#israel
The AH-60 Battlehawk is an Israeli development of the famed Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter, adapted for combat operations. With an exceptional air-to-ground armament in the form of 16 fire-and-forget SPIKE-ER missiles, the Battlehawk excels in ground engagements where it can devastate targets and overwhelm SPAAs with its SPIKEs while having the ability to dip behind cover to avoid any return fire.
The Namer Tsrikhon is an experimental IFV based on the Israeli Namer APC, with the Namer itself being derived from the Merkava Mk.4 main battle tank. The Tsrikhon uses an unmanned turret which replaces the exposed weapons mount on the preceding Namer 30. Additionally, the turret is also fitted with the Trophy active protection system which can intercept ATGMs and other guided missiles. With its thick armor and spacious interior inherited from the Merkava, the Namer Tsrikhon is a relatively well-protected vehicle with good survivability, capable of withstanding much more punishment than contemporary light tanks and IFVs. However, the Tsrikhon also inherits the Merkava’s heavy weight, which limits its mobility in battle.
The Machbet is a self-propelled anti-aircraft system developed by IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries) during the first half of the 1990s. The Machbet goal was to upgrade the existing M163 VADS to modern standards and to extend its range and capabilities. It officially entered into service in the Israeli Air Force (IAF) anti-air division in 1997. This article aims to offer the reader an overview of its history during the almost 10 years of service in the Israeli armed forces.
The M-51 is an Israeli modification of the age-old Sherman armed with a HEAT-slinging 105mm gun designed by the French. It has a decently armored gun mantlet which is capable of withstanding some enemy fire, weak hull armor and a powerful cannon. The poor velocity and inconsistent damage of the gun combined with its poor mobility makes for a unique learning curve for anyone wanting to try out the Israeli tech tree.
The F-15I Ra’am is an Israeli-modified F-15E Strike Eagle with indigenous avionics and additional modifications to fit Israeli requirements. With two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engines, the F-15I is capable of producing immense amounts of thrust and is the fastest plane in War Thunder. The F-15I excels at attacking ground targets and performing CAS duties with its large suite of GBUs, GNSS bombs, and AGMs. It also performs very well in medium to long range air-to-air combat, being able to launch its AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles at extraordinarily high speeds and is well suited to the medium to long range BVR gameplay of toptier air battles.
The Spike-LR II (Long Range 2) is an advanced anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) that is part of the Spike family. Found on many IFVs, it is capable of engaging both non-line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight targets. Additionally, it can function as a surface-to-air missile (SAM), being particularly effective against helicopters and low-flying aircraft.
The Merkava 2 BATASH (also know as Merkava 2D, Merkava 2 Dor Dalet or Merkava 2B Dor Dalet) is the final evolution of the Israeli Merkava 2 main battle tank. This variant is equipped with the BATASH armor kit, offering improved protection against chemical energy projectiles without a significant weight increase. Being the final evolution of the Merkava 2, it also gets access to more advanced ammunition than its tech tree counterparts.
The Machbet (Hebrew: מחבט, or “racket”) is an Israeli upgrade of the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS) developed by Israeli Aircraft Industries, or IAI. Compared to the preceding M163 and Hovet, the Machbet retains the 20 mm M168 cannon but trades out the antiquated AN/VPS-2 tracking radar for a new FLIR/IR optical tracker and is equipped with a quad FIM-92 Stinger launcher, allowing it to combat enemy aircraft at distances beyond the gun’s effective range. The Machbet also has thermals and a laser rangefinder to aid with spotting and targeting enemy aircraft.
