More Mekavas in the pipeline

• tankee1981

  20 Dec 06, 12:36

  HEZLIYA, Israel, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Israel is ignoring calls to stop the production of Merkava tanks, the latest version of which is said to be the best-protected tanks in the world.
  
  Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Israel would continue to produce Merkava tanks, "one of the best tanks in the world, if not the best, that proved itself operationally ... I do not intend to close the Merkava project." He made his declaration to executives of government and private defense industries in Herzliya north of Tel Aviv Monday.
  
  For years there have been arguments on whether Israel should build more such tanks and whether a future war would be so different that it should find other uses for its money.
  
  At Monday's conference, retired Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben-Israel, who headed the Defense Ministry's research and development projects, said there is no way to decide wars, especially against organizations such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, "without ground forces that maneuver and occupy territories."
  
  Israel used hundreds of tanks during the last Lebanon war. Shlomo Pazzy, who heads the Forum of Merkava and armored combat vehicles' producers in the Manufacturers' Association, said the Merkava costs less than half the price of any other modern tank such as the U.S. M-1 and the German Leopard.Anti-tank missiles that hit Merkava Mark IV tanks, the latest version, penetrated them in 44 percent of the cases. But on average, one crewman was killed in the ensuing explosion, Pazzy said.
  
  Recent conflicts proved Israel must retain the ability to produce its own advanced weapons, he argued. The United States faced hurdles when it tried to airlift arms to Israel during the Lebanon war because some European countries would not let its planes land there. Four years ago Britain halted a shipment of spare parts for Centurion tanks it had sold Israel, Pazzy added.
  
  http://militarynuts.com/index.php?s=5f31f292870cb02d5ec3fbf9f4c0d384&showtopic=1212
  
  Since a Merkava MBT, one of the best in the world cost only half as much as a new Leopard tank. Then is the cost of our 2nd hand Leo2A4 per unit lesser than a new Merkava with more or less similar capabilities?
  
  Do we produce our own spares for the Tempests? If not where we buy them from? I thought that the Centurions in Israel is being kept in storage? Thanks
• Fatum

  20 Dec 06, 12:40

  Originally posted by tankee1981:

  ]Anti-tank missiles that hit Merkava Mark IV tanks, the latest version, penetrated them in 44 percent of the cases. But on average, one crewman was killed in the ensuing explosion, Pazzy said.
  
  

  !!! ...............
  
  
• fudgester

  20 Dec 06, 12:41

  But if I'm not wrong, the Merkava is really heavy, right?
  
  As it is, the 55-ton Leopard already cannot cross some bridges and flyovers in Singapore.
• spartan6

  20 Dec 06, 21:23

  E Mekavas MK3 Baz is 60 tons, e MK4 is even heaviler
• tankee1981

  21 Dec 06, 08:34

  Originally posted by spartan6:

  E Mekavas MK3 Baz is 60 tons, e MK4 is even heaviler

  Many experts have concluded that the Leo2 is the best MBT in the world,however the Merkava MBTs are also praised for their superb armoured protection.
  
  Therefore, how is the Merkava MK3 Baz's capabilities(mobility,armour,fuel consumption etc) compared with our refurbished Leo2A4?
  
  I assume that the armoured protection of the Leo2A4 will be improved to around A5/A6 standard therefore the eventual weight will be around that of MK3 Baz.
• glock

  21 Dec 06, 12:17

  The " best " depends on what your criteria is. For overall rating , probably Leopard 2 A5/6 & M1A1/2 are in the top three. For armor protection, probaly Merkava 4 is the " best ".
  
  Politically unacceptable for Merkava to be purchased by many countries
  as it is viewed as an offensive Israeli weapon. Also, dont know if Israel will sell it to anyone in the first place.
• Daniel-Lim

  21 Dec 06, 14:22

  Maybe we'll get the Israelis to help us design an upgrade package that'll make it match the Merkava in protection.
  
  Then SG and Israel can both market this upgrade package to BOTH Leopard I & 2 users and make lots of money.
• tankee1981

  21 Dec 06, 15:22

  Originally posted by Daniel-Lim:

  Maybe we'll get the Israelis to help us design an upgrade package that'll make it match the Merkava in protection.
  
  Then SG and Israel can both market this upgrade package to BOTH Leopard I & 2 users and make lots of money.

  A viable business venture i must say!