Israel's Merkava Tank Is an Armored Juggernaut
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been forced to grapple with its shortcomings in nearly every defense sector. The fact that Hamas militants were able to infiltrate southern Israel on multiple fronts while evading a litany of security measures continues to stun security experts and military analysts alike. As a direct result of lessons learned from this massacre and the resulting war in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has beefed up its defense measures all around. Israel’s armored corps was specifically impacted as military officials expanded the number of regular army tank companies in each battalion. By ensuring that additional regular army soldiers are manning these tanks instead of reservists, the IDF is better positioned to defend its borders if future offensive tactics are carried out by hostile neighbors. The IDF’s Merkava series of main battle tanks (MBT), widely considered to be among the most lethal armored vehicles in service across the globe, has remained the centerpiece of Israel’s armored corps for more than four decades.
Introducing the Merkava series of MBTs
The Merkava family of tanks can be traced back to the 1960s when Israel’s journey to developing its own homegrown MBT series originated. Following the founding of the Jewish state, Israel was set to procure and domestically produce the United Kingdom’s Chieftain tank. However, this agreement ultimately fell through, prompting Israel to develop its own program. The subsequent 1973 Yom Kippur War had devastating consequences for Israel’s mechanized armor. Namely, Israel’s tank units suffered greatly when Egyptian and Syrian forces launched coordinated attacks from the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights.
With these losses in mind, Israel’s first domestically-designed MBT prioritized survivability. The Merkava was constructed with thick armor in order to better protect its crew members. Additionally, the tank featured a unique layout with a reversed engine transmission location so that an extra level of protection would be guaranteed for soldiers. Uniquely, crew members are able to view their surroundings outside of the tank without having to exit. The Merkava incorporates other new technologies that make it a top-tier platform. From advanced artificial intelligence, multi-touch 21-inch screens, and sophisticated helmets, the Israeli tank is well-equipped. According to Elbit Systems, the Merkava’s manufacturer, the helmet displays information about ongoing fighting to operators and “generates an image that enables the crew to ‘see through’ the vehicle’s armor.”
The Merkava keeps improving
Over the years, several new Merkava iterations have been introduced in order for the tank series to retain an edge over its competitors. Perhaps the most significant add-on incorporated into the Merkava is the Trophy Active Protection System. This incredible defense mechanism protects armored vehicles from a range of projectiles, including anti-tank guided missiles, anti-tank rockets, and high-explosive anti-tank rounds. Notably, this homegrown system improves the tank’s ability to target enemy MBTs and therefore increases the crew’s survivability.
The IDF introduced its fifth-generation “Barak” variant in 2023, which is decked out with even more sophisticated components. The IDF detailed that these tanks will “strengthen the capabilities of detecting enemies and will enable fighting against an enemy with a reduced signature and in all combat scenarios, on the current and future battlefield, against the entirety of threats that exist for the maneuvering force.” As tensions in the Middle East continue to ramp up, Israel’s arsenal of Merkava MBTs will certainly contribute to the nation’s security.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
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