Difference between revisions of "Merkava Mk.1 (USA)"

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{{Specs-Card|code=us_merkava_mk_1}}
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{{About
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| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = Merkava (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=us_merkava_mk_1
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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|market = Merkava Mk.1 (USA)
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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<!--In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.-->
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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[[File:GarageImage Merkava Mk.1 (USA).jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The '''Merkava Mk.1''' was the first variant of the [[Merkava (Family)|Merkava main battle tank family]]. The Israeli Army and the British Army started working together on design notes for the [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftain main battle tank]], which was initially used by the British Army, in the late 1960s with the goal of Israel acquiring and domestically manufacturing the vehicle. A four-year study included the delivery of two prototypes. Britain ultimately decided not to sell the Chieftain to Israel because it was already being given to Arab nations, who were then pursuing their own development plans. After the Suez Crisis, Israel Tal, then a brigade commander, revived plans to build an Israeli-made tank by learning from the Yom Kippur War of 1973, during which Israeli troops were outnumbered by those of Middle Eastern Arab nations. Israel Tal's choice led to the development of the Merkava Mk.1, which started its service in 1979. It was designed and constructed with mass production in mind. The Merkava Mk.1 had a diesel engine that produced 908 horsepower and had a power-to-weight ratio of 14 horsepower/tonne, weighing 63 tonnes. It was mounted with a 105 mm M64 L71A tank gun, an authorized replica of the 105 mm M68 tank gun used by the U.S. Army, while the British [[Centurion (Family)|Centurion medium tank]], which was extensively used during the Yom Kippur War and functioned admirably in the Golan's rugged terrain, provided the Merkava design's tracks and road wheels. During the 1982 Lebanon War, Israel deployed the 180 units of the Merkava Mk.1 into battle. By removing the palletized ammunition racks, some Merkava Mk.1s were transformed into improvised APCs or armoured ambulances. Up to ten troops or walking wounded could be accommodated via the entrance in the back.
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{{Break}}
 
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} USA medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]] as a reward for the [https://warthunder.com/en/news/6145-special-battlefield-engineer-en "Battlefield Engineer"] event.
 
  
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At a glance, one may mistake the vehicle's profile for the [[Centauro]], which is already infamous on its own, because they share similar traits - an extremely long vehicle with a turret on its back, that sports very long cannon. However, this vehicle has even lower profile and drives on tracks instead of wheels. Due to this, it's significantly slower. The amount of damage it can cause, though, is similar.
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Introduced during [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6145-special-battlefield-engineer-en|2019 "Battlefield Engineer" crafting event]], the Merkava Mk.1 provides a unique tank to the U.S. ground forces. The placement of the engine at the front of the tank rather than the back, as is traditional, is one of the Merkava design's most distinctive features. The goal of such a design was to increase crew survivability, because Israel is a small country with few resources and manpower, making it essential for them to survive conflicts. Due to its significantly improved survivability compared to conventional main battle tanks, players will enjoy experiencing one of the Middle East's most iconic major combat tanks.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
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<!--Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat?
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
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This tank has an extremely low profile, sloped frontal armour that is extremely sloped everywhere.
  
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If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.-->
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[[File:Internal shields merkava mk1.jpg|420px|thumb|right|One of the Merkava Mk.1's secondary shields (There may be multiple of them layered over each other depending on angle of attack)]]
  
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This tank has extremely low profile, sloped frontal armour that is extremely sloped everywhere, and cannot be hull-broken.
+
Even if anything penetrates the front of the hull, the shell will then have to go through an assortment of modules and protection beyond the initial hull. The first in the way is a fuel tank, which shields the engine. Even if that is penetrated, there is still a list of rolled homogeneous armour behind it. Even if that is penetrated, the engine will take the entirety of shrapnel with seemingly no failure. This will often result in the tank catching fire with a destroyed transmission and/or engine but with no other damage the tank. If one tries to fire straight at the driver, the shell will most likely just ricochet, bounce off the turret and away unless it was APDS or APFSDS. Even then, any shell that hit directly from the front will likely only take down the driver.
  
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[[File:Internal shields merkava mk1.jpg|420px|thumb|right|Merkava Mk.1's secondary shields]]
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The hull is also quite protected against ATGMs, as the module placement absorbs as much damage as [[IPM1]] and [[M1A1 Abrams]] NERA, so missiles should be fired at the turret instead unless one tries to just burn down the vehicle. In arcade mode, if an ATGM tank operator wants to destroy the tank fast, they should consider hitting the upper part of the hull next to the turret, for if only the engine is hit by projectile, then HEAT can overpenetrate it and spall into mid-section of the tank, sometimes just barely reaching the ready ammo rack and detonating it. In Realistic battle mode, simply hitting turret with ATGM might actually destroy the vehicle in one hit due to the crew loss.
  
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Even if anything penetrates the front of the hull, the shell will then have to go through an assortment of modules and protection beyond the initial hull. The first in the way is a fuel tank, which shields the engine. Even if that is penetrated, there is still a list of rolled homogenous armour behind it. Even if that is penetrated, the engine will take the entirety of shrapnel with seemingly no failure. If one tries to fire straight at the driver, the shell will most likely just ricochet, bounce off the turret and away unless it was APDS or APDSFS. Even then, any shell that hit directly from the front will likely only take down the driver. The hull is also quite proof against ATGM, as module placement absorbs as much damage as [[IPM1]] and [[M1A1 Abrams]] NERA, so missiles should be fired at the turret instead unless one tries to just burn down the vehicle. In Realistic battle mode, hitting turret with ATGM might actually destroy the vehicle in one hit.
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The turret is well-protected, with its well-angled armour structure and layers of homogeneous armour. As such, anything short of APDS from specifically sniper tanks like [[Chieftain Mk 3]] or APFSDS have a high chance of doing no damage. The only place with no protection is the turret ring, which is vulnerable to well-aimed APHE shots.
  
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Even the turret is well-protected, with its well-angled armor structure and layers of homogenous armour. As such, anything short of APDS from specifically sniper tanks like [[Chieftain_Mk_3|Chieftain Mk 3]] or APDSFS have a high chance of doing no damage. The only place with no protection is the turret ring.
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The side hull armour of the tank is considerably weaker though and can be penetrated by APDS-equipped SPAA and light tanks. Tracks still block some shots, but it's possible to destroy the entirety of turret compartment with a high enough rate-of-fire before tank turns around. AP-I belt would probably fail to penetrate it, though.
  
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The ''side'' hull armour of the tank is considerably weaker though, and can be penetrated even by APDS-equipped SPAA and light tanks. Tracks still block some shots, but it's possible to destroy the entirety of turret compartment with a high enough rate-of-fire before tank turns around. AP-I belt would probably fail to penetrate it, though.
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The sides of the base of the turret seem to be a viable target for HESH, unlike the rest of the tank. Though, even there vehicle has a little fuel tank, which has a tendency to derail spalling away from last turret crew member.
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The sides of the base of the turret seem to be a viable target for HESH, unlike the rest of the tank. Though, ''even there'' vehicle has a little fuel tank, which has a tendency to derail spalling away from last turret crew member.
 
  
 
As such, Merkava should avoid exposing its sides, to protect its turret crew and ammunition.
 
As such, Merkava should avoid exposing its sides, to protect its turret crew and ammunition.
Line 31: Line 38:
 
In addition to the assortment of armour, the vehicle has smoke launchers and smoke shells to cover itself.
 
In addition to the assortment of armour, the vehicle has smoke launchers and smoke shells to cover itself.
  
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Ammunition is stored in the very back of the vehicle, at the very bottom and is covered with even more armour lists. Most of the attacks from front of the vehicle or from above will inevitably hit side skirts, turret, or other modules in way of the shell and achieve nothing. In case enemy tank attacks from behind, even tank's back is protected with layers of spaced armour, rolled homogenous armour and fuel tanks, completely neutralizing weak chemical shells (such as HESH), or derailing HEAT-FS spall away from critical components. Only firing HEAT-FS diagonally through the shield in the middle of Merkava's rear seems to achieve hitting ammunition or crew. Using AP based ammunition instead is highly adviced.
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Ammunition is stored in the very back of the vehicle, at the very bottom and is covered with even more armour lists. Most of the attacks from front of the vehicle or from above will inevitably hit side skirts, turret, or other modules in way of the shell and achieve nothing. In case enemy tank attacks from behind, even tank's back is protected with layers of spaced armour, rolled homogeneous armour and fuel tanks, completely neutralizing weak chemical shells (such as HESH), or derailing HEATFS spall away from critical components. Only firing HEATFS diagonally through the shield in the middle of Merkava's rear seems to consistently achieve hitting ammunition or crew. Using AP based ammunition instead is highly advised.
 +
 
 +
'''Armour type:''' <!-- The types of armour present on the vehicle and their general locations -->
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<!-- Example: * Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Hull roof)
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* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area) -->
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 +
{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
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|-
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| Hull || 60 mm (67-76°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 60 - 90 mm (30-57°) ''Lower glacis''
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| 50 + 10 mm ''Top'' <br> 50 + 10 mm ''Bottom'' || 30 mm (12-44°) mm || 20 - 30 mm
 +
|-
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| Turret || 30 - 65 mm (1-71°) ''Turret front'' <br> Variable thickness armour (0-75°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 65 mm ''Upper turret armour''
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Variable Thickness Armour mm (0-60°) ''Lower turret armour''
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| 65 mm (11° - 66°) || 30 mm
 +
|-
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| Cupola || 30 mm || 30 mm || 30 mm || 30 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
'''Notes:''' <!-- Any additional notes which the user needs to be aware of -->
 +
<!-- Example: * Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick. -->
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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<!--Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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In Arcade battles, the Merkava Mk.1 has a top speed of about 51 km/h forward. However, either due to extreme recklessness of its drivers, or better than average acceleration, it often gets to position faster than expected. Its reverse speed is quite low though, being about 10 km/h at best.
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
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In Realistic mode, its top speed is supposed to be about 46 km/h forward and about 8 km/h in reverse.
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1395|rbMinHp= 796}}
 +
 
 +
In Arcade battles, the {{PAGENAME}} has a top speed of about 51 km/h forward. However, either due to extreme recklessness of its drivers, or better than average acceleration, it often gets to position faster than expected. Its reverse speed is quite low though, being about -10 km/h at best. In Realistic mode, its top speed is supposed to be about 46 km/h forward and about -8 km/h in reverse.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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<!--Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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{{main|Sharir (105_mm)}}
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<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 +
{{main|Sharir (105 mm)}}
  
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Merkava uses a [[Sharir_(105_mm)|105 mm Sharir cannon]]. It has two-axis stabilizer and autoloader. Reload rate with autoloader is about 8.7 sec, first-stage ammo stowage has 14 shells.
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The Merkava Mk.1 uses a 105 mm Sharir cannon with a two-plane stabilizer. The default reload rate is 8.7 seconds and with crew training it will go down to 6.7 seconds. First-stage ammo stowage on the turret floor has 14 shells and the 48 remaining shells are in the back.
  
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Default ammo for this cannon is HEAT-FS M152, with 400 mm of penetration at 0 degrees.
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[Sharir (105 mm)|105 mm Sharir]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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|-
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! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 54 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
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Additionally, gun can be loaded with:
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==== Ammunition ====
 +
The gun can be loaded with:
  
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* HESH M152, which can penetrate armour about 127-142 mm thick for 260 SL per shot.  
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* '''M152''': HEATFS; a shaped charge that can penetrate any vehicle's armour frontally. Like the APFSDS shot, increased armour thickness results in reduced amount of spalling (shrapnel) after penetration. You are able to take out enemies on any distance, since the HEAT round does not lose penetration with distance travelled - very handy on large maps like Kursk. Unlike APFSDS it has one downside: given that it is a chemical round, its fuse is highly sensitive in regards to its practical application in battle. As a result, virtually anything, such as trees or even a fence, will set it off prematurely, so you cannot fire through obstructions with this kind of round. Knowledge of potential opponents vehicle layouts will be very handy to use. It is the stock shell.
 +
* '''M156''': HESH; high-explosive squash head projectiles work very differently from other shell types. It ignores any angle, except for ricochet, and deals damage by metal-flakes which are blown off inside the armour by the exterior explosion. To create this deadly shrapnel inside the tank, make sure to only hit armour plates which are a direct part of the interior crew compartment of the tank. Hitting exterior parts of a tank like spaced armour, the suspension, tracks etc. will not harm crew members/modules at all. Currently, only true armour thickness (as opposed to the line of sight thickness) will provide sufficient means of protection, benefiting the USSR turret designs and in general German tanks. Like all high-explosive shells, the fuse is very sensitive and can be set-off by most objects e.g. fences, trees, pillars. The slow muzzle velocity of this shell can make it quite hard to hit targets at longer distances, but at the same time it can be handy because its arc trajectory, allows it to land hits on enemies hiding behind shallow hills.
 +
* '''M111''': APFSDS; a kinetic rod with high penetration power but without explosive. It is capable of easily penetrating the majority of the foes it meets, but these rounds do require finesse as to their placing. Because the projectile lacks an explosive filler, the best bet is to try and either knock out the majority of the enemy tank's crew or to destroy the enemy by ammo or fuel detonation through hitting their respective storage capacities. This, of course, requires knowledge about the vehicles the {{PAGENAME}} may face - so be sure to use the game's X-Ray view in the hangar and analyse the potential foes for their weak spots! Also, keep in mind that with increased armour thickness the amount of shrapnel shrinks.
 +
* '''M416''': Smoke; useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.
  
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* APDSFS M111, which can penetrate 337 mm at 0 degrees and 194 at 60 degrees point blank for 390 SL per show.
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{{:Sharir (105 mm)/Ammunition|M152, M156, M111, M416}}
  
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* Smoke M416, with 20m coverage range for 50 SL.
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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<!-- '''Last updated: 2.15.1.22''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! 1st<br>rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
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| '''54''' || 31&nbsp;''(+23)'' || 7&nbsp;''(+47)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+53)'' || No
 +
|-
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|}
  
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=== Additional armament ===
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'''Notes''':
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''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
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 +
* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
 +
* Rack 3 is a ready rack, taking up 6 rounds before rear hull racks 1 and 2 are filled with ammunition. Due to the unique layout of the Merkava and the ammo racks being away from the front, it would not harm the tank's survivability by a large margin to carry more ammunition.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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<!--Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|5}}
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<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)}}
 
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)}}
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As machine guns, Merkava Mk.1 has 12.7 mm [[M2HB_(12.7_mm)|M2HB]] and three 7.62 mm [[FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)|FN MAG 60-40]] machine guns.
 
  
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Their penetration statistics seem to be standard for their calibre.
+
As for machine gun armament, the Merkava Mk.1 has one 12.7 mm M2HB and three 7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40 machine guns.
 +
 
 +
Their penetration statistics are standard for their calibre.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 1,000 (200) || 577 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40]]
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|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 6,000 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
| Pintle (Commander) || 1,800 (200) || 600 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
 +
|-
 +
| Pintle (Loader) || 1,800 (200) || 600 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
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<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
 
 +
At its BR, the Merkava will face some strong enemies. Although the Merkava is designed to maximize crew survivability, don't entirely rely on it. Between the armour plates sits your engine, transmission and fuel tank. These modules can absorb some damage, but in return you will lose mobility completely or even catch on fire.
 +
 
 +
The gun carried by the Merkava is familiar to all top rank tank commanders: 105 mm Sharir cannon which is a modified version of the British L7 gun. The shells it fires are quite promising. When stock, it can fire M152 HEATFS shell instead of the normal APDS shell. After research tankers can fire the powerful M111 APFSDS shell. This shell can penetrate most enemies the Merkava might face. When uptiered, play more as a support role since you can only shoot weak spots of your enemies' front.
 +
 
 +
The mobility of the Merkava Mk.1 is subpar by MBT standards. Teammates and enemies will both move faster than you, so keep that in mind. Be careful when you approaching the front line, as enemies may already be waiting to ambush you. Due to the poor mobility, it is recommend again to play as a support tank. You can also play as a flank guard, as you can easily defeat light tanks.
 +
 
 +
In terms of threats:
 +
 
 +
* Be careful for most MBTs that fire kinetic rounds.
 +
* Leopards /Type 74 /OF-40: They carry the same gun as the Merkava, have similar ammunition, but are much faster. Their mobility makes them a threat when flanking. They are easy to kill due to weak armour.
 +
* AMX-30B2 BRENUS: It has better mobility than the Merkava and ERA, which can cause trouble for players which have not yet research the M111 round. Stay back, tell your teammates, and let them finish it. It will be much easier to deal if you have the M111 round.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->
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<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
 +
 
* Armour is surprisingly effective, due to it being multi-layered
 
* Armour is surprisingly effective, due to it being multi-layered
−
* Sometimes capable of just driving into the capture point, as if it doesn't care
 
−
* Has weapons and ammunition similar to SPG [[Centauro]], which is enough for most encounters
 
 
* Different ammunition types are cheap to use
 
* Different ammunition types are cheap to use
−
* ATGMs may have problems destroying this vehicle, as well as small rockets and HESH
+
* ATGMs, rockets, and HESH rounds may have problems destroying this vehicle
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
* APDSFS does not care about module-based protection and will go straight through the entire vehicle
+
 
−
* Second layer of defence has a lot of openings, which can be exploited with side shots so the vehicle cannot be angled a lot
+
* APFSDS does not care about module-based protection and will go straight through the entire vehicle
−
* Turret ring and middle rear weak spots compromise vehicle's defences and make it vulnerable to APHE at close ranges
+
* Second layer of defence has a lot of openings, which can be exploited with side shots so the vehicle cannot be angled effectively
−
* Side hull armour is weak and thus vehicle can still be destroyed by even light tanks with +30 mm guns, although default ammo usually fails to penetrate it
+
* Turret ring and middle rear weak spots compromise vehicle's defences, making it vulnerable to APHE at close ranges
−
* In up-tier, it's going to be slower than most of the adversaries
+
* Side hull armour is weak, can be destroyed by light tanks with +30 mm cannons
−
* Can be simply burned, if it cannot be destroyed normally
+
* Slow for its tier, made worse in uptiers
 +
* Thermal signature is in the front of the tank, that make you very visible on thermals
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
<!--Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).-->
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<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
−
During the mid 1960s, Israel began researching the possibility of developing and manufacturing a domestically designed tank. The need for such a vehicle became even more emphasized after failed negotiations with Great Britain around the same time led to Israel not being permitted to licence produce the Chieftain MBT. Thus, during the late 1960s official development on a domestic Israeli tank began.
+
During the mid-1960s, Israel began researching the possibility of developing and manufacturing a domestically designed tank. The need for such a vehicle became even more emphasized after failed negotiations with Great Britain around the same time led to Israel not being permitted to licence produce the Chieftain MBT. Thus, during the late 1960s official development on a domestic Israeli tank began.
  
−
The Israeli tank was primarily designed around combat experiences gained during the Yom Kippur War, resulting in heavy emphasis being put on crew survivability. By 1974, first prototypes of the new “Merkava” tank were constructed and put through initial testing. After nearly a decade of development, the Merkava Mk.1 was adopted for service by the IDF in December 1979 and modernized versions continue to serve with Israeli forces today.
+
The Israeli tank was primarily designed around combat experiences gained during the Yom Kippur War, resulting in heavy emphasis being put on crew survivability. By 1974, first prototypes of the new "Merkava" tank were constructed and put through initial testing. After nearly a decade of development, the Merkava Mk.1 was adopted for service by the IDF in December 1979 and modernized versions continue to serve with Israeli forces today.
  
−
''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/6140-development-merkava-mk-1-chariot-of-fire-en Devblog]''
+
''- From [[wt:en/news/6140-development-merkava-mk-1-chariot-of-fire-en|Devblog]]''
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.-->
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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[[File:Merkava.JPG|420px|none|thumb|The Merkava Mk.1 on the battlefield]]
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_merkava_mk_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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;Images
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<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150">
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File:Merkava_Mk.1_WTWallpaper001.jpg
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File:Merkava_Mk.1_WTWallpaper002.jpg
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File:Merkava_Mk.1_WTWallpaper003.jpg
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File:Merkava_Mk.1_WTWallpaper004.jpg
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File:Merkava_Mk.1_WTWallpaper005.jpg
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File:Merkava_Mk.1_WTWallpaper006.jpg
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File:Merkava_Mk.1_WTWallpaper007.jpg
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File:Merkava_Mk.1_WTWallpaper008.jpg
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</gallery>
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;Videos
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{{Youtube-gallery|yWWFv8qY5rQ|'''Battlefield Engineer: all new vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:52 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|iNZUNMGt1TI|'''{{PAGENAME}} - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 +
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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<!--Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
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* ''other literature.'' -->
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* ''other literature.''-->
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* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/6140-development-merkava-mk-1-chariot-of-fire-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Merkava Mk.1: Chariot of Fire]
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* [[wt:en/news/6140-development-merkava-mk-1-chariot-of-fire-en|[Development] Merkava Mk.1: Chariot of Fire]]
  
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{{TankManufacturer Israeli Ordnance Corps}}
 
{{USA medium tanks}}
 
{{USA medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 04:29, 16 April 2024

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
This page is about the American medium tank Merkava Mk.1 (USA). For other versions, see Merkava (Family).
▃Merkava Mk.1
us_merkava_mk_1.png
GarageImage Merkava Mk.1 (USA).jpg
▃Merkava Mk.1
USA flag.png USA
VI Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
9.0 9.0 9.0
Class:
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
Show in game
MARKET

Description

The Merkava Mk.1 was the first variant of the Merkava main battle tank family. The Israeli Army and the British Army started working together on design notes for the Chieftain main battle tank, which was initially used by the British Army, in the late 1960s with the goal of Israel acquiring and domestically manufacturing the vehicle. A four-year study included the delivery of two prototypes. Britain ultimately decided not to sell the Chieftain to Israel because it was already being given to Arab nations, who were then pursuing their own development plans. After the Suez Crisis, Israel Tal, then a brigade commander, revived plans to build an Israeli-made tank by learning from the Yom Kippur War of 1973, during which Israeli troops were outnumbered by those of Middle Eastern Arab nations. Israel Tal's choice led to the development of the Merkava Mk.1, which started its service in 1979. It was designed and constructed with mass production in mind. The Merkava Mk.1 had a diesel engine that produced 908 horsepower and had a power-to-weight ratio of 14 horsepower/tonne, weighing 63 tonnes. It was mounted with a 105 mm M64 L71A tank gun, an authorized replica of the 105 mm M68 tank gun used by the U.S. Army, while the British Centurion medium tank, which was extensively used during the Yom Kippur War and functioned admirably in the Golan's rugged terrain, provided the Merkava design's tracks and road wheels. During the 1982 Lebanon War, Israel deployed the 180 units of the Merkava Mk.1 into battle. By removing the palletized ammunition racks, some Merkava Mk.1s were transformed into improvised APCs or armoured ambulances. Up to ten troops or walking wounded could be accommodated via the entrance in the back.

Introduced during Update 1.87 "Locked On" as a reward for the 2019 "Battlefield Engineer" crafting event, the Merkava Mk.1 provides a unique tank to the U.S. ground forces. The placement of the engine at the front of the tank rather than the back, as is traditional, is one of the Merkava design's most distinctive features. The goal of such a design was to increase crew survivability, because Israel is a small country with few resources and manpower, making it essential for them to survive conflicts. Due to its significantly improved survivability compared to conventional main battle tanks, players will enjoy experiencing one of the Middle East's most iconic major combat tanks.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
ESS
Creation of a smoke screen in the direction of movement of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull90 / 50 / 30
Turret65 / 65 / 65
Crew4 people
Visibility152 %

This tank has an extremely low profile, sloped frontal armour that is extremely sloped everywhere.

One of the Merkava Mk.1's secondary shields (There may be multiple of them layered over each other depending on angle of attack)

Even if anything penetrates the front of the hull, the shell will then have to go through an assortment of modules and protection beyond the initial hull. The first in the way is a fuel tank, which shields the engine. Even if that is penetrated, there is still a list of rolled homogeneous armour behind it. Even if that is penetrated, the engine will take the entirety of shrapnel with seemingly no failure. This will often result in the tank catching fire with a destroyed transmission and/or engine but with no other damage the tank. If one tries to fire straight at the driver, the shell will most likely just ricochet, bounce off the turret and away unless it was APDS or APFSDS. Even then, any shell that hit directly from the front will likely only take down the driver.

The hull is also quite protected against ATGMs, as the module placement absorbs as much damage as IPM1 and M1A1 Abrams NERA, so missiles should be fired at the turret instead unless one tries to just burn down the vehicle. In arcade mode, if an ATGM tank operator wants to destroy the tank fast, they should consider hitting the upper part of the hull next to the turret, for if only the engine is hit by projectile, then HEAT can overpenetrate it and spall into mid-section of the tank, sometimes just barely reaching the ready ammo rack and detonating it. In Realistic battle mode, simply hitting turret with ATGM might actually destroy the vehicle in one hit due to the crew loss.

The turret is well-protected, with its well-angled armour structure and layers of homogeneous armour. As such, anything short of APDS from specifically sniper tanks like Chieftain Mk 3 or APFSDS have a high chance of doing no damage. The only place with no protection is the turret ring, which is vulnerable to well-aimed APHE shots.

The side hull armour of the tank is considerably weaker though and can be penetrated by APDS-equipped SPAA and light tanks. Tracks still block some shots, but it's possible to destroy the entirety of turret compartment with a high enough rate-of-fire before tank turns around. AP-I belt would probably fail to penetrate it, though.

The sides of the base of the turret seem to be a viable target for HESH, unlike the rest of the tank. Though, even there vehicle has a little fuel tank, which has a tendency to derail spalling away from last turret crew member.

As such, Merkava should avoid exposing its sides, to protect its turret crew and ammunition.

In addition to the assortment of armour, the vehicle has smoke launchers and smoke shells to cover itself.

Ammunition is stored in the very back of the vehicle, at the very bottom and is covered with even more armour lists. Most of the attacks from front of the vehicle or from above will inevitably hit side skirts, turret, or other modules in way of the shell and achieve nothing. In case enemy tank attacks from behind, even tank's back is protected with layers of spaced armour, rolled homogeneous armour and fuel tanks, completely neutralizing weak chemical shells (such as HESH), or derailing HEATFS spall away from critical components. Only firing HEATFS diagonally through the shield in the middle of Merkava's rear seems to consistently achieve hitting ammunition or crew. Using AP based ammunition instead is highly advised.

Armour type:

Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 60 mm (67-76°) Front glacis
60 - 90 mm (30-57°) Lower glacis 		50 + 10 mm Top
50 + 10 mm Bottom 		30 mm (12-44°) mm 20 - 30 mm
Turret 30 - 65 mm (1-71°) Turret front
Variable thickness armour (0-75°) Gun mantlet 		65 mm Upper turret armour

Variable Thickness Armour mm (0-60°) Lower turret armour

65 mm (11° - 66°) 30 mm
Cupola 30 mm 30 mm 30 mm 30 mm

Notes:

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB60 / 13 km/h
RB and SB54 / 12 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
2 back
Weight61.0 t
Engine power
AB1 717 hp
RB and SB900 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB28.1 hp/t
RB and SB14.8 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 60 13 61 1395 1,717 22.87 28.15
Realistic 54 12 796 900 13.05 14.75

In Arcade battles, the Merkava Mk.1 (USA) has a top speed of about 51 km/h forward. However, either due to extreme recklessness of its drivers, or better than average acceleration, it often gets to position faster than expected. Its reverse speed is quite low though, being about -10 km/h at best. In Realistic mode, its top speed is supposed to be about 46 km/h forward and about -8 km/h in reverse.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB4 020 → 5 849 Sl icon.png
RB4 256 → 6 192 Sl icon.png
SB5 270 → 7 667 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications111 200 Rp icon.png
190 400 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 300 Ge icon.png
Crew training110 000 Sl icon.png
Experts380 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 400 Ge icon.png
Research Aces830 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
140 / 190 / 230 % Sl icon.png
208 / 208 / 208 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement us.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
ESS
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
105mm_usa_HESH_ammo_pack
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
105mm_us_M416_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
105mm_usa_M735_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank laser rangefinder.png
Laser rangefinder
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Laser rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder

Main armament

105 mm Sharir cannon
Two-plane stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving
Ammunition54 rounds
First-order6 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
8.7 → 6.7 s
Vertical guidance-8° / 20°
Main article: Sharir (105 mm)

The Merkava Mk.1 uses a 105 mm Sharir cannon with a two-plane stabilizer. The default reload rate is 8.7 seconds and with crew training it will go down to 6.7 seconds. First-stage ammo stowage on the turret floor has 14 shells and the 48 remaining shells are in the back.

105 mm Sharir Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 54 -8°/+20° ±180° Two-plane 38.1 52.7 64.0 70.8 75.3 8.71 7.70 7.10 6.70
Realistic 23.8 28.0 34.0 37.6 40.0

Ammunition

The gun can be loaded with:

  • M152: HEATFS; a shaped charge that can penetrate any vehicle's armour frontally. Like the APFSDS shot, increased armour thickness results in reduced amount of spalling (shrapnel) after penetration. You are able to take out enemies on any distance, since the HEAT round does not lose penetration with distance travelled - very handy on large maps like Kursk. Unlike APFSDS it has one downside: given that it is a chemical round, its fuse is highly sensitive in regards to its practical application in battle. As a result, virtually anything, such as trees or even a fence, will set it off prematurely, so you cannot fire through obstructions with this kind of round. Knowledge of potential opponents vehicle layouts will be very handy to use. It is the stock shell.
  • M156: HESH; high-explosive squash head projectiles work very differently from other shell types. It ignores any angle, except for ricochet, and deals damage by metal-flakes which are blown off inside the armour by the exterior explosion. To create this deadly shrapnel inside the tank, make sure to only hit armour plates which are a direct part of the interior crew compartment of the tank. Hitting exterior parts of a tank like spaced armour, the suspension, tracks etc. will not harm crew members/modules at all. Currently, only true armour thickness (as opposed to the line of sight thickness) will provide sufficient means of protection, benefiting the USSR turret designs and in general German tanks. Like all high-explosive shells, the fuse is very sensitive and can be set-off by most objects e.g. fences, trees, pillars. The slow muzzle velocity of this shell can make it quite hard to hit targets at longer distances, but at the same time it can be handy because its arc trajectory, allows it to land hits on enemies hiding behind shallow hills.
  • M111: APFSDS; a kinetic rod with high penetration power but without explosive. It is capable of easily penetrating the majority of the foes it meets, but these rounds do require finesse as to their placing. Because the projectile lacks an explosive filler, the best bet is to try and either knock out the majority of the enemy tank's crew or to destroy the enemy by ammo or fuel detonation through hitting their respective storage capacities. This, of course, requires knowledge about the vehicles the Merkava Mk.1 (USA) may face - so be sure to use the game's X-Ray view in the hangar and analyse the potential foes for their weak spots! Also, keep in mind that with increased armour thickness the amount of shrapnel shrinks.
  • M416: Smoke; useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
M152 HEATFS 400 400 400 400 400 400
M156 HESH 127 127 127 127 127 127
M111 APFSDS 337 335 330 322 314 306
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
M152 HEATFS 1,174 10.5 0.05 0.1 1.27 65° 72° 77°
M156 HESH 731 11.4 0.1 4 3.17 73° 77° 80°
M111 APFSDS 1,455 4.2 - - - 78° 80° 81°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Screen radius
(m) 		Screen deploy
time (s) 		Screen hold
time (s) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
M416 732 11.6 20 5 25 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Merkava Mk.1 (USA)
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
54 31 (+23) 7 (+47) 1 (+53) No

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
  • Rack 3 is a ready rack, taking up 6 rounds before rear hull racks 1 and 2 are filled with ammunition. Due to the unique layout of the Merkava and the ammo racks being away from the front, it would not harm the tank's survivability by a large margin to carry more ammunition.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition1 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition6 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate1 001 shots/min
2 x 7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40 machine gun
Ammunition3 600 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate1 001 shots/min
Ammunition0 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
0.0 → 0.0 s
Main articles: M2HB (12.7 mm), FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)

As for machine gun armament, the Merkava Mk.1 has one 12.7 mm M2HB and three 7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40 machine guns.

Their penetration statistics are standard for their calibre.

12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 1,000 (200) 577 N/A N/A
7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 6,000 (200) 600 N/A N/A
Pintle (Commander) 1,800 (200) 600 -10°/+50° ±120°
Pintle (Loader) 1,800 (200) 600 -10°/+50° ±120°

Usage in battles

At its BR, the Merkava will face some strong enemies. Although the Merkava is designed to maximize crew survivability, don't entirely rely on it. Between the armour plates sits your engine, transmission and fuel tank. These modules can absorb some damage, but in return you will lose mobility completely or even catch on fire.

The gun carried by the Merkava is familiar to all top rank tank commanders: 105 mm Sharir cannon which is a modified version of the British L7 gun. The shells it fires are quite promising. When stock, it can fire M152 HEATFS shell instead of the normal APDS shell. After research tankers can fire the powerful M111 APFSDS shell. This shell can penetrate most enemies the Merkava might face. When uptiered, play more as a support role since you can only shoot weak spots of your enemies' front.

The mobility of the Merkava Mk.1 is subpar by MBT standards. Teammates and enemies will both move faster than you, so keep that in mind. Be careful when you approaching the front line, as enemies may already be waiting to ambush you. Due to the poor mobility, it is recommend again to play as a support tank. You can also play as a flank guard, as you can easily defeat light tanks.

In terms of threats:

  • Be careful for most MBTs that fire kinetic rounds.
  • Leopards /Type 74 /OF-40: They carry the same gun as the Merkava, have similar ammunition, but are much faster. Their mobility makes them a threat when flanking. They are easy to kill due to weak armour.
  • AMX-30B2 BRENUS: It has better mobility than the Merkava and ERA, which can cause trouble for players which have not yet research the M111 round. Stay back, tell your teammates, and let them finish it. It will be much easier to deal if you have the M111 round.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Armour is surprisingly effective, due to it being multi-layered
  • Different ammunition types are cheap to use
  • ATGMs, rockets, and HESH rounds may have problems destroying this vehicle

Cons:

  • APFSDS does not care about module-based protection and will go straight through the entire vehicle
  • Second layer of defence has a lot of openings, which can be exploited with side shots so the vehicle cannot be angled effectively
  • Turret ring and middle rear weak spots compromise vehicle's defences, making it vulnerable to APHE at close ranges
  • Side hull armour is weak, can be destroyed by light tanks with +30 mm cannons
  • Slow for its tier, made worse in uptiers
  • Thermal signature is in the front of the tank, that make you very visible on thermals

History

During the mid-1960s, Israel began researching the possibility of developing and manufacturing a domestically designed tank. The need for such a vehicle became even more emphasized after failed negotiations with Great Britain around the same time led to Israel not being permitted to licence produce the Chieftain MBT. Thus, during the late 1960s official development on a domestic Israeli tank began.

The Israeli tank was primarily designed around combat experiences gained during the Yom Kippur War, resulting in heavy emphasis being put on crew survivability. By 1974, first prototypes of the new "Merkava" tank were constructed and put through initial testing. After nearly a decade of development, the Merkava Mk.1 was adopted for service by the IDF in December 1979 and modernized versions continue to serve with Israeli forces today.

- From Devblog

Media

Skins
Images
  • Merkava Mk.1 WTWallpaper001.jpg
  • Merkava Mk.1 WTWallpaper002.jpg
  • Merkava Mk.1 WTWallpaper003.jpg
  • Merkava Mk.1 WTWallpaper004.jpg
  • Merkava Mk.1 WTWallpaper005.jpg
  • Merkava Mk.1 WTWallpaper006.jpg
  • Merkava Mk.1 WTWallpaper007.jpg
  • Merkava Mk.1 WTWallpaper008.jpg
Videos
Battlefield Engineer: all new vehicles discusses the Merkava Mk.1 (USA) at 3:52 - War Thunder Official Channel
Merkava Mk.1 (USA) - Tank Review - Napalmratte

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


Israeli Ordnance Corps (חיל החימוש)
Medium Tanks  M-51 · M-51 (W)
MBTs 
Magach  Magach 1 · Magach 2 · Magach 3 · Magach 3 (ERA) · ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · Magach 5
  Magach 6 · Magach 6A · Magach 6B · Magach 6C · Magach 6R · Magach 6M · Gal Batash
Sho't  Sho't · Sho't Kal Alef · Sho't Kal Gimel · Sho't Kal Dalet · ▄Sho't Kal Dalet
Tiran  Tiran 4 · Tiran 4S
Merkava  ▃Merkava Mk.1 · Merkava Mk.1B · Merkava Mk.2B · ▃Merkava Mk.2B · Merkava Mk.2D
  Merkava Mk.3B · Merkava Mk.3C · ▃Merkava Mk.3D · Merkava Mk.4B · Merkava Mk.4M
Tank destroyers  Zachlam Tager
See Also  Chrysler Defense · Department of Tank Design · Morozov Design Bureau

USA medium tanks
M2  M2
M3  M3 Lee · ▃Grant I
M4  M4 · Calliope · M4A1 · M4A1 (76) W · M4A2 · M4A2 (76) W · M4A3 (105) · M4A3 (76) W · M4/T26
M26 Pershing  T20 · T25 · M26 · M26 T99 · M26E1
M46/47/48 Patton  M46 · M46 "Tiger" · M47 · M48A1 · T54E1 · T54E2
M60  M60 · M60A1 (AOS) · M60A1 RISE (P) · M60A2 · M60A3 TTS · M728 CEV · 120S
MBT-70  MBT-70 · XM803
M1 Abrams  XM1 (Chrysler) · XM1 (GM)
  M1 Abrams · M1 KVT · IPM1
  M1A1 · M1A1 HC · M1A1 Click-Bait
  M1A2 Abrams · M1A2 SEP · M1A2 SEP V2
Other  T95E1
Australia  M1A1 AIM
Canada  M4A5
Israel  ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · ▃Merkava Mk.1 · ▃Merkava Mk.2B · ▃Merkava Mk.3D
Turkey  M60 AMBT

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