Merkava Mark IV
Israel from the 1970s began to develop and manufacture the MBT "Merkava". "Merkava" Mk.4 was first shown at one of the foreign exhibitions on June 24, 2002, although it was officially handed over to military trials in December 2001. The production of the machine began in early 2003, after the Mk.3 model was removed from the assembly line. In total, until 2003, the national industry produced about 1,350 such vehicles of modifications Mk 1, Mk 2 and Mk 3, and then mass production of an improved version of the MBT "Merkava" Mk 4 was launched, the pace of which was 50 units per year. Deliveries of this modification were scheduled at least until 2010.
Mechanized and armored formations are necessary to obtain freedom of manuver in contemporary types of operations, The most effective means of fighting tanks are combat teams of light infantry. Israel analyzed the best methods of fighting such organizations, and accepted that in first phase we have to isolate and surround the area, to reach a domination through aggressive action of armored and mechanized formations and only later to keep and clean the area, to use lighter units. This method was used during Shield Wall operation on Western Shore, conducted between March 29 and May 10 2002.
Because of the health problems Gen. Israel Tal, by 2001 was unable to devote himself fully to Merkava development. The Merkava IV was to have all operational properties of Merkava III, but with improved survivability against the new dangers of battlefield. The design started from improving of turret protection, at the cost of a rise of weight and changes of structure (as more heavy turret requested more efficient revolving mechanism). This, of course, caused more changes - rising weight asked for more power, and this needed more hull space. All this is much more than simple adaptations of Merkava III can cope with.
The mass of the Mk.4 tank is 65 tons. The tank turret was equipped with new special armor modules. They closed not only its forehead, sides, stern, but also the entire roof, significantly increasing protection from shells directed from the upper hemisphere. Because of this, it was necessary to remove the loader's hatch, and to make the commander's hatch more massive, providing it with a special electric mechanism for opening. Due to the modules, the configuration of the tower has changed - it received a "stepped" silhouette. To improve the view of the road and the surrounding area, four video cameras were placed on the body, the image from which is transmitted directly to the driver's display. This TST (Tank Sight System) provides day and night visibility. It was developed by Vectop ("Vector").
In order to avoid the defeat of the tank commander during combat operations in urban conditions, a small commander's cupola was provided on it. The gunner's sight was moved to the roof of the tower. The cannon was equipped with a massive mask. They removed the air intake grilles on the fenders, leaving only one - the exhaust tract on the starboard side. At the stern of the tower, as in the early models, metal anti-accumulative chains with balls were hung, covering its lower part from the effects of RPG grenades. To facilitate maneuvering in narrow places, we installed clearance pins on the body.
For the first time in the world, a foreign tank "Merkava" Mk.4 was equipped with an active protection system Trophy ("Trophy") produced by Israeli companies RAFAEL Armament Development Authority Ltd. and Israel Aircraft Industries ELTA. Its creation was called in Israel "a revolution in armored vehicle protection systems." The system gave "the ability to detect, identify, track and destroy modern anti-tank missiles at a considerable distance from the protected vehicle, so as not to harm it.
The radar station of this system detects and identifies missiles or RPG grenades flying towards the tank. The computer calculates the flight path of the approaching ammunition and issues a command to the launchers. They throw an explosive charge of directional action towards him, destroying the warhead of the ammunition before it reaches the tank. The radar has four antennas located at the corners of the hull in front and aft, which provide a 360 ° search. Two launchers are located on the sides of the tank.
The improved smooth-bore 120-mm cannon withstands increased pressure in the barrel, which allows the use of more powerful high-explosive fragmentation shells ?339 Kalanit ("Aktinia") developed by Israel Military Industries (IMI). Their fuse is programmed for a specific task already in the charging chamber of the gun barrel, which increases the efficiency of their use for various purposes, be it infantry or vehicles, tanks or fortifications. In the latter case, for example, the projectile first penetrates the obstacle, and only then the warhead, equipped with submunitions, is triggered inside the object.
The semi-automatic gun loading machine is installed behind an armored partition in the turret recess. Its electric drum for 10 shots independently feeds them to the loader. Each of the other 38 rounds is packed in a protective container to prevent an explosion inside the turret and in the hull in the event of a shell hitting the tank.
The same 120-mm cannon can be fired with LAHAT shells. They are guided by a laser beam and have a semi-active laser homing head. After the projectile leaves the barrel of the cannon, its main engine starts to work and the stabilizers open. The tandem cumulative warhead is designed to overcome the active target protection system. The gun has an integral heat-insulating casing, which increases the effectiveness of firing from it, and also significantly reduces barrel wear.
In addition to the cannon, the tank is armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun paired with it. Another - the same, mounted on a turret on the starboard side of the tower. From this machine gun, the vehicle commander can fire even remotely - from the inside of the tower at 360 °. A 60-mm mortar is also standard, and the new design is a breech-loading one. Smoke grenade launchers are mounted on the turret. Fire control system "Merkava" Mk.4 - with automatic target tracking. It includes advanced thermal and television channels. The commander and gunner have independent stabilized sights with thermal imagers.
Elbit has developed a tank information and control system (TIUS) for the Mk.4, which provides continuous monitoring of the situation on the battlefield with a constant display of it on an electronic map of the area - on a color display. All information elements of the machine - sensors, range finder, navigation equipment, other equipment - are linked by a single algorithm for control, processing and display of the received data. The commander's and gunner's workstations are integrated into a local network and automatically monitor and display the situation in combat conditions. This allows the commander to quickly assess the situation and make the right decisions, gives a great opportunity to timely detect and hit enemy targets.
It was equipped with a 1,500-horsepower GD883 diesel engine from the American company General Dynamics. This engine, designated MTU883, was developed by the German company MTU Friedrichshafen and is manufactured in the USA under license. The new engine of the Mk.4 tank differs from those installed on other models in improved weight and dimensions, specific power parameters, and fuel efficiency. An increase in its liter capacity required an improvement in the turbocharging system with cooling the incoming air, an increase in the efficiency of liquid cooling, and the intensity of oil cooling of the pistons. Individual fuel pumps with an electro-hydraulic fuel supply control system are introduced into the power system. Thanks to the use of a specially designed oil pan and an additional flat oil tank.
The Mk.4 has an automatic fire extinguishing system and a collective defense system against weapons of mass destruction. A video camera is installed in the stern on the left side for easy reversing maneuvering, which displays an image on the driver's monitor.
The combat christening of Merkava IV took place during second Lebanon war summer 2006. It was very confused environment. On the beginning Israel had not a declared war, so armed forces were not used accordingly to doctrine. Up to final parts of this war Israel kept its tanks away, understanding that in ambushes prepared by Hezbollah, tanks will have great losses. Up to change of war conception tanks were used to medevac and food and water supply missions. During one of such clashes near Brint Jbeil Israel lost one Merkava IV. The came from a deeply buried IED. It was battalion commander vehicle with 7 soldiers. One of them has been killed, two wounded. Second tank from this battalion was hit by ATGM in top of turret. The head didn't penetrated but the tank commander was killed (brain shock).
When General Staff decided to take all Lebanon in wide manuver, Merkavas were introduced in Eastern Sector nearby Wadi Al-Saluqi. During this action 16 Merkava IV tanks were hit, 9 tank personnel have been killed. At least 8 tanks had penetrated armor but none was burned out. After evacuation they were rebuilt and used again. In all cases of penetration this was done by tandem warheads of Russian production (Kornet 9M133, Metis-M9K115-2, and spandrel AT-5) in the hands of Hezbollah. Many numerous investigations after the war supported the need of additional armor protection (ERA). But most demanding was rebuilding of system of intensive training, so that they again will be operations ready.
During the Second Lebanon War in 2006 more than 40 tanks were hit, most of them by anti-tank missiles, repeatedly fired by Hezbollah from hidden positions that were difficult to detect by IDF tank crews. Following this conflict, the IDF accelerated the development of Active Protection Systems (APS), and fielded the system with tank battalions, being equipped with new armored vehicles. This includes new Merkava Mk4 tanks equipped with APS and the new Namer Infantry Fighting Vehicles, which also mounts the system.
Part of the active protection system integrated on Merkava Mk4 includes the Trophy active protection system's interceptor (in the background), WindGuard flat-panel radar (in the front) and Laser warning system (on the left).
According to IDF sources, the Merkava tank was patrolling the border with Gaza, when a 'missile launch' was detected by the tank's defensive system. Trophy uses the Elta System's EL/M 2133 'WindGuard' radar as the primary sensor detecting missiles and RPG threats. When such threat is classified by the system as 'acute' (aiming directly at the protected vehicle), the system alerts the crew and tracks the missile closing-in on the tank.
As the RPG enters the system's kill-zone, Trophy automatically activates its hard kill countermeasure (Multiple Explosive Formed Penetrators - MEFP), destroying the threat at a safe distance from the tank. Some reports indicated the intercept was close enough to trigger the tank's automatic fire 'Spectronix' protection, which have lead to Palestinian claims of actually hitting the tank. Shortly afterwards, IDF soldiers identified several terrorists in the launching area and fired in their direction, scoring a hit.
The Trophy inherently supports such a procedure. Beside its role as the Trophy's primary sensor, detecting the threat and calculating Time-to-Impact (TTI) and plotting the optimal intercept point, the Windguard radar also localizes the firing position of the missile being tracked, enabling the IDF troops to rapidly engage active enemy positions, eliminating follow-up attacks on its armor.
With the deployment of Merkava Mk 4 tanks equipped with Rafael Defense Systems' Trophy (ASPRO-A) Active Protection Systems (APS) along the Gaza border, that followed a Merkava tank being hit by a Kornet anti-tank missile fired by the Palestinians, battle testing of the Trophy APS was only a matter of time. The system was baptized in combat in March 2011, proving its worth in a first combat engagement with a hostile RPG, fired by Palestinian anti-tank team from Gaza. The system and crew performed exactly as expected, integrating automatic response to neutralize an immediate threat, rapid situational understanding and decision and forcible response, effectively eliminating the threat.
During Protective Edge, this system saved 15 tanks from anti-tank missile hits, four of which with battalion commanders in them.
The active defense complex Meil Ruach was commissioned by the Raphael company in cooperation with the Department of Defense Ministry’s research projects. According to some reports, design work on this system started in the mid-nineties. The creation of the project took about ten years. The official presentation of the development took place in March 2005. After completing all the necessary tests, and also taking into account the experience of the combat use of armored vehicles in recent conflicts, the army decided to launch mass production and purchase new complexes.
The principal decision on equipping the existing KAZ Trophy tanks was made based on the results of the Second Lebanon-Israeli War of 2006. After analyzing the experience of using tanks in existing conditions, the IDF command recognized the need to use active protection capable of reducing the risks for tanks and their crews. The first carriers of the KAZ "Meil Ruach" were to become the Merkava tanks of the Mk 4 model. After this upgrade, the tanks received the designation Mk 4M.
According to reports, by 2017 active defense complexes have received at least most of the Mk 4 tanks in the army. It is known that by the middle of 2012, the 4 I tanklot ha-Barzel 401 Tank Brigade was fully transferred to the Merkava Mk 7M vehicles. The previous year, a similar rearmament of the Saar Mi-Golan brigade was completed. Exact information about the state of the 460 training brigade "Bnei Or" is not available. Perhaps a certain number of her tanks also received active protection complexes necessary for improved crew training.
Of the four regular AOI tank brigades, one of which is training, two are using Merkava tanks Mk 4. By 2017, all these armored vehicles have been upgraded, implying the installation of the KAZ "Meil Ruach" / Trophy. The remaining brigade still uses the tanks of the previous model, which have only their own armor, covered with additional security modules. After upgrading, similar to the previously conducted, part of the 188th brigade "Barak" will be able to get armored vehicles with improved indicators of protection and survivability. In the context of the general development of the army, this will mean a complete abandonment of tanks without active protection in the regular units used during combat operations.
