Merkava Mk 5 "BARAK"
In July 2012, it was reported that a prospective tank - Merkava Mark V nicknamed "BARAK" - could be equipped with an electromagnetic or laser gun - gee whiz !! - both entirely unlikely. In addition, it was planned to equip the tank with a hybrid power plant, powerful batteries, as well as light armor with an active protection system - slighty less improbable. Meanwhile, in December 2012, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced that the development of a new family of light armored combat vehicles based on the Merkava Mark IV could begin in the near future. These machines were called "Rakiya". These armored vehicles will be adapted to combat in urban areas and will not replace Merkava tanks or Namer armored personnel carriers in the army.
Future tank development had been halted in September 2013 in the framework of the upcoming multi-year plan and the cuts to the defense budget. A special team will be in charge of examining alternatives. The Israeli defense establishment had decided not to pursue the development of the Merkava Mark V tank.
At this stage, the Merkava Mark IV was to be the last tank that will be manufactured. In the interests of the Israel Defense Forces, the production of the fourth version of the tank, the Merkava Mark IV, will be carried out. In addition, the Ministry of Defense intends to consider several options for modernizing the existing fleet of armored combat vehicles.
The reason for the suspension of the new tank development program was a revision of the plan for providing the armed forces with military equipment, as well as a reduction in defense spending. According to the military, the production of tanks "Merkava Mark IV" and their subsequent modernization will cost the budget cheaper than the development and production of new "Mark V". The Merkava Mark V development program started in 2012, but practical work had not yet begun. The Ministry of Defense formed a special working group, which was to form a tactical and technical task for a new vehicle. The leadership of the IDF was involved in the work, as well as the heads of the largest enterprises of the military-industrial complex.
The new modification Merkava MkV was developed on the basis of the fourth series and has no major differences in design. According to Army Recognition, the Merkava V is an improved version of the Merkava IV that combines "the latest technologies and innovations in the field of protection and digital combat capabilities."
The Merkava Mark V is an improved version of the Merkava IVM, which integrates the latest technologies and innovations in protection and digital warfare capabilities. The main changes concerned protection. The Merkava MkV is equipped with the Trophy Active Protection System (APS), which is said to be capable of counteracting all modern tank destroyers. Also, the tank received a 360-degree all-round view, thanks to the installation of day and night vision cameras. The tank commander received a digital helmet that provides a 3D view of the battlefield, as well as providing all the information on what is happening inside the tank, including damage. The installed systems allow the tank to independently detect targets and hit them.
The design of the new Merkava is very similar to the Merkava IV and consists of a driver's seat located on the left side of the body, a turret at the rear of the body and an engine on the right in the front.The crew still consists of four people: driver, commander, gunner and loader, there is no automatic loader in the new Merkava MkV.
The Merkava MkV tank is equipped with a V-12 diesel engine with a power of 1500 hp, the gearbox is automatic, has five gears forward and two reverse. Power reserve 500 km, maximum speed - 64 km / h.
The Merkava V has the same armament as the Merkava IV, consisting of a 120 mm smoothbore cannon developed by Israel Military Industries, capable of firing high-penetrating projectiles and guided grenades with a range of up to 4000 m. Secondary armament, similar to the previous version, consists of a coaxial machine gun caliber 7.62 mm, a machine gun of the same caliber located on the right side of the roof of the tower and a 60 mm mortar located inside the hull.
One of the most important improvements to the Merkava Mark V tank is the integration of the Trophy Active Protection System (APS), which is designed to combat the most advanced anti-tank missiles, anti-tank grenade launchers (RPG), recoilless anti-tank weapons, anti-tank guided missiles and anti-tank fragmentation (HEAT) missiles. Trophy creates a sort of neutralization bubble around the vehicle. Quickly detects, classifies and eliminates all known chemical energy threats.
The new Merkava V is equipped with day and night cameras that provide a 360° view around the tank. The tank commander is equipped with a digital helmet providing a 3D view of the battlefield and all data for conducting combat operations. The helmet provides all information about the target, what ammunition to fire, as well as visual signals about the damage to the tank.
The Merkava V also features new sensors that allow it to independently seek out targets and engage them quickly, as well as deploy electronic warfare assets and advanced data processing systems. Many of the new capabilities were outlined in the Department of Defense's Carmel next-generation combat vehicle program, which was awarded to Israel Aerospace Industries in October 2021.
The Israeli army would soon begin to receive a new modification of the main combat tank Merkava fifth series. By January 2023 a number of Merkava Mark V tanks had been delivered for trial operation to the 401st Armored Brigade of the 162nd IDF Southern Command Division. The brigade was armed with MBT Merkava MkIV.
Some 20 years after the deployment of the Israel Defense Forces’ Merkava Mark IV tanks, in September 2023 its next iteration, the Mark V Barak (Lightning) – which had been in development by the Defense Ministry for the last five years – finished a one-month trial run in a unit belonging to the IDF’s Armored Corps. In subsequent months, combat units in the Armored Corps received several more of these models, ahead of their first official deployment on Israel’s northern border with Syria.
The new tank is based on the previous Merkava platform but with significantly enhanced survivability and defensive capabilities. It includes features such as a windbreaker (anti-tank missile protection system), and has the ability to detect and engage enemy threats, such as anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), even before they are fired, allowing for rapid response and interception.
The tank is crewed by four soldiers, with a loader responsible for tasks beyond simply loading ammunition, which remains a manual process, as is common in current tank designs. The loader assists in target acquisition using new technologies that scan the battlefield through advanced sensors and cameras integrated into the tank, providing enhanced situational awareness.
"This will be the most advanced tank in the world, with a high-quality sensor system based on artificial intelligence for enemy detection and an intuitive and user-friendly interface for the crew, and deadly weapon systems," according to Brig. Gen. Oren Giber of the Defense Ministry. "We’ve created an unbreakable armored platform, with all of its software infrastructure designed for continuous improvement and upgrading in future versions."
Giber added that top-of-the-line camera setups on the tank will allow the tank’s crew to navigate and fight in tight spaces safely, saying the new tank will become the land version of the F-35 fighter jet.
The Merkava Mark V’s systemsfeature an operational application store, allowing each crew member to specify their role and rank before launching an operation. Accordingly, the tank will adapt itself within seconds to meet the requirements and capabilities required by the different soldiers commanding it.
The IDF’s Armored Corps explained that a pair of Merkava Mark V tanks would be able to perform tasks that previously required an entire company or platoon of armored vehicles. With its advanced connectivity capabilities, Barak tanks will provide real-time intelligence about targets while on the move, both for themselves and for nearby forces.
The tank’s driver has an advanced and intelligent navigation system, developed by the IDF’s Intelligence Corps, resembling a more advanced version of the Waze application. It provides the driver with safe and secure routes through enemy territory, avoiding exposure to ATGMs and traversing any type of terrain, including mountainous or urban areas. The rest of the crew will operate the tank and its weapon systems through a 21-inch multi-touch screen, which will display real-time enemy locations and IDF force positions.
"The tank crews will need to operate the tank slightly differently,” explained Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim, commander of the IDF’s Armored Corps. "The tank's familiar 120mm cannon and ammunition will remain, and the Mark V’s implementation will be gradual. It's no longer just a tank; this technology will become a fifth member in the tank’s crew."
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