- Yes
- No
History
The Merkava tank line started as a response to crew losses and political pressures during the Yom Kippur war in 1979. At the time, Israel fielded foreign tanks such as the Centurion and M60.[1] Arms embargos before during and after the war made it difficult to repair and replenish stockpiles. The response was to become self reliant and create an indigenously produced tank with the lessons learned during the war.[2]
Merkava MK1:
Crew survivability was paramount in development. Forward placement of the engine, rear crew hatch, and effective armor made the Merkava Mk1 an effective combat tank and set the tone for all subsequent Merkava’s.
Merkava MK2:
The Merkava proved it’s effectiveness in the 1982 Lebanon war, but it had issues with it’s suspension, Fire control system, and armor. This led to the adoption of modular armor in all Merkava’s.[3]
Merkava MK3:
The 1980’s saw a ramp up in technology and arms throughout the world. One of the areas to advance the quickest was advanced guided missiles. Israel having experience with guided missiles knew their effectiveness and designed the MK3 with that in mind. Improvements in the type of armor, gun, Fire Control System, and engine modernized the MK3 and it remains a viable tank in modern combat despite it’s production year of 1989.[4]
Merkava MK4:
From the late 90’s on, the main threat to Israeli tanks was guerilla warfare. While the Merkava still needed to perform well in large scale war, it was also optimized for non-state actors. This led to the MK4 being one of the most well protected and heaviest tanks of it’s time. New technologies were incorporated into existing Merkava’s easily due to the modular armor learned from the MK2. The incorporation of the Trophy active defense system into the MK4 created the Mk4M.
The Merkava MK4M - 400:
To address the rapidly evolving threats posed by anti-tank weapons, the Merkava Mk 4M underwent a comprehensive mid-life upgrade in the 2020s, resulting in the Mk 4M-400. This upgrade aims to ensure that the Merkava remains highly resilient in both conventional and asymmetric warfare, especially in urban environments where close-range attacks and ambushes are common. Developed based on lessons learned during the 2014 war and subsequent conflicts, the Mk 4M-400 addresses the limitations of the original Mk 4M and its Trophy system in urban scenarios. Key areas of improvement include target acquisition, defense, and threat detection capabilities.
A hallmark of the Mk 4M-400 upgrade is the enhancement of the Trophy Active Protection System, known in Hebrew as “Me’il Ruach” (“Windbreaker”). Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Trophy detects and neutralizes incoming threats, such as anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), RPGs, and other chemical warheads, before they make contact with the tank. In the Mk 4M-400, Trophy has been further refined with software and hardware upgrades to improve its detection range, response time, and ability to intercept close-range and top-attack missiles. Additionally, the integration of cameras with the Trophy system enhances threat detection, contributing to its increased interception success rate against newer, more sophisticated threats.
The Mk 4M-400 also incorporates significant upgrades to improve crew situational awareness. The tank is now equipped with advanced electro-optical sensors and high-resolution cameras that provide a 360-degree view of the battlefield, enabling the crew to detect and engage threats more effectively. Modernization of the fire control system (FCS) further improves target acquisition and engagement, while upgrades to the communication array ensure seamless battlefield coordination.
Another focus of the Mk 4M-400 upgrade is improving the vehicle’s passive armor. The tank’s modular composite armor has been enhanced to provide greater protection against both kinetic energy penetrators and tandem-charge HEAT warheads, making it particularly effective against modern anti-tank missiles designed to defeat traditional armor.
The development of the Merkava Mk 4M-400 reflects the IDF’s commitment to incorporating operational lessons from past conflicts and continuously improving upon earlier models. The Merkava series has faced numerous threats, such as those encountered during the Second Lebanon War (2006) and various operations in Gaza, where the tank’s resilience to advanced ATGMs and IEDs was tested. The Mk 4M-400 draws directly from these experiences, ensuring that it remains effective against the tactics and weaponry employed by Israel’s adversaries.
Production of new MK4 and subvariants including the MK4M and MK4M-400 has ended in favor of the newly developed Barak 5th generation MBT [8]
Specifications
Ammunition Storage:
48 rounds, 10 ready in an electrical drum.
Compatible Ammunition:
M329 APAM-MP-T, M322 APFSDS-T , M325 HEAT-MP-T, M338 APFSDS-T and M339 HE-MP-T, LAHAT (Laser Homing Attack or Laser Homing Anti-Tank). All NATO STANAG 4385
Engine:
MTU-883 V12, an Israeli produced version of General Dynamics GD883 1,500hp V12 .
Transmission:
Renk RK 325
Top Speed:
64 km/h
Main gun:
MG251-LR 120mm, L 44 smoothbore.
Active Protection:
Improved Trophy System [5]
Fire Control System:
Tades M [6]
Dimensions
Weight 65 t
Length 7.60 m
Hull :9.04 m gun forward
Width: 3.72 m without skirts
Height: 2.66 m to turret roof
Coaxial machine gun
12.7mm M2HB heavy machine gun
7.62mm MAG machine gun
Secondary armament
7.62mm MAG machine gun
Protection
Armor type
Steel and modular composite armor. NERA. ERA
NBC system
2x6 smoke grenade dischargers
Fire suppression
[7]
How to distinguish MK4M from MK4M-400
There is a lot of confusion in determining the MK4M from the MK4M-400. Externally there are only a few differences and many articles incorrectly depict versions. The most noticeable difference between the MK4M and the 400 series is the addition of cameras on the Trophy system. You can see this in the Gallery. The new Barak has the improved trophy system as well, but the commanders optics is notably different. Additionally, the communications array has been altered and is distinguishable from the base MK4M. More difficult to see is the bolt pattern/count in the turret armor is different and likely denotes internal changes to the modular armor.
Sources
[1] Herzog, Chaim. The Arab-Israeli Wars: War and Peace in the Middle East from the War of Independence through Lebanon. Random House, 1982.
[2]“Merkava Tank History.” GlobalSecurity.org. Merkava
[3] Dunstan, Simon. Israel’s Armor Might: The Merkava Tanks. Pen and Sword Books, 2019.
[4] Cordesman, Anthony H. Arab-Israeli Military Forces in an Era of Asymmetric Wars. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006.
[5]IDF to receive improved Trophy APS
[6]You are being redirected...
[7]Merkava 4 | Weaponsystems.net
[8]Merkava Mk 4 Main Battle Tank | Merkava Mk IV Tank full details
[9] Wonghy111-the-knight
