Merkava

For the religious/mystical connotations of the word, see Merkabah.

Merkava
Merkava Mark IV
Type	Main Battle Tank
Place of origin	Israel
Specifications
Mass	65 tons
Length	Rear to muzzle, 9.04 m
Width	3.72 m (without skirts)
Height	2.66 m (turret roof)
Crew	4
Armor	Classified composite matrix of laminated ceramic-steel-nickel composite alloy
Main armament	120 mm MG253 smoothbore gun: 48 rounds, LAHAT ATGM
Secondary armament	1 × 12.7 mm coaxial MG 2 × 7.62 mm MG 1 × 60 mm internal mortar
Engine	1,500 hp diesel
Power/weight	23 hp/ton
Suspension	Helical spring
Operational range	500 km
Maximum speed	70 km/h

The Merkava (Hebrew: , Chariot) is the main battle tank of the Israel Defense Forces. Since the early 1980s, four main versions have been deployed. The "Merkava" name was derived from the IDF's development program name.

Currently, it is manned by a crew of four consisting of the tank commander, driver, loader, and gunner.

This platform is optimized for crew survival and rapid battle damage repair. With the use of spaced-armor techniques and quick-replacement modular designs, the design team was able to incorporate a derivative of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA), and Chobham. Additionally, the space between the inner and outer hulls is filled with diesel fuel—an economical storage method and effective means of defeating HEAT rounds.

Following the model of contemporary self-propelled howitzers, the turret assembly is located nearer the rear than in most main battle tanks. This gives the crew additional protection against a frontal attack by putting the engine between them and the front of the tank. Additionally, the arrangement created an empty, unused space in the rear of the tank that allowed for increased storage capacity.

This new storage capacity allows the space to be used in a variety of ways. It can serve as a platform for medical disembarkation, a forward command and control station, and an armoured personnel carrier. The unique design of the clamshell-style doors allows for overhead protection when off- and on-loading cargo and personnel.

Primary Manufacturers

The lead organization for system integration of the Merkava's main components is Israel Military Industries (IMI). The IDF Ordnance and Tank Workshops are responsible for final Merkava assembly. The primary construction facility, "Plant 7100," is located in a complex at Tel HaShomer just outside of Tel Aviv.

Israeli owned and operated contributions to the platform are outlined below:

• IMI manufactures the 105 mm and 120 mm main guns and their ammunition,
• Urdan Industries assembles and constructs the hull, drive- and powertrains, and turret assemblies,
• Elta designs and manufactures the electronic sensors and infrared optics.
• Elbit delivers the ballistics computer and digital fire-control system (FCS),
• Tadiran provides cabin air conditioning, crew cabin intercom and radio equipment,
• El-Op, Elisra and Astronautics implement the optics and laser warning systems,
• RAFAEL Armament Development Authority builds and installs the Remote Overhead Weapons Station (R-OWS) and TROPHY Active Protection System.

Foreign companies that have licenced or supplied equipment are:

• L-3 Communication Combat Propulsion Systems produces licensed copies of Germany's MTU MT883 1500 hp diesel engine powerplant and RENK RK325 transmissions,
• The US DARPA licensed design details to IMI to build the 120 mm XM-256 smoothbore Rheinmetall cannon barrels,
• Motorola supplies Tadiran communication encryption systems,
• DuPont supplies the Nomex, ballistic, and fire-retardant materials used by Hagor,
• Russia Military Industries helped to design the KMT-4 & -5 anti-mine rollers and the ABK-3 dozer blade, now built by Urdan,
• FN Herstal supplies 7.62 mm (MAG 58) and 12.7 mm (M2) coaxial and pintle-mounted machine guns,
• Caterpillar assisted with an Israeli-designed track system.

Merkava history

The legacy of the Merkava series of tanks dates back to the 1960s. Plans were drawn up to isolate Israel's military-industrial complex from foreign reliance. Israel's economy and national reserves allowed it to purchase nearly any land, sea, or air platform and weapon from friendly nations, but Israel's infrastructure was not capable of producing those items domestically.

In 1965, Israel's military establishment initiated research and development for a domestically-produced tank, the Sabra (Hebrew slang: Native). During the design of this platform, Britain approached Israel and requested their assistance in developing the United Kingdom's newest line of tanks, the Chieftain. When two prototypes arrived for field testing in 1967, Israel shelved the Sabra program. As a result of political pressure from the British Foreign Ministry, the two prototypes were recalled to England in 1969 and Israel lost five years with which it could have pursued its own development program.

Following this incident, Israel Tal—serving as a brigade commander after the Suez Crisis—restarted plans to produce an Israeli-made tank. Tal's mission was furthered by lessons learned in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, where the Middle East's Arab nations held significant numerical superiority. Realizing that they could not win wars of attrition, the new tank platform would have heavy requirements for crew survivability and safety.

By 1974, initial designs were completed and prototypes were fabricated. After a brief set of trials, work began to retool the Tel-Hashomer ordnance depot for full-time development and construction of the infant platform. After the new facilities were completed, the Merkava was officially released to the public in the International Defense Review periodical. Additionally, the first official images of the tank were then released to other publications, specifically the American periodical Armed Forces Journal on May 14, 1977. The IDF's official adoption would not occur until December of 1978 when the first full battalion of thirty tanks was delivered for initial unit training.

Merkava Mark I

First production Merkava I from the back on display at Latrun Armor Museum with two-piece vertical door in center.

The Mark I is the original design created as a result of Israel Tal's decision, and was fabricated and designed for mass production. This version already had the turret located towards the rear as in all Merkava versions.

The Mark I weighed 63 tonnes and had a 900 horsepower diesel engine, with a power to weight ration of 14 hp/ton. It was armed with the 105 millimeter M68 main gun (a licensed copy of the British Royal Ordnance L7), two 7.62 mm machine guns for anti-infantry defense, and a 60mm mortar mounted externally, with its operator not completely protected by the tank's hull.

The Merkava was first used in combat during the 1982 Lebanon War where Israel deployed 180 units. After the war many adjustments and additions were noted and designed. Most importantly, the 60 millimeter mortar needed to be installed within the hull and engineered for remote firing. A shot trap was found beneath the rear of the turret bustle where a well-placed shot could jam the turret completely. Installation of chain netting to disperse and destroy rocket propelled grenades and anti-tank rockets before impacting the primary armour increased survivability.

Merkava Mark II

Merkava II at the Israel Defense Forces Armor Museum in the Jerusalem corridor.

The Mark II was first introduced into general service in April of 1983 and incorporated several upgrades as a result of the previous incursion into Lebanon. The new tank was optimized for urban warfare and low intensity conflicts, with a weight and engine no greater than the Mark I.

The Mark II used the same 105 millimeter main gun and 7.62 millimeter machine guns as the Mark I, but the 60 millimeter mortar was redesigned during construction to be located within the hull and configured for remote firing to remove the operator from enemy small-arms fire. An Israeli-designed automatic transmission and increased fuel storage for increased range was installed on all further Mark IIs. Anti-rocket netting was fitted, increased survivability against infantry equipped with anti-tank rockets.

Many minor improvements were made to the fire-control system. Updated meteorological sensors, crosswind analyzers, and thermographic optics and image intensifiers gave greater visibility and battlefield awareness.

Incrementally improved versions of the original Mark II were designated:

• Mark IIB, with thermal optics and unspecified updates to the fire control system.

• Mark IIC, with more armour on the top of the turret to improve protection against attack from the air.

• Mark IID, with next-generation modular composite armor on the chassis and turret.

Merkava Mark III

Merkava Mark III early example as seen on display at the Latrun Armor Corps Museum.

The Merkava Mark III was introduced in December 1989, and had many major upgrades to the drivetrain, powertrain, armament, and safety systems. The most prominent addition was the incorporation of the Rheinmetall 120mm Gun developed in Germany. This gun and a larger 1,200 horsepower diesel motor increased the total weight of the tank to 65 tonnes, but the larger motor increased the maximum cruising speed to 60 km/h.

The turret was re-engineered for movement independent of the tank chassis, allowing it to track a target regardless of the tank's movement. Many other improvements were made, including:

• External two-way telephone for secure communications between the tank crew and dismounted infantry,
• Upgraded ammunition storage containers to minimize ammunition cook-off,
• Addition of laser designators,
• Incorporation of the Kasag modular armor system, designed for rapid replacement and repair in the battlefield and for quick upgrading as new designs and sophisticated materials become available,
• Creation of the Mark IIIB, with unspecified armour upgrades.

BAZ System

Merkava Mk III Dor Daleth BAZ Kasag

The 1995 Mark III BAZ (Hebrew: Falcon) had many improved and additional systems including:

• Upgraded fire-control system components, from Electro Optics Industries (EL-OP) and Elbit Ltd, provides the tank with the ability to engage moving targets while on the move (an automatic target tracker),
• NBC protection systems,
• Locally-developed central air-conditioning system,
• Added improvements in ballistic protection,
• The Mark IIID had modular composite armour on the chassis and turret.

Dor-Dalet

The last generation of the Mark III class was the Mark IIID Dor-Dalet (Hebrew: Fourth Generation), which included several components as prototypes to be introduced in the Mark IV.

• Upgraded and strengthened tracks (built by Caterpillar, designed in Israel),
• Installation of the R-OWS.

Merkava Mark IV

Merkava Mark IV is first publicly introduced and seen in May 2002 at Jerusalem's Israeli Independence Day celebrations (here seen at Latrun)

The Mark IV is the latest generation of the Merkava and has been in production since 1999. Its production was first announced in an October 1999 edition of the Bamachaneh (at The Camp) military publication.

The new model has a more robust fire-control system, the Knight Mark 4, produced by El-Op. The Mark IV has improved armor on all sides, including the top and underbelly, and is optimized for urban combat. The underside of the tank is reinforced with a modular, removable "belly armour pack."

Ammunition is stored in individual fire-proof canisters which reduce the chance of tank rounds cooking-off in the case of a fire inside the tank. As a result, the turret is classified as "dry", meaning that no active rounds are stored above the turret line.

Some features, such as hull shaping, exterior non-reflective paints, and shielding for engine heat plumes mixing with air particles to confuse enemy thermal imagers, were carried over from the IAI Lavi program of the Israeli Air Force to reduce the battlefield signature of the Merkava series tanks.

The Mark IV includes the larger 120 millimeter main gun of the previous versions but is capable of firing a wider variety of ammunition, including HEAT and sabot rounds like the APFSDS kinetic energy penetrator, using an electrical semi-automatic revolving magazine for 10 rounds. It also includes the incorporation of a much larger 12.7 mm machine gun for anti-vehicle operations (most commonly used against technicals).

Upgraded fire control system

The new fire-control system enables the Merkava to operate as an anti-helicopter platform and is capable of detecting and destroying armoured attack helicopters such as the French Gazelle and the ubiquitous Russian Mil Mi-24, both used by Israel's neighbors.

Upgraded tracks

The Mark IV has been designed with the Israeli-designed "TSAWS (Tracks, Springs, and Wheels System)" caterpillar tracks system, called "Mazkom" (Hebrew: מערכת זחלים קפיצים ומרכובים) by troops. This system is designed to endure the harsh basalt rock conditions of Lebanon and the Golan Heights with minimal "track-shedding."

Digital battlefield management system

A new and very sophisticated Israeli Elbit Systems BMS (Battle Management System; Hebrew: צי"ד) has been designed, constructed, and tested. It is a centralised system which displays battlefield data on color plasma-TV-like screens. It collects data from tracked units and UAVs deployed in theater, and immediately distributes it in encrypted form to all other tank units in a given theater.

Combat history

Controversy surrounds the Merkava IV's success during the battle of Wadi Saluki and other conflicts during the 2006 Lebanon War. It was reported that Merkava tanks were destroyed or severely damaged by Hezbollah using Russian or Syrian Kornet missiles, though after the war, Israeli military sources stated that two tanks were completely destroyed, both by large mines, while a "few thousand" anti-tank missiles resulted in fifty tanks being damaged and thirty soldiers killed. After the 2006 war in Lebanon, and as the IDF becomes increasingly involved in unconventional and guerrilla warfare, the Merkava's role in the Israeli military has been questioned by some analysts who argued that the Merkava was too vulnerable to missles. Other post-war analysts, such as David Esher, disagree, arguing that reports of loses to Merkavas were overstated and that "summing up the performance of Merkava tanks, especially the latest version Merkava Mk4, most tank crews agree that, in spite of the losses sustained and some major flaws in tactical conduct, the tank proved its mettle in its first high-saturation combat." The IDF wants to increase orders of new Merkava IV tanks, and has added Trophy active protection systems to Merkava IV vehicles.

Merkava variants

Following the al-Aqsa Intifada the Israeli Defense Forces modified some of their Merkava's to satisfy the needs of urban warfare. This adaptation can be done by field engineers and does not interfere with the tank's combat handling.

Merkava LIC

This is the main series of Merkava tanks designed for urban warfare. The LIC designation stands for "Low intensity conflict", underlining its emphasis on counter-insurgency, street-to-street inner-city asymmetrical type warfare of the 21st century.

The Merkava is equipped with a turret 12.7 mm caliber coaxial machine gun which enables the crew to lay down fairly heavy cover fire without the use of the main gun, which is relatively ineffective against individual enemy combatants. Like the new remote-operated weapon station, the coaxial machine-gun is fired safely from inside the tank without exposing the crew to small-arms fire and snipers.

The most sensitive areas of a tank, its optics, exhaust ports and ventilators, are all protected by a newly-developed high-strength metal mesh, to prevent possibility of explosives charges planted there .

Rubber whip pole-markers with LED tips and a driver's rear facing camera have been installed to improve navigation and maneuverability in an urban environment by day or by night.

Merkava Tankbulance

Some Merkavas have been fitted with full medical and ambulance capabilities, but retaining their armament. The cabin area has been converted for carrying injured personnel and has had stretchers and life support medical station systems added with a full medical team complement to operate under combat conditions with a Merkava battalion. The vehicle has a rear door to facilitate evacuation under fire, and can provide covering fire.

The "tankbulance" is not an unarmed ambulance and is not protected by the Geneva Conventions provisions regarding ambulances, but it is far less vulnerable to accidental or deliberate fire than an ambulance.

Merkava IFV Nammer

Namer APC/IFV

Israel developed a heavy-duty APC/IFV based on the Merkava chassis called Nemmera (Hebrew: Tigress). Because many of the 200 built Merkava I's are being withdrawn from service and it has recently been reported that the Mark II 105 mm gun is not able to be upgraded to the IDF standard 120 mm, this IFV conversion holds great promise.

Only a handful Mark IV IFVs were produced, due to the cost of the vehicle and the need for main battle tank platforms. Yet following Operation Rainbow and the vulnerability of the M-113, the IDF re-opened the Nemmera program which is now in full development. The 2006 Lebanon War also verified this program.

On February 15, 2005, Ma'ariv reported that a running prototype Merkava IVF was fielded by the Givati Brigade and was equipped with a OWS, which is remotely controlled and loaded from within the vehicle. It was also decided to rename the vehicle from Nemmera to Nammer ("Tiger"). This same unit was demonstrated in Europe at Eurosatory 2005 military exhibition with possible export customers showing interest.

On July 20, 2007, StrategyPage.com reported that the first fifteen Nammers will be delivered in 2008, and over a hundred more will eventually equip two combat brigades.

In addition to the remotely controlled 12.7 mm OWS with a night vision sight, there will be also a roof hatch on the left forward part of the vehicle, for the commander to use, and also operate a 7.62 mm machine gun. It will also have the Merkava digital battlefield management system, as well as four cameras providing 360 degree vision around the vehicle. The Nammer will also have a toilet, an addition based on troop feedback.

Merkava ARV Nemmera

The Merkava Armored Recovery Vehicle , named: Nammer (Hebrew: Tiger) is an armored recovery vehicle based on a Merkava chassis. It is capable of towing disabled tanks and carries a complete Merkava back-up power pack that can be field changed in under 90 minutes. Subsequently renamed to Nemmera (Hebrew: Tigress).

Merkava Howitzer Sholef

Sholef in Beit ha-Totchan, Israel.

Two prototypes of Sholef ("Gunslinger" or "Slammer") 155 mm self-propelled howitzer with automatic loading system were built by Soltam in 1984–1986. The 45-ton vehicle had a long 155 mm calibre gun barrel giving a range of 45+ km. Using GPS, inertial navigation, and an internal fire control computer, it was also capable of direct fire while on the move. It never entered production.

External links

• Israeli-Weapons.com Merkava Page (Considerable tank info and pictures)
• IDF overview of Merkava's history and variants
• Merkava Mk 3 LIC, Merkava Mk 4 at Defense-Update
• Merkava Mk 1,2,3,4 at War Online.
• Merkava Mk 1,2,3 at voodoo.cz.
• Merkava Mk 3 Baz, Merkava Mk 4 at Army-technology (tank features and pictures from different angles)
• Merkava Mk1, Merkava Mk2, Merkava Mk3, Merkava Mk4 at army-guide.com
• ACPR's analysis of Merkava
• Continued Evolution of the Merkava Program at Defense Update
• Report on Merkava performance in 2006 Lebanese conflict
• The Armor Site! page on Merkava