Israel negotiating sale of used Merkava tanks to a European and another undisclosed countries.

According to Emmanuel Fabian in The Times of Israel, Israel is discretely discussing the sale of its battle-proven Merkava tanks to not just one, but two undisclosed countries, one of which is located in Europe (can we assume it is Ukraine?). This potential export of the formidable armored vehicles marks a historic milestone for Israel, as it has never before allowed the transfer of such weaponry to foreign nations. Yair Kulas, the head of Israel's International Defense Cooperation Directorate, revealed this jaw-dropping revelation to the Calcalist financial paper.
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Israeli army Merkava Mk. 3 MBT Main Battle Tank. (Picture source Army Recognition)

Kulas emphasized the urgency driving these negotiations, stating that numerous European countries are scrambling to rapidly replenish their military arsenal, particularly after generously supplying Ukraine with billions of dollars worth of weapons to combat Russia's invasive incursions. "We are currently engaged in advanced discussions with two potential buyers for the Merkava tanks," Kulas stated, respecting the secrecy surrounding the identities of the interested parties. However, he did disclose that one of them is located within the European continent.

The tanks up for consideration in these sales are primarily the earlier models, including the Merkava Mk. II and some Merkava Mk. III variants, which were introduced in the 1990s. Israel's Armored Corps had already phased out most of these older models, replacing them with the more advanced Merkava Mk. IV.

The Merkava series serves as the backbone of the Israel Defense Forces' armored corps. Development of the tank began in 1970, with the original Merkava Mk. I entering official service in 1979. Currently, the Merkava Mk. V stands as the cutting-edge version of this formidable war machine.

As the world anxiously awaits further details, the revelation of Israel's secret discussions to export used Merkava tanks raises numerous questions about the geopolitical implications and potential consequences of such a groundbreaking deal.

The tank was developed in the Merkava and Armored Combat Vehicles Division of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, and most of its parts are manufactured in Israel. The Merkava was designed to provide maximum protection for its crew, and therefore its front armor was fortified and the engine placed in the front part of the tank, unlike most other tanks.

Design criteria include rapid repair of battle damage, survivability, cost-effectiveness, and off-road performance. Following the model of contemporary self-propelled howitzers, the turret assembly is located closer to the rear than in most main battle tanks. With the engine in front, this layout is intended to grant additional protection against a frontal attack, so as to absorb some of the force of incoming shells, especially for the personnel in the main hull, such as the driver. This design also enables the crew to safely escape the tank by the rear when hit by an anti-tank projectile or after driving on a mine. It also creates more space in the rear of the tank that allows increased storage capacity and a rear entrance to the main crew compartment allowing easy access under enemy fire. This allows the tank to be used as a platform for medical disembarkation, a forward command and control station, and an infantry fighting vehicle. The rear entrance's clamshell-style doors provide overhead protection when off- and on-loading cargo and personnel.

Merkava Mk.II and III considered for sales to a European and another undisclosed countries

Merkava Mark II

The Mark II was first introduced into general service in April 1983. While fundamentally the same as the Merkava Mark I, it incorporated numerous small adjustments as a result of the previous year's 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 I.

The Mark II used the same 105 mm main gun and 7.62 mm machine guns as the Mark I, but the 60 mm mortar was redesigned during construction to be located within the hull and configured for remote firing to remove the need to expose the operator to enemy small-arms fire. An Israeli-designed automatic transmission and increased fuel storage for an increased range were installed on all further Mark IIs. Anti-rocket netting was fitted for increased survivability against infantry equipped with anti-tank rockets. Many minor improvements were made to the fire-control system. Updated meteorological sensors, crosswind analyzers, and thermographic optics and image intensifiers gave greater visibility and battlefield awareness.

Newer versions of the original Mk. II were designated:
* Mark IIB, with thermal optics[citation needed] and unspecified updates to the fire control system.
* Mark IIC, with more armor on the top of the turret to improve protection against attack from the air.
* Mark IID, with modular composite armor on the chassis and turret, allowing rapid replacement of damaged armor.

In 2015 the IDF had begun a plan to take the old models out of storage and repurpose them as heavy armored personnel carriers. Cannons, turrets, and spaces used to store tank shells inside the hull were removed to create a personnel carrier that outperforms the lighter M113 APC. Converting hundreds of Mark II chassis provides a low-cost way to upgrade support units' abilities to perform medical, logistical, and rescue missions. By late 2016, after 33 years of service, the last conscripted brigade to operate Merkava IIs was scheduled to transition to Merkava III and Merkava IV tanks for battlefield missions, relegating the vehicles to reserve forces for border patrols during conflicts and conversion to personnel carriers.

Merkava Mk. III

The Merkava Mark III was introduced in December 1989 and was in production until 2003. As of 2016, the Merkava III is by far the most numerous tank in frontline IDF service. Compared to the Merkava II, it has upgrades to the drivetrain, powertrain, armament, and electronic systems. The most prominent addition was the incorporation of the locally developed IMI 120 mm gun. This gun and a larger 1,200 horsepower (890 kW) diesel engine raised the total weight of the tank to 65 tonnes (143,000 lb), but the larger engine raised the maximum cruising speed to 60 km/h (37 mph).

The turret was re-engineered for movement independent of the tank chassis, allowing it to track a target regardless of the tank's movement. Many other changes were made, including:
* External two-way telephone for secure communications between the tank crew and dismounted infantry,
* Upgraded ammunition storage containers to minimize ammunition cook-offs,
* Addition of laser designators,
* Incorporation of the Kasag modular armor system, designed for rapid replacement and repair on the battlefield and for quick upgrading as new designs and sophisticated materials become available.

Defense News June 2023