Should the LAHAT missile be added to War Thunder for the Merkava Mk. 3 and Mk. 4?
- Yes
- No
0
voters
Should the 105mm version also be added for the Merkava Mk. 1 and Mk. 2, even though these tanks only used it for testing?
- Yes
- No
0
voters
Should other vehicles which tested it also receive it, such as the Leopard 2A4, Arjun, or Chilean Leopard 1V?
- Yes
- No
0
voters
Should the LAHAT be available to any and all compatible platforms, even if they didn’t explicitly test or use it?
- Yes
- No
0
voters
LAHAT: The Chariot's Guided Fist
History:
In the late 1990s, the effectiveness of the Merkava was well-known. It had proven itself in several conflicts already and had become the core of the IDF armored force. However, efforts to continually improve its effectiveness through standard munitions were resulting in diminishing returns. One issue the IDF had was with the range of the main gun. This call would be answered by Israeli Aerospace Industries with the LAser Homing ATtack (aka LAser Homing Anti-Tank) missile. Abbreviated to LAHAT (which also translates to "incandescence"), this missile drastically increased the range and potency of the Merkava family of vehicles. Development first began on a missile to fit the 105mm cannon of the Mk. 1 and 2 as they needed the range boost the most, but once the benefits of the missile were seen, it was adapted to fit the 120mm gun of the Mk. 3. The missile was first unveiled in October of 1998 at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) show. Since then, the LAHAT missile has expanded to not only include gun-launched platforms, but also external pods, helicopters, and even naval mounts. It was briefly trialed by the Indian Army for adoption for the Arjun MBT, but this fell through. Similarly, it was trialed in the Leopard 2A4, but this also seems to have gone nowhere. Chile also tested it in their Leopard 1s. Despite this, IAI offers the missile for land, sea, and air platforms to this day, and the IDF has adopted it into their arsenal for the Merkava Mk. 3 and 4.Description:
The LAHAT is a semi-active laser beam riding missile, meaning that any tank with a laser rangefinder can use it with minimal modification. The laser rangefinder simply needs to be replaced with a rangefinder/designator, and the missile can then be stored and loaded like any other tank ammo. The missile is 105mm caliber, but can fit in 120mm guns using a sabot. It also can function equally well in smoothbore and rifled tank guns. It features a tandem HEAT warhead and a booster charge to propel the missile from the barrel. Laser designation can take place at any time, and the missile can operate non line of sight, though this is optional. It is also capable of top attack. The missile has a speed of 285 meters per second (937 ft/s) and a maximum range of 8 km (4.9 mi). Its accuracy is very high, with a CEP (Circular Error Probable) of less than 0.7 m (2.3 ft). Finally, it has a maximum armor penetration of 800mm of RHA after ERA. In a similar manner to the Hellfire missile, it is capable of a method of attack known as "lofting", where the missile flies upwards and then arcs downwards towards the roof of the target.Specifications:
Spoiler
Diameter: 105mm (adaptable to 120mm)
Length: 1 m (3 ft)
Weight: 12.5 kg (27 lbs)
Warhead Weight: 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs)
Speed: 285 m/s (937 ft/s)
Range: 8 km (4.9 mi)
Launch Platform: All NATO-compatible 105mm or 120mm smoothbore or rifled guns
Penetration: 800mm RHA after ERA
Accuracy: CEP > 0.7 m (2.3 ft)
Guidance: Semi-Active Laser Beam Riding
Gallery:
Spoiler
A LAHAT being test-fired from a German Leopard 2A4.
A 105mm LAHAT being test-fired from a Chilean Leopard 1V.
If there is anything I have missed or gotten incorrect, please let me know! I hope you enjoyed reading this, and I hope you will also check out my other suggestions! Thanks, and have a great day.
Sources:
Spoiler
https://www.iai.co.il/sites/default/files/2021-03/LAHAT Land - Brochure.pdf
Индия не купит у Израиля противотанковые ракеты LAHAT - ОРУЖИЕ РОССИИ Информационное агентство
https://www.army-technology.com/projects/laser-homing-attack-missile/
https://militaryleak.com/2018/07/11/lahat-laser-homing-anti-tank/
