Merkava Mk.1 TE Draft
Merkava Mark 1 - Israel (1979-2014)
Main Battle Tank - 250 built
Introduction
The Merkava Mark 1 was the first version of the Israeli Merkava main battle tank (MBT) to enter service with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). It was first introduced in 1979, serving in the regular army until 2009 and in the reserves until 2014. Around 154 of these tanks first saw part in military action during Operation “Peace for Galilee” in 1982.
Naming
The name Merkava (Hebrew: מרכבה) translates as ‘Chariot’. It comes from the codename given to the tank’s development program in the Israeli Ministry of Defense. It follows the local tradition of giving tanks names of ancient weapons. This began with the Centurion, known as the ‘Sho’t’ (Hebrew: שוט), meaning ‘Whip’. Over the years, as happened with other IDF vehicles, urban legends about the meaning or reasoning behind the name ‘Merkava’ have appeared and proliferated, with references to
The tank’s design, with its engine at the front, is like the chariots of old which were pulled by the horses to their front.
The iron chariots of the Old Testament’s Philistines.
God’s throne/chariot, i.e. the mystical ‘Merkavah’ in rabbinic literature.
The different versions of the tank are called ‘Siman’ (Hebrew: סימן), transliterated from the Hebrew word for ‘Mark' (and in English shortened to Mk.), followed by a number, very much like the British system. Sometimes, in English, Roman numerals are used. Tanks in the IDF also have minor modifications, noted by a Hebrew letter in descending alphabetical order. For example, the Merkava Mk.IIB is also called Merkava Siman 2 Bet (Hebrew: מרכבה סימן 2ב) and is the second standard modification of the Merkava 2.
Historical Context
Friday, May 14th, 1948, was the last day of the British Palestinian mandate. The “War of Independence” against the forces sent by the neighboring Arab nations began. The war continued until July 20th, 1949. During the war, the newly formed IDF used 14 tanks (2 Cromwells, 10 H39, and 2 Shermans), while the Arab nations together employed around four times as many tanks (Renault R35, Carro Armato M13/40, M22 Locusts, and Shermans).
From then until the 1970s, Israel was militarily mainly equipped by nations of the Western side of the Cold War (Britain, France, Italy, the United States, and West Germany), with armored vehicles of various origins, sometimes second or third-hand. The neighboring Arab armies were similarly receiving tanks from different NATO and Warsaw Pact nations.
Over the years, the Israelis modified and upgraded virtually all their various tanks to fit the ever-changing combat needs, logistical needs, and lessons learned during the various skirmishes.
In 1955, the Israelis, with the support of France, modified their M4 Shermans into the M-50, and later M-51, to better suit Israeli needs and to keep up with Arab armor units, which were being equipped with T-54/55s.
In the 1960s and 70s, the M48 “Patton”, locally named ‘Magach’ (Hebrew: מגח, English: ‘battering ram’), and the Centurion (Sho’t) tanks were fitted with many upgrades among them a new 105 mm cannon, and a new 750 hp diesel engine.
The Israeli Tank
The story of the first Israeli-designed tank began in the early 1960s, almost 15 years before the production of the first Merkavas started. At the time, two reasons prompted Israel to look for a tank. Firstly, the Army was fed up with the logistical problems caused by being equipped with various second or third-hand vehicles from more than one nation. Secondly, the Israeli heavy industry had now progressed to the point where it could produce entire armored vehicle parts, and so a modern MBT produced under a license locally became a possibility. Another major problem that the IDF had to face was the embargoes by the United Nations (UN) that greatly limited the flow of modern equipment. The Israeli Defense Forces, in a quest to find an alternative to this situation, sent a committee to search for a suitable vehicle.
In February 1964, the work of this committee had some success and identified that France was prepared to offer a contract for the licensed production of the hull of the French AMX-30 MBT. The turrets would still be produced in France and then transported to Israel where the tanks would be assembled. However, Brigadier General Yishrael 'Talik' Tal, already a veteran of three wars between 1943 and 1964, was unhappy with this option. Talik was the creator of the Israeli armored doctrine and a great supporter of the domestic production of a MBT. Moreover, he did not like the characteristics of the French MBT, specifically the lack of armor protection, preferring something with better levels of protection even if that was at the expense of mobility.
With the option for license production of the AMX-30 available but disliked, Israel continued negotiations with other nations. It managed to obtain an agreement to develop a vehicle for Israel with the support of the United Kingdom. This was to be known as the ‘Sabra’, but never reached a stage of development. Instead, in 1965, an agreement was reached with the British government to send two FV4201 Chieftain Mark 2 tanks, based on which an Israeli configuration would be developed. The result of this agreement was the breaking off of negotiations with France in 1966.
The Chieftain Deal
A Chieftain tank in Israel, in front of it, to the left, is Yitzhak Rabin, at the time IDF chief of staff and later prime minister, on the right, Talik. Source: Yadlashiryon.com https://imgur.com/fW2ZKbl
In November 1966, the IDF secretly flew 4 armor officers (company commanders) to Britain to qualify on the “Centurion Mark 12”, in preparation for its arrival in the IDF. Upon landing in Britain, it was revealed to them that there was a new tank in the making and they were to be the first Israelis to train on it. Two months later, they returned to Israel along with the pair of FV4201 Chieftain Mk. 2s which were transported under the cover of night and a tarpaulin to a secret base in the Negev Desert. Earlier that year, Britain had offered Israel 250 Centurions with a promise of receiving the Chieftain tank in the future as well, initially as local assembly and later as local production. A joint program to develop the Israeli configuration then began. To try and keep secrecy, the Chieftain was nicknamed ‘Abir’ (Hebrew: אביר), meaning ‘Knight’. In command of the testing unit that was set up in Nahal Zin (which is next to Sde Boker) was Major Aharon Shatz.
The trials were done with a reconnaissance unit keeping watch for civilians who might get too close and with berms built behind the targets to catch the 120 mm Armor-Piercing (AP) rounds, so they could be collected without leaving a trace. It should be noted that, during the rise in tensions that led to the Six Days War, the trials were halted and much of the unit’s staff was deployed in the war, whilst the Chieftain tanks were left in storage.
After the Six-Day War of June 1967, the IDF was looking for 400 new tanks for several reasons:
The expanded borders required a larger army and, in doing so, a larger armored corps.
Replacing the war losses and the obsolete Shermans.
The acquisition of T-62 tanks and anti-tank missiles by its enemies.
In November 1968, British Foreign Minister Michael Stewart informed the Israelis in a letter to the ambassador in London Aharon Remez, that the United Kingdom agreed to supply 200 more Centurions, but that Her Majesty’s Government was “concerned” with major arms delivery to any of the Middle Eastern countries and would rather not discuss local production or assembly of Chieftains in Israel now. Furthermore, it would continue to negotiate terms for a deal to supply Israel with 250 Chieftains.
Yet, in March 1969, a special department headed by Talik was established within the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the Tank Project Administration or Minhelet Proyekt Tank (Hebrew: מנהלת פרויקט טנק) known as MANPAK in short. This department was to coordinate all the different bodies relating to the Chieftain program. In April 1969, a delegation from the Israeli Ordnance Corps set out for Leeds to study the Chieftain’s manufacturing process at the Vickers plant. Among them was Lieutenant Colonel Yishrael Tilan, head of the Tank Department at the Ordnance Corps. The delegation met there with Tal, and for ten days, studied the equipment used to manufacture the tank and the production and assembly processes.
However, in November 1969, after almost a year of debating and walking the line with the Israelis, the British did not approve the delivery of the Chieftain to Israel to avoid souring relations with the Arab nations. In early 1970, with the evaluation tests on the Chieftains completed and now no prospect of a contract, both Chieftains returned to the UK.
Now having more than a few failed foreign partnerships, Israeli defense, and financial cabinets were convinced to develop and domestically produce an Israeli armored vehicle. While they did not stop looking for a foreign MBT to purchase, eventually getting M60s from the US, there was no attempt at license production in Israel.
Planning the Chariot
On May 6th, 1970, Tal presented the Israeli Defense and Finance ministers with a document on developing an indigenous tank with characteristics very different from the vehicles previously proposed to Israel.
Moshe Dayan, who was at the time the Israeli Defense Minister and one instigator of the attempted AMX-30 deal with France, wanted approval from a financial viewpoint, thus the “Merkava Program” was approved only on August 20th, 1970 in a discussion held by the Minister of Finance. Immediately, about US$100 million (around US$712 million in 2021 values) was allocated for developing and producing of the prototypes.
Talik’s team was largely based on the existing MANPAK (now called MANTAK). It included the aforementioned Ordnance Corps Lieutenant Colonel Yishrael Tilan, as the first commander of the Tank Development Authority or Rashot Pituach Tank (Hebrew:רפ”ט - רשות פיתוח טנק) also known as RAPAT for short, the Army unit charged with the design and engineering of the tank. Tilan led the development of Sho't Cal tanks and participated in the modifications of Tiran (the Israeli name for T series tanks) and Magach tanks. Another member of the team was Arkady Timur, a former Soviet armored corps commander who had fought in Moscow and Stalingrad during World War II. Arkady arrived in Israel in March 1960. He was nicknamed ‘Mr.Tiran’ for his involvement with the conversion of the T-series tanks Israel had captured. Other men who worked on the project were engineers and designers, but also former Israeli tank crews who had fought in the previous Arab-Israeli wars. This meant that the design team, had a variety of first-hand experience of tank combat, albeit some of it from another era.
The production and assembly would be the task of Restoration and Maintenance Center 7100 or Merkaz Shikum veAchzaka 7100 (Hebrew: מש”א - מרכז שיקום ואחזקה 7100), shortened to MASA 7100 (Hence also referred to as the Tank Factory or the Merkava Factory).
After it was decided to proceed with the Merkava program, the IDF faced two challenges. Firstly identifying what characteristics were derived from doctrinal needs. For example, an important feature, according to Tilan, was the comfort of the crew. A testimony for Tilan's view comes reportedly in a conversation regarding tank maneuverability with Timur. Arkady, hailing from the Soviet doctrine, emphasized how spartan and narrow the vehicle needs to be, Tilan on the other hand stressed that a crew in a comfortable vehicle will arrive on the battlefield more able to battle. The Merkava was to be ‘spacious’ in tank terms, equipped with air conditioning and an automatic transmission. Secondly, MANTAK set out to study and acquire the means of producing a tank. MANTAK and RAPAT officials paid visits to the US and Canada’s tank industry while other defense officials scoured Europe for machinery, namely CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines and rotary tables. Most of the equipment was found in Leon, France. To achieve supply in a very short time, a Froreip Tracer-Control machine was acquired in Germany instead of a CNC machine.
Prototyping and Development
An early fiberglass miniature model. Source: Yadlashiryon.com https://imgur.com/Ee76HLF
Tilan (and the team at RAPAT, how the idea originated varies by who tells the story) wanted a front-mounted engine on the Israeli tank. Some reasoned this with automotive benefits, while others imagined the tank becoming the basis for a modular AFV chassis. In their eyes, the tank would become a platform that could be modified to fulfill several roles, easily configurable to carry troops, or paired with a turret and a main gun, even to become an indirect fire support vehicle. Thus, designers wanted the Merkava to have a front-mounted engine, enabling the rear portion to one day become modular. Talik also supported the front engine from the very beginning but also emphasized crew survivability (“the man at the heart of the matter”).
Whatever the vision, they had to test the visibility first.
In October 1970, a wooden model of the upper front hull was mounted on a jeep. To provide more visibility, the driver was initially positioned on the right. It was at this point that the tank crews joined the team. They raised concerns over accessing the driver’s seat through the turret in the finished tank because the gunner’s seat would be in the way, so the Jeep model was adjusted.
In Israel, they drive on the right side of the road, meaning the driver is on the left of the vehicle. To test the initial right-seat-driver wooden model on the jeep, there was a need for a specially modified jeep with a driver seat on the right. A jeep was taken from an export batch intended for Uganda, which had the driving controls on the right owing to Uganda being an ex-British colony and thus driving on the left side of the road. The jeep was nicknamed “the Ugandan Jeep”.
The Ugandan Jeep (early) with the driver’s periscopes visible on the right side. Source: Yadlashiryon.com https://imgur.com/ojmMIAF
The Ugandan Jeep later on. Note the driver seat has been switched to the left side. Source: Yadlashiryon.com https://imgur.com/Vqpmw5J
The jeeps were driven around the factory and out in the desert, mapping the driver’s dead-vision zones.
After that, the main concern among the designers was the thermodynamic viability of putting such an engine under steel armor. Tilan suggested making a trial tank out of a Sho’t hull. Finding a damaged Sho’t, which was then cleaned, cut in through the center, and welded back together with added steel to widen it to make it big enough to accommodate the 750hp Continental engine and Alison transmission, having the engine in the same place but that now being the front of the tank. To do this they had used a previous design from the Sho’t Cal. The Sho’t Cal being an Israeli modified Centurion, upgraded with the Continental engine and Allison transmission, the same engine that Israeli Magach tanks had been using at the time. After designing a connector between the Allison transmission and the original Centurion final drive, it was discovered that the final drives of the Sho’t and Magach spin in opposite directions, and a new final drive was needed to enable using the same transmission, making the connector obsolete. This connector solution eventually came to use in the widened Centurion hull prototype, as it used the original Centurion final drive and basically drove backward.
Driving and thermodynamics prototype on a Centurion hull on display in Yad LaShiryon. Source: Bukoved via Wikimedia Commons https://i.imgur.com/nX1sZss.jpg
While these trials were going on, a full-scale wooden mock-up was made to test out the general layout and fitting of the many components, subsystems and crew positions, said plywood mock-up would be the first of two, also having an actual Centurion suspension.
The wooden full scale mock-up. Note the Centurion suspension and use of a regular roadwheel in place of the tension wheel. Source: Yadlashiryon.com
The Merkava plywood and sheet metal mock-up built on a widened Centurion’s hull in 1972. Source: Yadlashiryon.com https://i.imgur.com/eZOKel8.jpg
These full scale wooden mock-ups would be modified and adjusted when any new component would arrive from outside industries and in accordance with feedback from the tank crews that trained on them as if they were a normal tank.
By September 1971, work moved to the first real metal hull prototype (“001”). This includes the aero-fuel system and engine cooling. Most of 1972 to 1973 was dedicated to figuring out manufacturing. New workshops were being built, research took a focus on how to assemble and weld the part kits arriving from civilian and foregin contractors and securing a purchase of new machining equipment abroad, such as a jig, rotating tables, and a CNC machine from USA’s General Dynamics.
When preparing to order the 750 hp engines (AVDS-1790-2) from Continental, it was realized that in the meanwhile, the tank had grown in weight to the point it would need a more powerful engine. Continental came up with a 900 hp upgrade to the engine. But, concerns arose regarding cooling the hotter engine in a design made for the smaller engine. After many test efforts and trials, the Israeli Defense Minister decided to sign a contract with Continental for the production of a 900 hp engine in March 1973.
In June 1973, the prototype hull serial number ‘001’, still lacking a turret due to it not being manufactured yet, drove for the first time around the factory concrete floor. From July 1st onward, driving tests started across the country. By August 1973, a M48 ‘Patton’ turret was mounted to this hull as a weight simulator and trials continued. During these drives overheating issues halted trials. Tilan came up with a new air duct design and trials resumed.
Hull ‘001’ driving around the factory ground for the first time.Source: Kan 11 https://imgur.com/YiFxIUe & https://imgur.com/6wLA5kM
Prototype ‘001’ with the M48 turret. Source: MANTAK via Yadlashiryon.com https://imgur.com/iKjgAXu
Mazal Tov! Source: Kan 11 https://i.imgur.com/6wLA5kM.gifv
From its beginning, in order to save money and development time, the Merkava Program was to use as many components and existing infrastructure as possible. To that effect, the prototype tried common parts, for example, Centurion road wheels, the T97 patterned Patton tracks, etc. At one point a prototype was mounted with a T-55 tensioning mechanism on one track and a Centurion one on the other, comparing the two. In the end, the Centurion track tensioning system was one of the few pre existing components to be used in the production Merkava.
In Summary, in its 3 years prior to the Yom Kippur war the project has defined the operational characterizations of the future tank using the wooden mockups and Centurion prototypes. RAPAT performed the first ballistic and driving test of the Merkava hull and the first tank assembly kits were ordered alongside the 900 hp engines.
Yom Kippur war and the Merkava
On October 6th, 1973, the Yom Kippur War broke out. During the war, the Merkava factory and its workers were mainly employed in either helping to make new tanks or repairing damaged tanks coming from the front. This included restoring around 60 damaged tanks, making plates for new Sherman ARVs and 155mm SPGs, and manufacturing large scale gears that were missing for an IMI workshop. Of course, advancements in the Merkava’s manufacturing process were completely halted. The design process did continue albeit majorly slowed.
The IDF produced a few lessons regarding tank combat during the war, and consequently their design. one conclusion was to focus on improving defensive measures versus AT weaponry such as the guided AT missiles and RPGs as well as general survivability. Starting as soon as 6 months after the war the following features were some of the introduced modifications to the israeli tank fleet to varying capacity (Magachs, Tirans, Sho’t Cals and their variants), excluding the Sherman variants as they were to be replaced soon:
To provide indirect fire, a mortar, while also having smoke and illumination capabilities.
Smoke grenade launchers for screening alongside smoke generation via the exhaust.
Loader hatches received machine gun mounts to help fight off infantry.
Petrol engines were to be replaced with diesel which is less combustible.
In hydraulically controlled turrets, new hydraulic fluid with a higher igniting point.
Automatic fire extinguishers, for both the crew and engine compartments. The system was named “SAFE” but is also commonly called Spectronix after it’s sensors manufacturer.
Laser warning systems (“diameter”).
Night driving periscopes.
Ballistic computers and first shot accuracy were also paid attention. In the years after the war, Israel added new improved fire control systems to its tanks. These systems would be developed by local companies in contract with American ones.The various systems were iterations on each other with new laser range finders, thermal gun sleeves, and crosswind sensors in addition to active/passive IR and eventually thermal sights.
Indeed, many of these features would be present on the Merkava as well, if not initially than soon after.
Development resumes and starting production
After the war, Talik was preoccupied with the Southern Command until January 1974. When work on the project returned to full momentum in 1974, tensions rose between RAPAT and MASA engineers. The first five Merkava tanks were scheduled for commission to the IDF by December 1977, the Tank Factory wanted to have the blueprints handed over so they could figure out what manufacturing machinery to look for abroad. Tilan, who did not comply, stated that the blueprints were still changing as they did not have a finalized prototype and since they planned on using CNC machinery, it did not matter anyways. By mid-1974, the Chief Ordnance Officer ordered Tilan to approve the current blueprints and the principal approval of production was granted. This example presents, quite clearly, how the approach the project led, coined as “Telescopic development” (i.e both design and manufacturing advancing simultaneously) could cause issues in an effort to save time. In the end, the improvements and modifications made after this point had to be introduced to a whole batch of tanks made to the older blueprints on a day-to-day basis.
It seemed that as a result of the war, Tilan wanted to re-think the whole design. It should be noted that these disagreements caused delays, which probably moved Talik to choose the MASA 7100 CO at the time (Uriel Tamir) as the next (4th) head of MANTAK, so he would emphasize production. A move that led to Tilan to leave the project and the military in 1975.
In December 1974, officers of the tank factory visited Krauss-Maffei, the Leopard tank factory in Germany, and a Patton tank plant in the US, studying the production process.
The same month, another driving and human engineering trial-set commenced in various sites across the country, and for the first time with both the turret and hull paired.
Merkava firing test at Range No.24 On the right is Talik and on the left General Nehmiah Kain, the Logistics Branch’s commanding officer. Source: Yig’al Ben-Sahar via Himush.co.il https://imgur.com/8iWFy5r
First hull and turret driving, the turret being covered for secrecy. Source: Kan 11. https://imgur.com/HQQ95jT
1974 - prototype ‘820001 ‘צ during human engineering comparisons versus a Magach 6A, which is seen behind. Can be seen are the lightweight skeletonized road wheels called “Sport Boogies” Source: Yadlashiryon.com https://i.imgur.com/8v3Jcqu.jpg
On the night between 5th and 6th March, 1975, eight Palestinians sailed by boat from Lebanon to Tel-Aviv. They entered the Savoy Hotel and took hostages, demanding the release of Palestinians in Israeli prisons and a plane to Syria. Several hours later, Israeli special forces would breach into the hotel. The terrorist attack left 8 civilians dead. One of them was Hans Gessen, a 54 years old German engineer who worked for Froriep and advised in the set up of their machinery in the Merkava Factory. Years later, people involved in the Merkava program would testify that his death had slowed the project and made hiring experts abroad more difficult.
The Savoy Hotel after the 6th March, 1975 attack that killed Hans Gassen, 7 other civilians, and 3 IDF soldiers Source: Avi Simchoni, Michael Zarfati / IDF Spokesman https://imgur.com/bWpgyRU
In September 1975, the first armor steel plate was cut. By January 1976, the production of the first parts for serial tanks began. The parts and armor plates would go through evaluation to improve the production process. These production and assembly line initiation procedures would become a heated debate in the Ordnance Corps. Parts from the civilian and forgien industry would arrive late or different from the commissioned specifications, RAPAT kept adding improvements and changes, errors were only discovered when fitting plates together, and so forth. The project became under the threat of getting set back a couple of years. All the while, the Israeli MoD inquired about the option of privatizing the tank industry, and moving MASA 7100 to IMI hands, a move the Tank Factory strongly objected to. Ultimately this did not become a reality, and the Merkava Factory remained a military unit. At this point the first tanks were rescheduled to be delivered no later than June 1978.
In May 1977, the existence of the Merkava tank became public. A color picture of the tank with a brief description featured as the cover page of the IDF published magazine “Ma’arachot” in June of the same year. In April 1978, 15 foriegn attaches visited the factory in which the Merkavas were being produced. Two Merkava tanks also starred in Israel’s 30th Independence Day celebrations which took part on May 11th 1978 in Jerusalem.
In reality, the celebrations and exposure proved to be premature. The first 4 tanks were only able to be delivered to the IDF on 26th April, 1979. These tanks were used to establish the standard training and operation procedures as well as for further reliability and endurance testing.
On October 29th 1979, the Merkava tank was officially put into service with the delivery of the first company-worth batch of tanks (11) in a ceremony held in the Golan Heights. This point in time might officially note the end of the development process, but as the tank would continue to go through trials and testing in operational units - fixes, improvements and upgrades would continue to come. The Merkava Mark 1 would only reach its final form in the mid-2000s.
Cover pages of the June '77 (issue 256) IDF magazine "Ma'arachot", Source: www.maarachot.idf.il https://imgur.com/2J4USRO
1978 Independence day events, which showed off 2 Merkavas (‘072’ and ‘055’). Also present were a Hotchkiss tank with a fake gun along with a Cromwell. Source: IPPA Archive Via NLI (National Library of Israel) https://imgur.com/cGkrYGZ
The first 4 Merkava Mark 1s being loaded for delivery to the Armor corps for evaluation in April 1979. Source: Himush.co.il https://i.imgur.com/uTIJRB2.png
Timeline Overview: (table)
General Yishrael Tal (in the center wearing a beret) shows the Merkava to Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (on his left wearing spectacles) and other political and military officials. The engine compartment is visible in this photo. Source: IPPA Archive via NLI https://i.imgur.com/sxtTFOQ.jpg
Gadi Rapan examines the results of a ballistics test of the cast hull front, 1972. On the left, the wooden model and a model of the suspension boogie can be seen. Source: RAPAT via Yadlashiryon.com https://i.imgur.com/O0hhURD.jpg
Early production Merkava Mark 1. Note the added cage turret basket, but the famous chains were still not present. In addition, one of the old smaller exhausts can be seen not yet welded shut just in front of the new louver one. Source: RAPAT via Yadlashiryon.com https://imgur.com/wt92nkL
Merkava Mark 1 hull rear. The brake lamps on the fenders, the phone on the left, and the first aid kit on the right are visible. The two inspection doors and the split armored emergency door can also be seen. The spare track links are missing but the foldable stretcher is visible. Source: pinterest.com https://i.imgur.com/IUxT3vt.jpg
A Merkava Mark 1 prototype. An iteration of the exhaust deflectors can be seen in the engine compartment. It was called the ‘bra’ due to its shape. Behind the loader hatch, a spotlight was placed below a mirror which was raised 45° to provide forward illumination without exposing the light. Also note, the hull shape differs a lot from the final tank. Source: Yadlashiryon.com https://i.imgur.com/ErLUQYQ.jpg
The external 60mm mortar. This Merkava is on display in Saumur, France. Source: David Lueck via primeportal.net https://imgur.com/VgefyoY
Gunner’s station Source: Elbit Commercial https://i.imgur.com/pu8f8aU.png
Operational History
Merkavas in western Beirut.1982. Note the two track links mounted on the lower front plate. The Venus hair ferns chain are already standard, while still equipping the 5 section simple metal side skirts and lacking smoke grenade launchers . Source: David Rubinger https://imgur.com/R6f45An
The first Merkava unit (a company of 11 tanks) became operational in a ceremony on October 29th, 1979.
The first unit to receive them was the 82nd Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade followed by the rest of 7th and the 211th Armored Brigade ('יחידת שומרי ירושלים').
The Merkava took part in wide military action for the first time in 1982, during Operation Peace for Galilee, in which about 10,000 Israeli soldiers crossed the Lebanese border.
In 1975, a bloody civil war had broken out in the ‘Nation of the Cedars’ (Lebanon) between its several political and religious groups. At the beginning, Israel did not take part militarily in the clash, only equipping the Christian Militias with old military vehicles, among which were 75 M-50s and at least 6 M-51s.
At the same time, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), grew and became stronger inside southern Lebanon, taking advantage of the disorder and power vacuum the civil war created. Over the years the PLO had made numerous infiltrations through the sea and Israeli border, carrying out several attacks alongside barraging northern Israel using artillery. In July 1981 a ceasefire between Israel and the PLO was reached. The PLO, reasoning the ceasefire was in effect only in Lebanon, continued to undertake terrorist attacks agaisnt Israeli assests abroad. During this period, Israel High command was on the verge of a full scale operation into Lebanon several times. In the end, The June 3rd, 1982, assissination attempt on its ambassador to Great Britain prompted Israel to carry out airstrikes in Lebanon as retaliation on June 4th, which of course were responded to by resumption of artillery barrages on Israel’s northern population. This directly led to the Israelis deciding on June 5th to commence the invasion of Lebanon, a pre planned operation set to start the following day Jun 6th, 1982.
The Merkava also participated in the invasion. Approximately 154 Merkava tanks were operational in theater as of June 10th. At the start of invasion the units equipped with Merkava tanks consisted of:
The entirety of 7th brigade (75th, 82nd and 77th battalions)
The 211th brigade was composed of Magach and Merkava battalions, the 9th battalion was entirely based on Magach tanks while the 126th consisted of only Merkava tanks. The brigade's third battalion - 429th - had both tanks.
The Tank school, meaning the 460th and 844th brigades had a few battalions which were equipped with Merkavas, though none of these were equipped strictly with the israeli made tanks.
In the 460th brigade - 196th and 198th.
In the 844th brigade - 497th and 796th.
It should be noted that a few of these units, be it either the battalions or the brigades, moved between the various fronts and parent units during the operation. Another comment to be made is that a few of these units were operating in reduced sizes, meaning that in reality the amount of tanks in the unit was closer to smaller unit standards.
During the war, which the IDF defines as the period between June 5th 1982 to September 29th of the same year, 39 Merkava tanks were hit. Some of these tanks were hit multiple times, summing up to 57 hits in total. Of the hits, around 40 percent were to the front of the tank whilst a similar number of tanks were hit to the sides, and the remainder of the Merkavas hit from the rear. Fourteen Merkava tanks were perforated resulting in 39 casualties (injured and dead), or an average of one casualty per hit tank.
The Merkava might have destroyed Syrian T-72s, but the testimonies for such a case seem to be rather unreliable. The commanders on the ground (namely of the 77th battalion in the June 10th-11th battles around Joub Jannine) were given outdated intelligence on T-72 presences and similarly to the world war 2 phenomena of every German tank being a Tiger, it seems reports of T-72 sighting proved to be false on a regular basis. To sum up, in 2022, the IDF’s own historical research department has published a comprehensive book combining articles and researches including previously unpublished internal IDF documents and Arab sources on the Lebanon war of 1982. The “Peace For Galilee War Book - Maps And Operations” repeats the previous official IDF claims of 9-11 destroyed Syrian T-72 by TOW missiles (from the 409th AT brigade) and by TOW missiles only.
After the war, Merkava Mark 1 tanks have taken part in all Israeli conflicts since
Derivatives
Sholef Self-Propelled Gun
The Sholef was an attempt at a SPG (Self Propelled gun) based on the Merkava mark 1 chassis. The name Sholef literally translates as “drawing” or “drawer” in the “pulling something out” meaning of the word “draw” - for that reason it is equally translatable as “Slammer” or “Gunslinger”.
The project was a 1980 initiative by Soltam’s CEO at the time Yakov Lior. IDF’s at the time Commander of the General Staff (CGS) - Rafael Eitan was on board with the idea, but the IDF could not afford it. Eventually, Lior offered that Soltam would pay for the development of the turret and 155mm cannon, while the MoD would fund the trials, providing hulls, crews, fuel and ammunition. The project officially started in 1980, yet it was closed down for a short while between September 1981 and January 1982.
Only two prototypes were ever built - the second prototype being completed in early 1987 had a few improvements over the first, most notably a L/52 cannon in place of the L/45.
Over the project's life, the two prototypes have taken part in regular IDF exercises and routine security operations. The L/45 Sholef prototype even fired its cannon in Lebanon during an operation on December 16th 1990.
The Sholef featured, as previously mentioned, a L/52 155mm cannon capable of firing out to 40km at a max sustainable rate of 9 rounds per minute or a 3 round burst in 15 seconds. Mobility was similar to the Merkava tank, having the same engine. Unlike the Merkava the Sholef had an auxiliary power unit. The crew of the Sholef consisted of four. The automatic loader had a flick rammer and could load from an external stockpile. Automatic gun laying was achieved using an inertial navigation and guidance computer and was also capable of direct fire. General survivability was improved compared to the other SPGs in the IDF stocks of the time. The roof armor, for example, was rated to protect versus the M42 submunition. The Sholef also had a central NBC/CBRN unit and blowout stowage for its propellant charges.
In early 1992, the IDF established a committee to investigate artillery acquisition options. It seems three main possibilities rose:
Buying M270 MLRS.
Modernizing and updating the M109s.
Manufacturing Sholef SPGs.
At the time, due to budgetary restraints, the MoD was short on liquidable local currency (NIS). By March 1993, the MoD decided to pursue the two former options - buying the MLRS and upgrading the M109s as those could be paid for in American aid dollars.
The project was officially closed in late 1993. Soltam for its part kept the second prototype for demonstrations to potential customers, only giving up on selling Sholef by 1997. As of 2022, the first (L/45) prototype is on display at Biet Ha’Totchan (Hebrew: בית התותחן - The Gunner’s House) which is the Artillery Corps memorial and museum located in Zichron Yaakov. The second (L/52) prototype is still in one of the Soltam factories and is not accessible to the public.
Conclusion
In summary, the Merkava, while being a good tank, was also a contemporary system by design from its very beginning and did not represent a major power shift in the armor wars balance of the region. By its introduction in 1979, even within the IDF inventory itself, there were tanks with superior features. Among these were the various Magach 6 variants, some of which had better FCS, some had dual-axis stabs or thermal sights. Additionally, alongside the Sho’t Cal variants, all of these tanks could also mount ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) that the Merkava Mark 1 lacked. It should also be mentioned that in the same year, 1979, the first Leopard 2s were being introduced in West Germany featuring a much capable smoothbore 120 mm gun, 1500 hp engine, and other characteristics. This demonstrated that while the first Merkava was analogous to other tanks in the IDF and the region’s militaries, it had not caught up to the technological edge as of yet.
In 1982, it would seem the tank had fulfilled the requirements it was set for. The Merkava proved to be a relatively cheap and easy-to-maintain tank. It would also fit the doctrine it was tailored for, being quick to repair and showing comparably improved crew survival rates resulting in a tank force that could rapidly turn casualties back around to meet battlefield needs.
Ultimately, the story of the first Merkava tank is a story of necessity, be it diplomatic, demographic, or financial. As such, it is also a story of ingenuity, engineering, and a developing industry. The Merkava story reflects a period in Israeli history of great turmoil and also great change. In the IDF armored corps history the Merkava Mark 1 denotes an initiative for the technological novelty the corps would eventually receive in the 1990s with the rise of tanks like the Merkava 3 and 4 which included state-of-the-art technologies. In a way, the Merkava also achieved the initial vision of a modular platform. the Mark 4 based Namer APC and its variants, and the Mark 3 based Ofek and Pereg AFVs (Command APC and Armored Fitter).
A colorized photo of plate number (820001 צ) Merkava in later stages. Note the lightweight skeletonized road wheels on all bogies Source: yadlashiryon.com https://i.imgur.com/vvloHOO.jpg
Merkava Mark 1 Specifications
Size (L-W-H): 8.9 m x 3.91 m x 2.64 m (including gun, skirts and height to the turret roof)
Ground Clearance: 0.55 m - 0.47 m
Weight: 61 - 63.5 metric tons (varied with loadouts over the years)
Engine: Diesel Continental AVDS-1790-5A 908 hp
Fuel Capacity: 1255 L
Speed: 44 km/h
Range: 340 km
Armament:
105 mm M64 L71A (licensed M68) (54-62 rounds)
Elevation: +20 to -8 Degrees
Traverse speed: About 23 seconds for 360 degrees
3x FN MAG 7.62 mm with 10,000 rounds
external Soltam 60mm “Generation A” mortar with 30 rounds
Crew: 4 (commander, gunner, loader and driver)
Sources
Special thanks are owed to both the Himush Association and Yad La’Shiriyon who host books and documents as well as many of the photos from this article online. Especially to Michael Mass, Saul Negar, Baruch Matzliach, Moshe Giva’ati, Amira Sahar, Saul Bronfield, the late Amiad Brezner, among many others.
THE LEBANON WAR ("PEACE FOR GALILEE" CAMPAIGN) MAPS & OPERATIONS, JUNE-SEPTEMBER 1982. Maor Levi, Ministry of Defence.
Merkava I, II, III Israel's Chariot of Fire - Samuel L. Katz.
Merkava Main Battle Tank 1977-1996 - Peter Sarson, Samuel L. Katz.
IDF armor series - Merkava Siman 1 in IDF service Part 1 & 2 - Micheal Mass and Adam O’Brien.
Elbit Systems Land Mortar Ammunition Portfolio.
Elbit Systems Land Tank Ammunition Portfolio.
The Merkava Project a History of Israel's Main Battle Tank - Marsh Gelbart.
Lesson of the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah War - Antony H. Cordesman, William D. Sullivan and George Sullivan.
IDF Report Card - Yaakov Kats, Jerusalem Post.
Yad La’Shriyon website articles:
16 בדצמבר 2020: טנק המרכבה סימן 1 – האמנם הייתה זו פריצת דרך – הגיגים | פארק לטרון
10 בדצמבר 2019: ערב לציון 40 שנה לטנק המרכבה בשריון | פארק לטרון
5 ביוני 2016: סיפור דגמי הפיתוח של טנק המרכבה סימן 1 | פארק לטרון
http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/vehicles/tanks/merkava/Merkava.html
פרש - מרכבה סימן 1 - Forum Fresh.
ישראל טל - ראיונות שערכו מרדכי בר–און ופנחס גינוסר - Interviews with Talik, by Mordechai Bar-On and Pinchas Ginosar.
Yad La’Shriyon Magazine:
No 13, pages 22-29. Saul Negar.
No 27. pages 44-45 Yehuda Levi. and pages 50-53 Beni Michaelson
No. 30, pages 23-25.Amiyad Brezner.
No. 37, Pages 26-31 Saul Bronfield.
יש עוד אבא - כללי - Haaretz website - “There is one more father”, Amnon Brazeli.
Himush website:
לזכרו של אל''מ יחיעם הרפז ז"ל - ספר וסרט חדשים ברשת - Yehiam Harpaz memorial, including a 2010 video interview and the PDF of the memorial book.
פרק יא-המרכבה - “The steel forged by their hands”, Chapter 11, Moshe Giva’ati.
היבטים כלכליים וביטחוניים בהחלטות לייצר מטוס וטנק בישראל - “Financial and security aspects In the decision to produce jets and tanks in Israel”, Yitzhak Greenberg, Ben-Gurion University.
Savoy Hotel attack - Wikipedia
Sholef:
ספריית בית התותחן, תותח שולף בירי מבצעי בלבנון מבצע "נעים הליכות",
תא''ל במילואים נחמן לוינגר
סיפור תהליך פיתוח התותח המתנייע (תומ''ת) ה - ''שולף''
בחזרה לעתיד: לקחים מהעבר בחשיבה על התומ"ת החדש – תמיד תותחן
Merkava Mark 1s of the 211th Armored Brigade 'יחידת שומרי ירושלים' (Eng: Jerusalem Guard Unit) during a general inspection some days before the Lebanon invasion. Source: pinterest.com https://i.imgur.com/sNafmeV.png
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