Is the Merkava 4 a good tank?
An iconoclastic tank in the world of heavy armor, Merkava is also a proven combat winner. While not the tank for every army, it is the perfect main battle tank for the Israeli Defense Forces.
How many Merkava 4 tanks does Israel have?
Israel has built more than 2,000 Merkavas and is currently developing the latest generation of the tank, the Merkava IV Barak, which is expected to be ready for trial runs by the IDF in 2020.
Is the Merkava a heavy tank?
The Merkava (meaning “Chariot”, in Hebrew) was the main heavy tank of the Terran Alliance and later the Terran Hegemony, with variants of the venerable design in service continually from the late 23rd century until the end of the twenty-sixth century.
Which is the latest version of the Merkava tank?
The tank incorporates composite armour and explosive reactive armour (ERA) for all-round protection against direct fire. The ammunition rack also employs blow-off panels to protect against explosions. The Merkava Mark IV is the latest version of the Merkava range of main battle tanks built by MANTAK (Merkava Tank Office).
What kind of gun does the Merkava 4 have?
Merkava 4 has a new 120mm gun, a development of the gun on the Merkava 3. Improvements include a new compressed gas recoil system and thermal sleeve. The 65t Merkava 4 main battle tank entered full production in 2001 and began operational training with the Israel Defence Force in July 2003.
Is the Merkava 3 Barak available for export?
The Merkava 3 is offered for export by SIBAT based in Tel Aviv. The Merkava 4 is not offered for export but the systems and components are exported. In July 2018, the IDF unveiled the Merkava Mk. 4 Barak, the latest version of the Merkava 4 tank.
What kind of mortar does the Merkava tank use?
However, the Merkava uniquely among modern tanks is armed with a 60 millimeter light mortar that can be fired from within the turret. This allows a Merkava to drop anti-personnel shells on targets out of line of sight—for example, behind a wall or on the other side of a hill.