[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

I'm really thinking about doing a "CM ARTY" incoming salvo on this whole MERKAVA 3&4 (I'm really not fully convinced of this capability pre MERK 3.) issue with troop carrying capacity. I think because of my submarine background, I have no problem visualizing this concept. You think we're comfortable on a fast attack submarine where I slept with our food and walked on it in berthing for months at a time? You think because the the temp. was maintained at ... (sorry that's a no go.) a very comfortable level it's for crew comfort? After several weeks our manners go from "excuse me" to "get the ... outta of my way". I can pack for you guys (Drives my wife crazy sometimes.) EVERYTHING you'll need in a sea-bag to fit a six foot long (And I'm taller.) rack that's about six inches deep for 7-8 month's underway, and as a special bonus if your not qualified, it'll be three guys between two racks for the duration. You'd be utterly amazed at where and how we stow our equipment and supplies and maintain total silence in the water. And on our newest class of SSN (Virgina Class.) it's even worse in berthing they have a little more then two feet across to the next bunk can you imagine Battle-stations being manned in less then five minutes coming out of a dead sleep in that? We did it most everyday, sometimes several times a day, and my brothers still do it. Does anyone see or recognize the point I'm trying to make here? Let's review just a couple of points about the MERK 3&4.
1. More so w/MERK4 but 3 as well, they were designed around crew survivability.

2. Ammo is containerized and stored aft to the sides of the hatch to facilitate escape.

3. Fuel is stored between an inner and outer hull to protect against HEAT rounds and the like.

4. Conjecture on my part let's call it "visualization", knowing where the ammo is stored, after the eleven rounds are expended, does the gunner run aft to get more rounds one at a time in the heat of battle? I think not, just because we only had four torpedo tubes doesn't mean we only had four torpedo's. we had a system of racks and hydraulics to load more. Doesn't it make sense if they can store fuel between hulls that they can't load shells in the same manner to the ten round "revolver"?

5. Secrecy, I can understand it about the electronics etc., but why the rear compartment? Again conjecture, but maybe #4 above might not be too far off?

6. I've brought this up before and it's in the "Art of War" somewhere too, but, we have to think out of the box until recently we haven't fought in a truly urban in environment since WWII on a consistent basis. How about your own countries? Aren't we all playing catch up with our equipment to meet this current threat? Look at the net, how many of your countries land weapons programs have suffered because of this? And I'm not talking because of the economy either. Now think about the wars and conflicts Israel has been involved with since 1948, and please people I know this isn't all inclusive I'll give you the Sinai etc. but, the "body of the work" I think they're ahead of us in the "lessons learned" department to some extent.

7. See threads #60 - #62 above.

Finally troops in tanks they can do that I believe.

Respectfully Submitted to ALL with a good night!!
Pat