Mikhail Baryatinsky Israeli tanks in battle. Tank "Merkava" - the revolutionary chariot of God Creation of tank forces

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

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

In attempts to modernize outdated models, and most importantly in the desire to unify the “motley” tank fleet among themselves, it allowed Israeli designers to accumulate production and design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

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

Despite its small size, the State of Israel is one of the most significant countries. This is true both on the European-Middle Eastern and global stage. Created in 1948, it was forced from birth to fight for independence and the right to exist. Of course, it is impossible to fight without something new and modern weapons.

One of the main developments of the Israeli army, the IDF, is the Merkava tank. Created, in fact, in a hurry, in the conditions of a constantly looming war, this device became one of the best examples of armored vehicles of the 20th century, and continues to hold its position in the 21st.

Creation of the Merkava

Since the creation of the State of Israel, the Self-Defense Forces have purchased equipment abroad, mainly in Britain and the USA. At first these were samples left over from the Second World War. Then the newest models of the Chieftain tanks at that time began to enter service with the IDF. The difficult international situation led to the fact that in 1970 Britain refused to supply Israel with new technology.

In principle, the Israeli generals were ready for such a development of events. The extensive work to create his own model of the tank was led by Israel Tal.

At the time of the events described, “Talik” served in the Jewish Legion of the British Army during the Second World War, and also participated in the Six-Day War. A brilliant theorist, it was he who created the tactics and strategy for using the IDF’s armored forces, and also coordinated the creation of the “ideal” tank for operations in the climate of Palestine.

The project was called “Merkava”, which translates as “chariot”. It is important to know that the name has a religious background. In sacred Jewish texts, Merkabah is the chariot of God, the throne on which the Almighty moves in the book of the prophet Ezekiel. A pretentious name for a tank, into the design of which one of the the best tankers in history.

When designing the model, Tal was based on the general strategy of the Israeli Defense Forces.

It implied the awareness of the enemy’s total superiority in manpower and equipment, the impossibility of strategic or tactical retreat, as well as waging a war of attrition. All the peculiarities of the climate of Palestine and the Middle East, where the tanks had to prove themselves, were also taken into account.

The vehicle had to meet several combat parameters. First, and most importantly, the new tank had to have a lowered silhouette and a small turret. An analysis of the combat operations showed that most of the hits fell on the turret. Penetrating the armor meant, in most cases, death or serious injury to the crew.

Neither Tal nor anyone else wanted to risk tankers, so they took the requirements into account. Another important point, shooting at long distance. The Israelis had to knock out enemy tanks as early as possible, on the approach to defensive positions. From here Special attention to the gun and to the preparation of the gunner.

December 1974 was marked by the first serious army tests of prototypes. In 1979, the IDF received the first batch of production tanks put into service.

Design of the Merkava

The peculiarities of both the climate and the small size of Israel made it possible to create a tank that was unique in its characteristics. The main difference was the location of the engine and transmission in the bow.

This unusual layout for a tank made it possible to protect the crew and provide free space in the stern.

It could be used to safely transport infantry or cargo. But this arrangement also has disadvantages. Among them, the most notable are the overweight and significant fluctuations due to a shift in the center of gravity, as well as hot rising air currents from the engine, knocking down the sighting devices.

The crew consists of four people. The driver is located in the body. Its seat is made in a reclining position, a revolutionary solution, one of the first to reduce the silhouette of the car.

There are also disadvantages: the location of the transmission and engine moved the driver far to the left, reducing the viewing sector. The fighter gets to his place either through the top hatch in the armored hull, or together with the rest of the crew through the stern and combat unit. The three remaining tankers are sitting in the combat unit, the gunner is to the right of the gun, the commander is behind him, and the loader is to the left. All crew members are located as low as possible in the hull, so that in the event of a hit and penetration of the armor there is a greater chance of survival.

The tank's turret is wedge-shaped to increase the likelihood of a ricochet from an enemy shot. It has a movable gun (which differs depending on the modification of the tank), as well as heavy machine gun and a pair of standard single machine guns (installation diagram depends on the modification). The tower, as well as the hull, is of a welded type.

One of business cards towers - suspended metal weights on chains. They are necessary to prevent grenades, cumulative shells and other potentially dangerous items. Another feature of the tank is its large mass by modern standards. Since transporting tanks is not a particular problem due to the small size of the country, engineers were essentially given carte blanche to make any changes in weight that did not interfere with the power plant.

The machine uses an American-designed diesel engine AVDS-1790-5A, which develops power up to 900 hp due to turbocharging.

The production of power plants is carried out in the United States. The transmission is also American, but adapted to the characteristics of both the climate and the tactics of using armored vehicles.

The chassis is of an independent type, based on the legendary design of John Christie. On each side of the Israeli Merkava tank there are six rubberized rollers and five support rollers. The engineers abandoned the torsion bar suspension, which made it possible to strengthen the underbody armor. A mine explosion is scary for the Merkava crew only because of the need to change the tracks. The tracks themselves have 110 tracks, 640 mm wide.

The armament of the first models was a licensed American 105-mm M68 cannon, coaxial with a machine gun. IN combat style included 62 shots, high-explosive, armor-piercing, sub-caliber shells. Later models were equipped with the 120 mm smoothbore gun MG251, and then the more advanced MG253. Additional weapons can be considered not only but even a 60-mm mortar welded to the turret.

28% of the tank's production is concentrated abroad, including vital engines and some other systems. The rest is produced and repaired in Israel, including imported parts.

Tank modifications

Development and improvement of the combat vehicle continues to this day. Each modification has hundreds of small modifications, prompted by daily service and participation in combat operations. Main modifications of the machine:

• Mk.1, the first tank in the series to have many “childhood diseases”, tested during the Lebanon War;
• Mk.2, with enhanced armor protection and power plant;
• Mk.3, which received modular armor;
• Mk.4, the best main tank according to many military agencies, however, has many disadvantages, such as a high hull, problems with aiming and firing on the move. Numerous military clashes forced us to strengthen the vehicle’s protection systems, as well as change the engine brand, which seriously improved driving performance.

Development of a new “tank of the future” is ongoing. Will it be another modification of the Merkava or a completely new one? fighting machine, unknown.

The Israeli government and military are good at keeping secrets, so practically nothing is known about the Mk.5 yet.

Comparison with analogues

As you know, the characteristics of a tank look best if you compare them with similar indicators of probable enemy. This table provides generalized data on the most common main tanks and their modifications.

	"Merkava" (Israel)	T-90 (Russia)	Abrams (USA)	"Leopard 2" (Germany)
Weight, t	70	46,5	54,4…63,1	50,5…63
Armor thickness, mm	800	750	750-950	frontal 700
gun	120 mm MG253	125 mm 2A46M-5	120 mm M256	Rheinmetall Rh-120 mm
Speed, km/h	60	65-70	66-72	68-72
Cruising range, km	500	550…650	440…480	500…550
Number of units, pcs	1970	More than 2000	More than 10000	3264

As can be seen from the table, Merkava has low driving characteristics, but its strength lies elsewhere.

Location power plant seriously increases the armor and safety of the crew in case of being hit by enemy anti-tank missiles. The development of active and dynamic armor systems for tanks is also not taken into account. The moment of combat use of vehicles is also important. The crews of Israeli tanks have a lot of experience, which cannot be said about, for example, German tank crews.

Combat service of Merkava tanks

Tal's first-born sons received their baptism of fire in the 1982 Lebanon War. Then, however, the new developments failed to compete with the Soviet T-72, which was in service with the Syrian army. Perhaps this is for the better, since the first cars had a huge number of shortcomings related to the chassis and engines.

Both the armor and firepower raised questions.

This was the reason for the refinement and commissioning of subsequent modifications of the machine. There are many legends about this war, each side talks about hundreds of destroyed enemy tanks, so you simply cannot believe everything.

Since then, tanks have appeared whenever the State of Israel is threatened with war. Wide Application tanks were received during the second Lebanese war. Then the Israeli vehicles received significant damage, but Tal’s idea turned out to be correct. The bulk of the crew members survived and were able to continue serving.

The combat effectiveness of the vehicles during clashes with Palestinians is controversial. Officially, losses in this war are reduced to light damage. However, the Palestinians claim that the IDF data is seriously underestimated to create an aura of invincibility of the Merkava.

Conclusion

Among modern armored vehicles, the Israeli Merkava tank looks like one of the best examples. This has been repeatedly noted by numerous military reviews and experts.

It is important to remember that the tank was designed to perform specific purposes and tasks in a specific area.

No matter how wonderful the tank was in Palestine, its combat use in the conditional Kaluga region or somewhere on the Oder will raise many questions and problems. The tank has undeniable advantages, but it also has enough disadvantages. The absence of this model on the international arms market speaks volumes.

Throughout its short history of independence, Israel has been forced to fight to defend its borders and defend against terrorist attacks. To survive, the Israelis had to pay great attention to the development of the armed forces and the military-industrial complex. Today, the Israeli Army (IDF) is one of the most advanced and combat-ready armed forces in the world, and the 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.

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

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

History of creation

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

The developers were led not by an engineer, but by a professional tanker, Israel Tal, who went through the entire Second World War. 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 armor tank troops.

After analyzing the Six-Day War and the Sinai Campaign, Tal came to the conclusion that all main battle tanks (MBT) existing at that time were not very suitable for 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, crew protection. 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 combat vehicles have been created and in each of them the designers have implemented revolutionary modern tank building ideas.

Description of design

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

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

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

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

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

The commander's position is behind and slightly above the gunner. He has a panoramic optical sight, 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 of the tank. The changes affected the vehicle's security, its maneuverability and increased firepower.

The turret's armor was strengthened with the help of additional screens with combined armor, 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". This modification received additional armor protection on the sides and turret, and a more powerful 120 mm MG251 smoothbore gun was installed on the tank. 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 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, a complex was installed on the Merkava Mk.4 active protection(KAZ) “Trophy.” Combat vehicles equipped with KAZ received the designation “Merkava Mk.4M”. "Trophy" is designed to combat anti-tank missiles (ATGMs) and rocket-propelled grenades. The system consists of 4 radars, they detect ammunition approaching the vehicle and give the command to destroy it.

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

During the last IDF combat operation in Lebanon, Hezbollah militants fired more than 1 thousand ATGMs at Merkava Mk.4 tanks Russian production. 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 best tanks modernity. 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	1m
Barrier ditch	3m
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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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. In December 1974, the first two prototypes of the Merkava MK.1 tank were produced, and 5 years later this tank was officially adopted by the Israeli army.

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

The tank is equipped with a diesel engine from the American manufacturer Generals Dynamics, whose power is 1,500 horsepower. Equipment designed to overcome water obstacles, is absent on the combat vehicle, and there are no mechanisms for self-digging either.

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

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

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 combat vehicles of the M48A2C brand, which later received the name “Magah”, which translated means “ramming strike,” entered service with 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 turret was completely replaced and had a very low profile, the gasoline engine was replaced with a diesel engine with a power of 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 The Magah families 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 with Israeli Merkava tanks. After replacing all the old models, it was decided that the Magakh model tanks would remain in service with the 460th training brigade, the rest 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 $10 million reward for information about their whereabouts, this moment Israeli tank in Kubinka. The media has 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. The advantages of this 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 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; 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 training tank brigade- in service there are many 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 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.

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 the Six-Day War, so he, like no one else, knew about the peculiarities of combat and significantly influenced Israeli armored doctrine.

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 the fighting compartment was moved as much as possible into the hull.

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 are 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 high altitude contributes to more 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.

There are screens on the sides of the hull that protect 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.

Interesting feature are headlights that are hidden in the housing under the cover of armor and open during use.

With each modification, the armor protection of the Merkava 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 gun in the turret design larger caliber. The ammunition capacity 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.

Secondary armament consists of a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and two additional detachable FN MAG machine guns on the turret roof. 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 heavily overweight, which creates strong longitudinal vibrations when firing, significantly reducing the accuracy of a repeat 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 rear of the turret there are baskets for property and metal chains with balls hung, all this provides additional protection against 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, a new GD 883 engine with 1,500 hp was installed. 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 by a fundamentally new vehicle of the next generation.

Epilogue

As can be seen from the article, the Merkava tank was created strictly according to the requirements of the Israeli army, therefore it has pronounced strong and weak sides. 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 It is quite 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.