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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| End in Sight for Merkava Tank |
| 2006-09-30 |
| Billions of dollars and 37 years later, the Merkava tank production line will be phased out over the next four years. Thousands of workers will be affected by the change. The Merkava has been one of the most expensive projects in the history of the Israeli military, with estimated costs ranging from US $ 7.5 billion to US $10 billion since its conception in 1969 by Major-General Israel Tal. Thousands of Israelis are employed in production plants and other related military industries that are involved in manufacturing the tank. It is not yet clear how the shutdown will impact the economy. It is certain that many workers will lose their jobs and primary source of income. According to the Globes business news website, the IDF made the decision to end production of the tank shortly before the recent war with Hizbullah terrorists in southern Lebanon broke out. Although the Merkava has enjoyed a reputation for years as being the safest tank in the world, it proved vulnerable to the new, advanced Russian-made anti-tank missiles used by Hizbullah. During the war, 47 tanks were hit by rockets and two were destroyed by roadside bombs, resulting in the deaths of 33 IDF soldiers. Defense officials are currently debating whether the tank is still useful altogether in modern-day ground warfare, having been designed primarily for classic tank-on-tank battles. The cost-benefit ratio over the years has been questioned, not only by defense officials, but by others as well. |
| Posted by:john |
| #4 Heavy helocopter sounds like an oxymoron. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-09-30 23:48 |
| #3 As I understand it the Merkava was also designed to use its main gun as an artillery piece for indirect fire. Just because the IDF plans on shutting down production does not mean they plan on removing them from service. |
| Posted by: Cheaderhead 2006-09-30 23:26 |
| #2 Ironically, the conceptual origins in the tank are the maneuvers of what was called heavy cavalry. It had very specific textbook maneuvers that made great sense on the two-dimensional battlefield. However, technology has added a third dimension to the battlefield, and any major component that does not involve that third dimension is in danger of obsolescence. The Russians caught on to this idea early, with the heavily armored helicopter, and the US still hasn't made its equal, which would be very complementary to a Stryker brigade. Such a heavy helicopter would be designed to carry much more potent weapons than our current attack helicopters. Right now, the A-10 fills that gap, but a heavy helicopter is needed as an organic escort to a Stryker unit. Where the Strykers go, the helicopters accompany. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-09-30 21:02 |
| #1 It will be very interesting to see what the Israelis decide to do in terms of a replacement. The US military in Iraq seems to be having more success with its Strykers than with anything else, although the role they have there is not exactly the same as the role the Merkava has played in the Israeli Army. Something to watch, at least. |
| Posted by: WhiteCollarRedneck 2006-09-30 19:38 |