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Merkava 2 II MBT
Main Battle Tank - Israel
Description
The Merkava Mk 2 entered production in 1982 with the first production vehicle being completed in August 1983. Main improvements over the original production model include a layer of special armor on the front and sides of the turret, special armor on the hull front, the 60 mm Soltam Systems mortar is mounted on the left side of the turret roof and can be loaded and fired from within the turret, and the steel skirts that protect the suspension are backed by special armor. The Merkava Mark II was first introduced into general service in April 1983 and incorporated several upgrades as a result of the previous incursion into Lebanon. The new tank was optimized for urban warfare and low-intensity conflicts, with a weight and engine no greater than the Mark 1. The Merkava Mk. 2 was designed long before the Lebanon War (1982). In fact, Merkava Mk. 2 was designed as early as the late 70s, when the first model (Merkava Mk. 1) entered service.
Merkava 2 II MBT variants:
- Merkava IIB: with thermal optics and unspecified updates to the fire control system.
- Merkava IIC: with more armor on the top of the turret to improve protection against attack from the air.
- Merkava IID: with next-generation modular composite armor on the chassis and turret.
Technical Data
| Armament |
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The Merkava Mark 2 used the same 105-millimeter main gun and 7.62-millimeter machine guns as the Mark 1, but the 60-millimeter mortar was redesigned during construction to be located within the hull and configured for remote firing to remove the operator from enemy small-arms fire.
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| Design and protection |
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The Merkava Mk 2 is equipped with a new armor technology, which was designed and developed in Israel for the Merkava. The experienced accumulated in the development stage was enhanced by new ideas and developments and now the Merkava tanks are equipped with armor plates offering the best protection available by such means. The added protection is given by external means such as the redesigned skirts and spaced armor. Anti-rocket netting was fitted for increased survivability against infantry equipped with anti-tank rockets. The Merkava 2 uses the same turret as Merkava 1. The turret itself was designed with rounded facings and gave the entire tank an extremely low profile making the tank harder to spot or engage at a distance. The turret control system includes a hydraulic power pack, gunner's control assembly, commander's control assembly, turret traversing mechanism, elevating mechanism, and supper-elevation actuator. The stabilization system is an add-on kit. The fire control system includes an L\P sight for the gunner, commander's panoramic periscope, ballistic computer, ballistic drive, azimuth indicator, elevation quadrant, and searchlight.
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| Mobility |
| An Israeli-designed automatic transmission and increased fuel storage to increase the range was installed on all further Mark IIs. The Merkava 2 is motorized with a Teledyne Continental AVDS-1790-6A 908 hp (677 kW) V12 air-cooled diesel engine, coupled to an Ashot Ashkelon hydromechanical automatic transmission, with 4 gears. The Mk 2 Merkava has six rubber-tired road wheels on either side with the drive sprocket at the front, idler at the rear, and four track-return rollers. Each roadwheel is suspended by a separate helical spring with suspension arms for two road wheels, each caged in housing. The suspension system has also been improved, allowing for even better cross-country mobility at higher speeds. This suspension is probably of a pneumatic type. The modified power plant and automotive system, for which specific information has not yet been released, gives the new Merkava Mk. 2 an overall improvement in mobility. |
| Combat Equipment |
| The fire-control system of the Merkava Mk 2, called the Matador Mk 2, has a number of improvements including an Nd: YAG laser range-finder in place of the original Neodymium-glass laser range-finder and a more advanced computer. Updated meteorological sensors, crosswind analyzers, and thermographic optics, and image intensifiers gave greater visibility and battlefield awareness. |
Specifications
| Armament | Armor |
| One 105 mm rifled gun, three 7,62 mm machine guns, one 12,7 mm machine gun, one mortar 60 mm, and 12 smoke dischargers. | Laminated armor and special armor |
| Country users | Weight |
| Israel | 61,000 kg |
| Designer Country | Speed |
| Israel | 61 km/h |
| Combat Equipment | Range |
| Computerized firing control system, NBC protection, and thermal night vision. | 500 km |
| Crew | Dimensions |
| 4 | Length: 7.45 m; Width: 3.70 m; Height: 2.64 m |
Details View
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Pictures - Video
