The Merkava 4 MBT

[JaM]

Post deleted by JaM

[JaM]

You was faster than me...

[loktarr]

I was speaking of an intifada RPG not of a US M1A2 firing at a range of 5000m in the rear door of a Merkava...
For the "shell trap", I was speaking of the whole turret not of the rear door, has you said it every tank has some very weak points, but that's not the same as the "shell trap". Just imagine what will do a shell hiting on the upper hull that slides...
Edit:
seen some picture, may admit the M1 has a very good shell trap too..

[kevin]

FYI to all......

The US Army brought back infantry on tank tactics for Iraqi Freedom. A brigade of 101st troopers were attached to the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division. During the assault through the Karbala Gap, fireteams (4 soldiers) were assigned to each tank. The terrain was suburban, no tall buildings, but enough infrastructure to be concerned. Each soldier lay prone at the tank's corners, behind sandbags. The TC and Loader were on their MGs, the gunner used the coax in a limited front field of attack.

Someone mentioned it would be suicide for the infantry if someone with an RPG struck or an MBT was encountered. Well...... yes. You only use these tactics when the chance of an encounter with enemy MBTs is very low. As far as RPGs, the tanks carry Infantry to add 360 degree immediate response fire, and RPG launchers show up like a sore thumb on TI sites.

[loktarr]

Each soldier lay prone at the tank's corners, behind sandbags. The TC and Loader were on their MGs, the gunner used the coax in a limited front field of attack.

I didn't understand, could the turret move or not?

[kevin]

Yes the turret could move, but they limited the movement to a 20-30 degree angle or so. It was a neat trick, I was suprised to see it done. As far as I knew, the Army had not been practicing that sort of thing. Then again, it's not too hard to grab some sandbags and hang-on.

I wonder if this was done in response to the heavy helo casualties the US took when they 1st entered the Karbala Gap? An air assault landing was out of the question to they found other ways to make the 101st mobile?

[Shadowcougar]

Well the tanks needed inf support. The 101 has a lot of inf.