"Merkava" - a tank that was developed specifically for the Israeli army. The first model of the machine came off the assembly line in 1979. Since then four generations have been created, the last of which is produced to this day. In this article, you will get acquainted with the characteristics of the Merkava tank and its differences from competitors.
Development
The Israeli tank development program was approved in late summer 1970, shortly after Britain refused to ship its Chieftain tanks to Israel. The design was led by Major General Israel Tal. It is noteworthy that he was not an engineer, but a military officer who went through all the Arab-Israeli wars. For the world practice of tank building, such an appointment was very unusual.
Already in April 1971, a steel model of the main battle tank (MBT) was made. Throughout 1972, the designers worked on developing the concept of the front location of the engine compartment on the converted Centurion tank. By the end of 1974, the first two copies of the machine were built. In April 1979, the Israeli military received the first four samples of the tank, and in October of that year, the first generation of the Merkava was officially adopted. In the summer of 1982, tanks of this model were first used in a real battle.
Project uniqueness
After the demonstration of the Merkava project to the public, it became the subject of controversy. The most surprising was the layout of the tank, which, according to many experts, was unjustified for modern MBT. When developing the machine, the designers took into account mainly the defensive tactics of the battle and the need to protect the crew at the highest level, which ultimately led to a change in priorities. Most MBTs are built on the principle of "firepower - mobility - protection", for "Merkava" just protection became the priority.
The Israelis wanted to create a tank that would be used only on their territory and not shipped abroad. As a result, it happened - Merkava fully meets the specific requirements of the Israeli military forces, but, according to representatives of the armies of other countries, it has a number of shortcomings.
The designation of the tank was originally used as temporary, but later it was assigned to it. The Hebrew translation of Merkava sounds like a fiery chariot.
Design
The chief designer of the project, Israel Tal, was not a professional engineer, so military experience became the key argument in choosing his candidacy. During the Suez crisis, Tal led the armored brigade, and during the Six Day War, the division. He, like no one else, knew the features of tank battle and had a significant impact on the armored doctrine of all of Israel.
According to the said doctrine, the bulk of hostilities should be conducted from prepared defensive positions in the conditions of natural shelters caused by elevations. This approach allows you to hide the hull of the tank from the enemy, leaving only the tower open. On this basis, when developing the Merkava tank, the frontal silhouette of its tower was tried to be reduced as much as possible, moving the fighting compartment as much as possible into the hull.
The second task that the designers set themselves was maximum protection for the crew. In this regard, the car again managed to stand out. Its layout is not like any other modern MBT, since the engine, transmission and fuel system are moved forward, as well as separated by armored partitions from each other and from the inhabited compartment.
The internal space of the car was also significantly increased, compared with other tanks. As a result, the machine accommodates 6 soldiers and 4 stretchers with wounded, or additional ammunition of similar dimensions, which is its next unique feature.
Protection
The armor of the tank is unique and has no analogues so far. Thanks to the specific layout of the partition between the engine and the transmission, tankers are additionally protected. The hull and tower are cast and have a strong slope. The upper armor plate can be dismantled. It has a special ledge that closes the junction of the tower with the hull. On the sides of the hull installed screens that protect the chassis.
The frontal projection of the Merkava tank turret is small in size, which was achieved by applying a wedge-shaped shape. This also allows you to increase the likelihood of a rebound. The design of the tower is unique not only in its shape, but also in its protection - ammunition cartridges for machine guns are installed between two layers of spaced armor. The experience of the Lebanese military operations showed that such protection was not enough for the tank, so subsequent modifications received additional tower reservations. In general, with each new version of the tank, the thickness of its armor increased.
Another interesting design feature of the Merkava tank is the headlights that hide in the body under a layer of armor and open only for the period of use.
Armament
Initially, the tank was armed with an American 105 mm M68 cannon, which is a licensed version of the English L7A1, but the turret’s construction immediately provided for the possibility of installing a larger caliber gun. The ammunition of the machine amounted to 62 shells, but it can always be increased due to the large fighting compartment. Starting with the third modification, the tank began to be equipped with a MG251 model 120 mm Israeli gun.
The auxiliary arms of the Merkava include a 7.62 mm machine gun coaxial with a cannon and two additional detachable FN MAG machine guns mounted on the roof of the tower. The total ammunition is 2 thousand rounds. As an option, a 12.7 mm M2H8 machine gun can be mounted on the gun mask. The mortar is responsible for the installation of smoke screens, allowing you to fire, being under the cover of armor of the second and subsequent versions of the tank.
The fire control system (SLA) "Matador" as a whole is made at a high level and is updated with the release of each new modification of the machine. However, the rate of fire and accuracy are poor. This is primarily due to the specific layout of the tank.
As in other modern battle tanks, aiming at the target is carried out using sights. The problem is that the motor, which is located in front, reduces the capabilities of these devices, creating a constant thermal field around them. Part of this difficulty can be avoided by firing from prepared positions with a cooled engine, but in practice this is not always possible. In addition, due to the unusual layout, the front of the tank is heavily overloaded, therefore, when shooting, significant longitudinal vibrations occur, which reduce the accuracy of the re-shot. To avoid these deviations, you need to pause between shots, which reduces the rate of fire of the gun several times.
According to the Israeli military, the described shortcomings are not critical, and the use of adjustable ammunition makes it possible to completely level them.
Chassis
Creating the chassis of the Merkava tank, the Israeli military decided to take as a basis a similar element of the Centurion tank. The suspension of the British car has good resistance to explosive devices and mines. It uses coil springs and a separate fastening of each suspension unit to the body through four bolts. The latter feature makes it easy to replace damaged parts, as well as make the bottom of the case V-shaped, thereby increasing its resistance to explosions from below. On each side, the tank has 6 rubberized rollers, 5 supporting rollers, a steering wheel at the rear and a drive wheel in front. The track design was also borrowed from the British Centurion.
Powertrain and transmission
Tanks of the Merkava model were equipped with American diesel 900-horsepower engines AVDS-1790 and slightly modified American semi-automatic transmissions Allison CD-850-6B. Due to the unusual arrangement of these elements, almost any shell that pierced the frontal armor could immobilize the car. However, due to the fact that the engine with the transmission is assembled in one module, in the field you can quickly replace them. In other MBT, with a similar hit, the main blow falls on the crew, and the machine can continue its work.
Consider the modification of the Israeli tank.
Merkava 1
Production of the first version of the tank began in 1979. In total, about 250 copies were produced. During the use of the tank in the 1982 Lebanon War, a number of vehicle flaws were identified. Then it was decided to create an updated version of Merkava. Later, all tanks of the first modification were modernized and brought to the level of new versions.
Merkava 2
This version received increased firepower, increased maneuverability and improved protection. Tower defense was enhanced by additional screens, and side screens were completely replaced with thicker ones. Baskets for property and metal chains with balls were hung on the back of the tower, increasing the machine's protection from cumulative shells.
The internal equipment of the tank was also modified. He received the Israeli Ashot transmission, thermal imager and Matador-2 fire control system. The capacity of the fuel tank of the modernized machine was increased by 25%. In total, about 600 copies of the Merkava 2 tank were produced.
Merkava 3
On the third generation of the tank, a modular armor protection of the tower and hull was used. It consists of a set of modules that are fastened with bolts. This design allows you to quickly and easily replace sections of the armor in case of damage and increase the protection of the tank by installing even more advanced components.
The updated tank received a laser radiation system LWS-2, which warns the crew about pointing all sorts of weapons on the machine. The fire control system has been replaced with a newer one. The hydraulic drives for turning the turret of the tank were replaced by electric ones, with the possibility of manual duplication.
The firepower of the tank was increased due to the installation of the Israeli 120-mm smooth-bore gun MG251 on it, and its mobility due to forcing the power plant to 1,200 horsepower. In addition, the tank received an improved suspension and an Israeli transmission. In total, about 640 units of such equipment came off the assembly line.
Merkava 4
This is the latest and most advanced modification of the Merkava tank. The security of the machine was increased even more, as a result of which its weight increased to 70 tons. To maintain the mobility of such a heavy tank, it was equipped with a new 1500-horsepower GD 883 engine. The Trophy complex mounted on the machine provides effective active protection against guided projectiles and grenades.
The fourth generation of the Israeli tank Merkava received an enlarged turret, which, as in the previous model, has modular armor. This tank was the last in the series. He should be replaced by fundamentally new cars that will receive a different designation.
Combat use
The first Lebanon war. In the Lebanon war of 1982, about 1000 Merkava tanks took part. Many experts believe that these machines coped with the tasks quite effectively. During the whole war, only 34 tanks were disabled. However, some of them broke due to overheating of the engine and clogged filters with sand.
Second Lebanon War. In the military operations of 2006, Merkava tanks of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th versions were used. In total, about 400 vehicles were involved in the battles. In most cases, they were used to evacuate the victims and support infantrymen. In combat conditions, the tanks of the fourth version showed themselves most steadily.
After 2006. In 2007, the Merkava 4 tank was hit from an RPG, as a result of which two of the crew members were slightly injured by shrapnel. At the end of 2010, the tank of the third version suffered from the hit of the At-14 Cornet missile. The crew has survived completely. In the spring of 2011, a tank equipped with the Trophy active defense system came under fire from a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher. Due to the fact that the complex fixed the threat in time and neutralized it at a safe distance from the car, the tank was not injured.
Conclusion
Summarizing the above, it can be noted that the Merkava tank is a worthy vehicle, but only for the Israeli army, under the specific requirements of which it was created. Unlike other modern MBTs, they did not initially try to make this machine universal and adapted to any climatic conditions. Therefore, it will be incorrect to compare it with tanks of other countries.