On June 24, 2002, the Israeli Ministry of Defense held a rollout ceremony for the new Merkava 4 main battle tank. The 65-ton Merkava 4 entered full-scale production in 2001 and is scheduled to enter service with the Israel Defense Forces by 2004. The Ministry of Defense plans to produce between 50 and 70 Merkava 4 tanks annually, with initial estimates indicating a total production run of up to 400 units. The Merkava 4 features significant upgrades, including enhanced armor protection as well as improved gun and electronic systems. It is slightly larger than the Merkava 3 Baza, which has been in service with the Israel Defense Forces since 1990. While the Merkava 3 is marketed for export by the Tel Aviv-based company SIBAT, the Merkava 4 is not offered for export, although its systems and components are. The tank can carry eight infantrymen, a command team, or three stretcher-borne casualties in addition to its crew of four (commander, loader, gunner, and driver). It is capable of engaging moving targets and has demonstrated a high hit probability when firing at attack helicopters using conventional anti-tank ammunition.
Model dimensions: Length: 263.3 mm, Width: 113.5 mm
Total number of parts: 700+
