IDF
21-12-2007, 06:34
(not for sale)
IDI Merkava Mark X “Dayan”
OVERVIEW: The IDF has learned many harsh lessons in its decades of experience in armored warfare. This tank is the result of these lessons. The Merkava X packs a powerful punch while maintaining the ability to withstand multiple hits from ATGMs, ATRLs, and various types of tank shells. This comes from mixing multiple types of proven armor along with new sloping techniques. The tank also has improved command and control through the addition of new technologies allowing tank commanders to get a good view without exposing their head and body to fire.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Merkava-mkIII-LIC-pic06.jpg
STATS
CONTRACTOR: Israeli Defense Industries (Haifa, Israel)
WEIGHT: 80.25 tons
LENGTH: 31 feet
WIDTH: 11 feet 10 inches
HEIGHT: 7 feet 10 inches
GROUND CLEARANCE: 20 inches
GROUD PRESSURE: 12.3 PSI
POWER PLANT: IMI TPS-2200 Turbine Engine
POWER RATING: 2200 HP
HP to Weight Ratio: 27.4 HP per ton
TRANSMISSION: 4 gears forward, 2 reverse
SPEED: max: 52 mph
SPEED cross country: 32 mph
SPEED 10% slope: 20 mph
SPEED 60% slope: 5 mph
ACCELERATION: 0-20mph in 6.8 seconds
CRUISING RANGE: 275 miles
MAIN ARMAMANT: 120 mm IDI Mk-48 ETC gun (w 650 V battery)
COMMANDER'S WEAPON: .50 cal M2 Machinegun
COAXIAL WEAPON: 7.62 mm M240 Machinegun
ARMOR: 800 mm (in the front) Chobham Composite armor (with spacing) and reactive armor is attached to our tanks. The armor thickness is less on other parts of the tank.
CREW: 4: 1 driver, 1 gunner, 1 loader, 1 commander
WEAPONS
The Main weapon is a 120 mm cannon. It is much larger than the 105 mm cannon mounted on the Merkava III tank that until now has been Israel's only indigenous tank. The gun has the ability to have degredation up to 10 degrees allowing the tank to hide behind a hill with only the top of its turret exposed as it looks down.
Using expertise from the Navy, an ETC gun was used for this tank. The power supply for it is a 650 V rechargeable battery
The cannon is versatile and can fire multiple types of rounds, High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT), Armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS), Armor Piercing (AP), High Explosive Squash Head (HESH), anti-personnel cluster shells, Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS), and Armour Piercing Composite Rigid (APCR). This wide weapon load makes the Merkava X a very deadly weapon on any battlefield.
The commander’s gun is for use against infantry and aircraft. Traditionally, this has been operated by the commander who would be exposed to fire with the hatch open and his body out of the tank. IDI has developed a system based on the remote guns of the Stryker which allow the twin machineguns to be operated by the commander while he is safely inside the tank without exposing himself to fire.
The coaxial machine gun is on the turret and is fired by the gunner using the same sights as the primary cannon.
ARMOR
The Merkava X has 800 mm of composite armor on the front. The armor is somewhat less on other parts of the tank. This armor is made out of alternating layers of plastics, ceramics, and depleted uranium armor. This type of armor is effective against HEAT and HESH shells. The armor layers are further enhanced through the use of spacing between layers. This defeats the HEAT warheads of Anti-Tank Guided Missiles. This is done by using smaller armor sheets mounted a few inches from the main armor. The result is the HEAT shell detonates prematurely and the plasma meant to burn through the tank's armor burns through air outside of the armor instead.
Composite armor adds 40-70% to their effective armor protection against AP and 200-250% against HEAT. Composite armor weighs about the same as the steel armor it replaces.
The tank also has layers of reactive armor installed on top of its hull. Reactive armor explodes when hit by shells or missiles. It makes the explosion of HEAT shells or ATGM warheads less efficient as much of the energy of the weapon is directed away from the tank. It should be noted that this does pose a threat to infantry in the area, but IDF Generals still want this armor to be installed as a tank with its fuel and ammo exploding due to a hit would be a greater threat to nearby infantry.
The composite armor sheets on the tank are sloped. Sloped armor has a devastating effect on the penetrating effect of shaped warheads. Think of it. While the armor may be 800 mm thick, more than 800 mm must be penetrated if that armor is at an angle. Sloped armor has also been known to deflect some shots completely. On average it degrades shaped charges by 50%.
The final piece of the armor scheme is an active protection system. This expensive system has sensors which detect incoming projectiles and fire a counter-projectile which can cause a premature detonation of RPGs or ATGMs.
The tanks can be fitted with a snow plow like object on their front. This object is designed to go over mines and detonate them before the tank is over them. While the tank may receive light damage, the mine explosions in front of the tank are not fatal to the tanks.
CONTROL
Israeli tank units have been successful in combat because of brave commanders who have stuck their head out in combat. Outside of small slits and a poor “periscope” most tanks only have a view of the outside from their commander risking his life. When under fire, tank commanders tend to duck below and make the tank less effective in combat. Israeli commanders have kept to doctrine and kept their head out in combat. It has led to great victories, but it has cost many brave promising tankers their lives. Even when facing light infantry or artillery, exposed tank commanders died when the tank itself was in little danger.
IDI has come up with a solution for this problem. Using fiber optics, a series of cameras has been put on the exterior of the tank. The cameras are hooked up with LCDs inside of the tank allowing the crew to get a full view of the outside even when the hatch is down. This makes Israeli tanks far superior to any foreign tanks. A foreign tank and its crew would have to close the hatch and would have a poor idea of what is happening in the battle. They would not be able to advance far under fire, attack other tanks, or support infantry effectively while the Merkava X will be capable of doing so.
The cameras are movable and some are fitted to masts so that the tank commander can adjust the views. The masted cameras allow the tank to hide behind an embankment while the inch thick mast with the tiny camera can be raised to allow the crew to look over hills or other obstacles. Cameras fitted to the front can be extended out to allow the tank to look around corners. This is useful when supporting infantry.
The Merkava X is also fitted with IVIS gear so that each tank commander has the same view of the battle that their CO has. The tanks also have advanced encryption gear for its radios. Each tank is hooked up to its platoon and/or company’s radio circuit so they can get orders direct from their CO.
BACK DOOR FEATURE
The earlier Merkava was a successful tank. One of its best features was the rear door. This large door allows the crew to make easy escapes, and it makes the Merkava X the easiest tank to reload in the world. With its wide assortment of shells, company commanders can quickly order a tank to take a different load that is specific for its mission.
There is 1 downside. The door is not well armored so this is the Merkava X's weakspot. The Israeli Army was worried about this, but studies show only 5-10% of hits are to the rear of tanks so this won't be an extremely large problem.
Tracks
The tank’s tracks are based on the TSAWS system. The treads were designed to reduce shedding over the tough basalt rock that covers much of the area around Israel.
The total tread area in contact with the ground at any point is 13,068 square inches. This gives the tank a ground pressure of 12.3 pounds per square inch. This PSI is advantageous for tanks which will fight in the Middle East.
COST = $11 million
IDI Merkava Mark X “Dayan”
OVERVIEW: The IDF has learned many harsh lessons in its decades of experience in armored warfare. This tank is the result of these lessons. The Merkava X packs a powerful punch while maintaining the ability to withstand multiple hits from ATGMs, ATRLs, and various types of tank shells. This comes from mixing multiple types of proven armor along with new sloping techniques. The tank also has improved command and control through the addition of new technologies allowing tank commanders to get a good view without exposing their head and body to fire.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Merkava-mkIII-LIC-pic06.jpg
STATS
CONTRACTOR: Israeli Defense Industries (Haifa, Israel)
WEIGHT: 80.25 tons
LENGTH: 31 feet
WIDTH: 11 feet 10 inches
HEIGHT: 7 feet 10 inches
GROUND CLEARANCE: 20 inches
GROUD PRESSURE: 12.3 PSI
POWER PLANT: IMI TPS-2200 Turbine Engine
POWER RATING: 2200 HP
HP to Weight Ratio: 27.4 HP per ton
TRANSMISSION: 4 gears forward, 2 reverse
SPEED: max: 52 mph
SPEED cross country: 32 mph
SPEED 10% slope: 20 mph
SPEED 60% slope: 5 mph
ACCELERATION: 0-20mph in 6.8 seconds
CRUISING RANGE: 275 miles
MAIN ARMAMANT: 120 mm IDI Mk-48 ETC gun (w 650 V battery)
COMMANDER'S WEAPON: .50 cal M2 Machinegun
COAXIAL WEAPON: 7.62 mm M240 Machinegun
ARMOR: 800 mm (in the front) Chobham Composite armor (with spacing) and reactive armor is attached to our tanks. The armor thickness is less on other parts of the tank.
CREW: 4: 1 driver, 1 gunner, 1 loader, 1 commander
WEAPONS
The Main weapon is a 120 mm cannon. It is much larger than the 105 mm cannon mounted on the Merkava III tank that until now has been Israel's only indigenous tank. The gun has the ability to have degredation up to 10 degrees allowing the tank to hide behind a hill with only the top of its turret exposed as it looks down.
Using expertise from the Navy, an ETC gun was used for this tank. The power supply for it is a 650 V rechargeable battery
The cannon is versatile and can fire multiple types of rounds, High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT), Armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS), Armor Piercing (AP), High Explosive Squash Head (HESH), anti-personnel cluster shells, Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS), and Armour Piercing Composite Rigid (APCR). This wide weapon load makes the Merkava X a very deadly weapon on any battlefield.
The commander’s gun is for use against infantry and aircraft. Traditionally, this has been operated by the commander who would be exposed to fire with the hatch open and his body out of the tank. IDI has developed a system based on the remote guns of the Stryker which allow the twin machineguns to be operated by the commander while he is safely inside the tank without exposing himself to fire.
The coaxial machine gun is on the turret and is fired by the gunner using the same sights as the primary cannon.
ARMOR
The Merkava X has 800 mm of composite armor on the front. The armor is somewhat less on other parts of the tank. This armor is made out of alternating layers of plastics, ceramics, and depleted uranium armor. This type of armor is effective against HEAT and HESH shells. The armor layers are further enhanced through the use of spacing between layers. This defeats the HEAT warheads of Anti-Tank Guided Missiles. This is done by using smaller armor sheets mounted a few inches from the main armor. The result is the HEAT shell detonates prematurely and the plasma meant to burn through the tank's armor burns through air outside of the armor instead.
Composite armor adds 40-70% to their effective armor protection against AP and 200-250% against HEAT. Composite armor weighs about the same as the steel armor it replaces.
The tank also has layers of reactive armor installed on top of its hull. Reactive armor explodes when hit by shells or missiles. It makes the explosion of HEAT shells or ATGM warheads less efficient as much of the energy of the weapon is directed away from the tank. It should be noted that this does pose a threat to infantry in the area, but IDF Generals still want this armor to be installed as a tank with its fuel and ammo exploding due to a hit would be a greater threat to nearby infantry.
The composite armor sheets on the tank are sloped. Sloped armor has a devastating effect on the penetrating effect of shaped warheads. Think of it. While the armor may be 800 mm thick, more than 800 mm must be penetrated if that armor is at an angle. Sloped armor has also been known to deflect some shots completely. On average it degrades shaped charges by 50%.
The final piece of the armor scheme is an active protection system. This expensive system has sensors which detect incoming projectiles and fire a counter-projectile which can cause a premature detonation of RPGs or ATGMs.
The tanks can be fitted with a snow plow like object on their front. This object is designed to go over mines and detonate them before the tank is over them. While the tank may receive light damage, the mine explosions in front of the tank are not fatal to the tanks.
CONTROL
Israeli tank units have been successful in combat because of brave commanders who have stuck their head out in combat. Outside of small slits and a poor “periscope” most tanks only have a view of the outside from their commander risking his life. When under fire, tank commanders tend to duck below and make the tank less effective in combat. Israeli commanders have kept to doctrine and kept their head out in combat. It has led to great victories, but it has cost many brave promising tankers their lives. Even when facing light infantry or artillery, exposed tank commanders died when the tank itself was in little danger.
IDI has come up with a solution for this problem. Using fiber optics, a series of cameras has been put on the exterior of the tank. The cameras are hooked up with LCDs inside of the tank allowing the crew to get a full view of the outside even when the hatch is down. This makes Israeli tanks far superior to any foreign tanks. A foreign tank and its crew would have to close the hatch and would have a poor idea of what is happening in the battle. They would not be able to advance far under fire, attack other tanks, or support infantry effectively while the Merkava X will be capable of doing so.
The cameras are movable and some are fitted to masts so that the tank commander can adjust the views. The masted cameras allow the tank to hide behind an embankment while the inch thick mast with the tiny camera can be raised to allow the crew to look over hills or other obstacles. Cameras fitted to the front can be extended out to allow the tank to look around corners. This is useful when supporting infantry.
The Merkava X is also fitted with IVIS gear so that each tank commander has the same view of the battle that their CO has. The tanks also have advanced encryption gear for its radios. Each tank is hooked up to its platoon and/or company’s radio circuit so they can get orders direct from their CO.
BACK DOOR FEATURE
The earlier Merkava was a successful tank. One of its best features was the rear door. This large door allows the crew to make easy escapes, and it makes the Merkava X the easiest tank to reload in the world. With its wide assortment of shells, company commanders can quickly order a tank to take a different load that is specific for its mission.
There is 1 downside. The door is not well armored so this is the Merkava X's weakspot. The Israeli Army was worried about this, but studies show only 5-10% of hits are to the rear of tanks so this won't be an extremely large problem.
Tracks
The tank’s tracks are based on the TSAWS system. The treads were designed to reduce shedding over the tough basalt rock that covers much of the area around Israel.
The total tread area in contact with the ground at any point is 13,068 square inches. This gives the tank a ground pressure of 12.3 pounds per square inch. This PSI is advantageous for tanks which will fight in the Middle East.
COST = $11 million