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The Merkava, Israel's Chieftain?


Life_In_Black

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Quite a lot of information is being released lately about numerous Israeli AFV projects, mainly the Merkava. Instead of cluttering this thread like I did in AW forums, I've decided to just link the article here:

http://zuk-armor-il.blogspot.co.il/2017/05/may-update-barak-mbt-and-atmos-sph.html

 

More info coming in (already linked in my blog post):

http://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/29642

http://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/29614

http://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/29649

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57 minutes ago, LoooSeR said:

77969748.png

So, this rendering is practically useless to get any information on the new AFV?

 

Does not look like the 3D artist knew anything about AFVs.  Did he place the turret above the engine?

Where are the exhausts?

Is the tank cramped, or is the angle just weird on that soldier?
Is the tank small with tiny tracks, or huge with normal size tracks?

Where are the hatches?

 

 

Not really sure what the point of this 3D model is.

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5 hours ago, Walter_Sobchak said:

Whats the deal with the windows?

 

Periscopes, and they're backup for when the HMDS fails. Because the Carmel in its main version is meant to be better optimized for urban warfare, which is increasingly getting dominant by the day, it needs a wider view angle. But I think they'll just ditch the periscopes and keep the vehicle's top sealed to maintain a high level of top protection.

 

1 hour ago, Xoon said:

So, this rendering is practically useless to get any information on the new AFV?

 

Does not look like the 3D artist knew anything about AFVs.  Did he place the turret above the engine?

Where are the exhausts?

Is the tank cramped, or is the angle just weird on that soldier?
Is the tank small with tiny tracks, or huge with normal size tracks?

Where are the hatches?

 

 

Not really sure what the point of this 3D model is.

 

The engine will be up-front as far as I understand. The turret will supposedly be above the crew capsule (3-man capsule but crew of 2).

The exhausts should be at the front.

It will be smaller than a Merkava 4 for sure, but not cramped. Its crew capsule will actually be very spacious, with a room for 1 extra person. I believe the angle is just off, because it's a computer simulation. So scaling might be half-assed.

 

Hatches don't exist on this vehicle because it's believed that hatches prevent consistency of the armor, and will be a weakspot. So crew exit and entrance will be from the rear, I assume. I just don't know why they haven't drawn a door on it. Probably just a mistake.

 

70158473.png

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General characteristics for the Carmel vehicle:

 

-Halving the weight relative to current vehicles. The goal is 35 tons without compromising protection. A lighter platform will better navigate inside tight urban areas.

-Automatic identification, jamming, and destruction capability for every direct threat on a tank (except kinetic). 

-Increased protection, and significant reduction in the vehicle's signature (visual, thermal, noise etc).

-Real time communication between all surrounding vehicles and units, and ad-hoc communication network for sharing targets.

-More advanced weaponry and ammunition than those currently existing. Hinted non-conventional guns.

-Advanced materials and transparent armor.

-Hybrid drive, smart energy management systems.

-Universal platform.

-Cyber protection for the communication and computerized systems inside the vehicle.

-Protected crew capsule with 3-person capacity.

-2 man crew. Third being a platoon or company commander with equipment to control unmanned assets.

-Dual controls for all crewmen to allow replacement of a crewman without leaving one's station.

-Medium caliber armament of unspecified type. Likely above 30mm and around 40-60mm.

 

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4 hours ago, Mighty_Zuk said:

 

Periscopes, and they're backup for when the HMDS fails. Because the Carmel in its main version is meant to be better optimized for urban warfare, which is increasingly getting dominant by the day, it needs a wider view angle. But I think they'll just ditch the periscopes and keep the vehicle's top sealed to maintain a high level of top protection.

 

 

The engine will be up-front as far as I understand. The turret will supposedly be above the crew capsule (3-man capsule but crew of 2).

The exhausts should be at the front.

It will be smaller than a Merkava 4 for sure, but not cramped. Its crew capsule will actually be very spacious, with a room for 1 extra person. I believe the angle is just off, because it's a computer simulation. So scaling might be half-assed.

 

Hatches don't exist on this vehicle because it's believed that hatches prevent consistency of the armor, and will be a weakspot. So crew exit and entrance will be from the rear, I assume. I just don't know why they haven't drawn a door on it. Probably just a mistake.

 

70158473.png

So, the tank will have a exhaust out the side like the Merkava? 

 

And I guess the step is where to thick roof armor begins?

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8 minutes ago, Xoon said:

So, the tank will have a exhaust out the side like the Merkava? 

 

And I guess the step is where to thick roof armor begins?

 

The exhaust might be stretched to the back to lower thermal signature, or directed at the ground and is hidden behind the side skirts.

 

Maybe that's where it begins, and maybe the UFP will also act as additional roof armor against top attack missiles that always come down at an angle. To be fair, I have no idea what these pairs of squares (on CEV, recon, and laser AD vehicles) on the front are. 

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Forgot to add the summarized bit on the ATMOS (howitzer):

(copied from blog)

 

1)The new howitzer will have autonomous engagement as well as fully autonomous loading. A crew of just 1 person is required, as loaders and gunners aren't necessary. The turret will remain entirely unmanned.

2)Crew of 3 or up to 6 may be kept nonetheless if the IDF deems it more appropriate.

3)Each gun will be an independent fire unit rather than each battery. Fire could be directed via a remote Fire Control Center.

4)Testing will continue until the end of summer 2017.

5)Yet unknown whether it will be mounted on wheeled or tracked chassis. They say it won't affect the vehicle's firepower.

6)A new precision fire fuze has been integrated to allow cannon artillery a cheap precision fire capability. This would add up to 3 different arrays within the artillery corps to have precision fire capabilities. The fuze is made by IAI and dubbed "TopGun".

7)An artificial 8RPM limitation is in place as per requirements, but can be removed if there is sufficient ammunition.

8)The vehicle's computers will be able to select the appropriate shell, fuze, and charge (modular charges) according to the mission without any human input.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Something that appeared briefly in the conference to which I linked in numerous posts, is the export policy of the Merkava.

Export to gulf states was impossible due to political issues. 

Export to Africa and South America was impossible because these were not ready for high-end products.

Asia-Pacific remains the best potential market but limited in number of potential customers.

 

And the best bit; Europe wasn't even considered. Yep. Aside from Turkey of course. But it seems the Merkava was never even marketed to Europe in fear of tensions with Russia, and instead only portions of the tank (sights, FCS, ammunition etc) were sold.

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3 hours ago, Mighty_Zuk said:

Something that appeared briefly in the conference to which I linked in numerous posts, is the export policy of the Merkava.

Export to gulf states was impossible due to political issues. 

Export to Africa and South America was impossible because these were not ready for high-end products.

Asia-Pacific remains the best potential market but limited in number of potential customers.

 

And the best bit; Europe wasn't even considered. Yep. Aside from Turkey of course. But it seems the Merkava was never even marketed to Europe in fear of tensions with Russia, and instead only portions of the tank (sights, FCS, ammunition etc) were sold.

How come Sweden was offered the Merkava 3?

 

Source:

http://www.ointres.se/projekt_stridsvagn_ny.htm

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10 hours ago, Xoon said:

How come Sweden was offered the Merkava 3?

 

Source:

http://www.ointres.se/projekt_stridsvagn_ny.htm

I should have been more specific. The interview was specifically about the Merkava 4. Not 3. 

But it is interesting that the Merkava 4 was the first to be cleared for export, if we trust publicly released information, but on at least numerous occasions the earlier Mark 3 was already offered before the Mark 4 entered service in noticeable numbers.

 

I did not know however that Sweden was among the countries who were offered the Merkava 3. Sweden's and Israel's tank development bureaus had good relations, I assume, which might explain some of it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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