan, thousands of Russian "military advisers", Cuban and North Korean "volunteers". In the vastness from Sinai to the Golan Heights, one of the largest tank battles in world military history unfolded - up to six thousand tanks took part in it on both sides.

A particularly dangerous situation developed on the Golan Heights - there only 200 tanks of the 7th and 188th tank brigades opposed almost 1,400 Syrian tanks over a 40-kilometer stretch. Israeli tankers fought to the death, demonstrating mass heroism.

The names of the tank heroes who stopped the enemy entered the history of Israel. Among them are the platoon commander Lieutenant Zvi Gringold, the company commander Captain Meir Zamir, nicknamed "Tiger", the battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Kahalani.

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

The tankers fought to the last shell, from the tankers who survived the battle, who had just left the burning tanks, new crews were immediately formed, which again went into battle on repaired combat vehicles. Lieutenant Gringold went into battle three times in new vehicles. Being shell-shocked and wounded, he did not leave the battlefield and destroyed up to 60 Russian tanks. The Israeli tankers survived and won, the 210th Panzer Division, under the command of General Dan Laner, arrived in time to defeat the enemy.

Israeli tanks Centurion. Yom Kippur War 1973 Sinai desert

Israeli tank Centurion. War Yom Kippur 1973. golan heights

During the fighting, the Iraqi tank corps, which was sent to help the Syrians, was also defeated. Israeli troops launched a counteroffensive and on October 14 were already in the suburbs of Damascus.

Destroyed and captured Russian armored vehicles - T-62 tanks. October 1973 golan heights

An equally fierce tank battle took place in the sands of Sinai, where the Arabs at first managed to push back parts of the 252nd Panzer Division of General Mendler. General Mendler died in battle, but stopped the further advance of the enemy. On October 7, the 162nd Panzer Division under the command of General Bren and the 143rd Panzer Division under the command of General Ariel Sharon entered the battle. During heavy tank battles, the main forces of the Arabs were destroyed.

Commander of the 162nd Panzer Division, General Avraham Adan (Bren)

On October 14, the largest oncoming battle of tank formations since the Second World War took place, "tanks against tanks", in which 260 enemy tanks were destroyed. Israeli tankers lost 20 of their combat vehicles.

On October 16, Israeli tank forces launched a counteroffensive. General Sharon's tankers broke through the front, set up a pontoon ferry across the Suez Canal, and Israeli tanks poured onto the African coast. In the ensuing battles, the Egyptian army was surrounded, all its reserves were destroyed, and a direct road was opened for an attack on Cairo.

Video of the 14th Armored Brigade fighting during the Yom Kippur War in Sinai

War Yom Kippur. October 1973

During the fierce tank battles of the Yom Kippur War, Israeli tank forces once again proved their superiority: more than 2,500 enemy tanks (T-62, T-55, T-54) and thousands of other armored vehicles were destroyed in the battles. However, a high price had to be paid for the victory - more than a thousand heroically fighting Israeli tankers died in the battles.

Merkava tank

One of the results of the past wars was the creation of our own tank, in which the requirements of Israeli tankers for a combat vehicle were most fully implemented and their combat experience was taken into account. Another reason that prompted the creation of the Israeli tank was the embargo on the supply of military equipment, introduced by foreign manufacturers whenever wars broke out. This situation was intolerable, since a continuous stream of Russian weapons always went to the Arabs.

At the head of the Israeli tank project was General Israel Tal, a combat tank officer who had gone through all the wars. Under his leadership, in just a few years, the project of the first Israeli tank "Merkava-1" was created, which already in 1976 was put into serial production at Israeli tank factories. Such a pace of creation of the tank industry has not yet known the history of world tank building.

The commander of the paratrooper brigade, Colonel Rafael Eitan and the commander of the tank division, General Israel Tal. 1967 Six Day War

General Tal gave the new tank the name "Merkava", which means "war chariot" in Hebrew. This word came from the Tanakh, it is mentioned in the first chapter of the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel as a symbol of movement, power and a stable foundation.

Tank of the first generation Merkava Mk1


Tank of the second generation Merkava Mk2


Tank third generation Merkava Mk3


Tank fourth generation Merkava Mk4

The first Merkava tanks were equipped with a tank battalion commanded by the son of General Tal. The Merkava tank is recognized as the world's best tank for the Middle East theater of operations. Now the fourth generation of Merkava tanks is being produced, and the Israeli tank industry has become one of the largest in the world - tens of thousands of engineers and workers work at more than 200 enterprises.

War in Lebanon. 1982

"Shlom a-Galil" (Peace in Galilee) - this is how the IDF General Staff called the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, which began on June 6, 1982. in response to attacks by Palestinian terrorists operating from Lebanese territory.

On the Lebanese border, Israel has concentrated 11 divisions, united in three army corps. Each corps was assigned its own area of ​​responsibility or direction: Lieutenant General Yekutiel Adam commanded the Western direction, Lieutenant General Uri Simkhoni commanded the Central direction, Lieutenant General Janusz Ben-Gal commanded the Eastern direction. In addition, two divisions were deployed in the Golan Heights, in the immediate vicinity of Damascus, under the command of Lieutenant General Moshe Bar Kochba. The armored divisions had 1,200 tanks. The overall command of the operation was entrusted to the Chief of the General Staff, Colonel General R. Eitan and the commander of the Northern Military District, Lieutenant General A. Drori.

Panzer divisions advanced in the coastal direction and already on June 10 entered the suburbs of the capital of Lebanon, Beirut. Later, Beirut was completely captured by Israeli troops. During the offensive, the largest amphibious landing operation was carried out, when tank and motorized infantry units were landed behind enemy lines from landing ships of the Israeli Navy.

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

Israeli tanks and infantry are fighting in Beirut. 1982 operation in Lebanon. 2006

During the operation in Lebanon in July-August 2006. The IDF was practicing completely new methods of warfare against terrorist groups.

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

The terrorists paid special attention to the anti-tank war - they carried out continuous mining in the tank-hazardous areas, including the laying of dozens of land mines with hundreds of kilograms of TNT in each. The terrorists were armed with the most modern Russian anti-tank weapons: ATGMs Malyutka, Fagot, Konkurs, Metis-M, Kornet-E, as well as RPG-7 and RPG-29 Vampire grenade launchers.

Despite such an impressive training of militants, the IDF successfully completed all the assigned tasks with minimal losses and completely eliminated the terrorist presence in the border areas.

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

Israeli Armored Forces

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

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

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