The Merkava 4 MBT

[loktarr]

I readed somewhere that it can take 8 mens into itself as transport, is that true?
Could it be represented in the game? (I think that's not because it's a MBT class, but...)

[PlasmaKrab]

8 men?

Most unplausible, I'd say, until I read it too...

On this site, which I had always found reliable... Same info on Army Technology website, but same text too, so the source is the same.

When first reading the post, I had assumed it was merely 8 men including the crew, that is, 4 or 5 infantrymen in the back. But 3 stretchers tke more place.

I know the Merkava 3 is much larger than the previous ones, and the 4 is said to be even bigger. It also seems to field an autoloader, so maybe the crew is 3, giving more free room, but where does the ammo go? Or maybe they consider a special "field APC" variant where most of the gun rounds have been removed, and that acts like a heavy battle taxi among other tanks?

[kevin]

I just read over the website you forwarded, Plasma. The Merkava 4 does have a crew of 4, and it does have what I'd call a "semi-auto" loader. Each round is protected in it's own blast-proof box. The loader selects the round to be loaded and the boxes are on an electrically driven guide. The loader doesn't actually touch the round.

After looking at the pictures and the cut-away drawing, I've concluded that the Merkava 4 doesn't carry those 8 soldiers internally. I think they mean to say that it has room for 8 soldiers to ride on top. I think this is mentioned because it appears that the Merkava 4 doesn't have ERA, which wold be a first for an Israeli vehicle in a long time.

Sounds to me like an Israeli Defense Industry Marketing executive wrote up that information.

[PlasmaKrab]

Right, the crew is 4 men, I just ad been reading too fast. Anyway it says additionally...

8 soldiers riding on top looks few enough for a big beast like a Merk4 since even an Abrams can carry a whole inf squad (on the turret only), and I don't think the current Israeli "all-armor" doctrine would call for grunts riding on top of tanks.

Additionally, the "ride on top" hypothesis doesn't fit with the 3 litters that the text accounts for. The Command Group too seems unlikely to be plainly seated on the turret, exposed to any small arms fire.

So this may well be some marketer's brewup, if so I think there has already been heads rolling. I found no confirmation, and I cannot access the IMI website at:

http://www.imi-israel.com/

Edit:

This other article talks only about "enough space to carry a few fully armed infantrymen", which is not much difference from the previous Merkavas IIRC, although maybe now the infantrymen's space is more "official" so to speak.

[PlasmaKrab]

BTW, since I know there was some misunderstanding in here about the Merkava variants designations.

For those interested better look here for the translations.
"BAZ" seems to be a convenient acronymous commercial designation while "Dor Dalet" stands roughly for "uparmored".
Much more precision on the link above.

[Listy]

well here's something intresting, all the Mekarva's in the game can carry 10 blokes.