Too bad I don’t have the Mk.3D because it’s only in the US Tech Tree for some damn reason.
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The merkava 4 was introduced because they had used up the potential of the merkava 3 . The idf will not introduce a merkava 3 with an aps because they would be using aps’s that can work for the merkava 4 on the merkava 3 which is infirior. Nevertheless one of the Israeli defense contractors did make a merkava 3 with aps for the idf but it’s near impossible to find any reference to it
For sure. I know the Merkava 4 replaced the 3 in that regard, I was just saying if they need more vehicles, it’s the fastest way to increase numbers. Modernize there old 3’s until they can make more 4’s and upgrade the 4’s the have.
Yep there was a testbed of the merkava Mk.3D with the Trophy APS, maybe we’ll see that as an event vehicle (fingers crossed it will also have M338). Although info is scare, the images here prove its existence and there wouldn’t really be any information lacking to implement it ingame, as we’ve seen a sort of APS system implemented on a Merk Mk.3D before ingame (the Ra’am Segol). All they would need to do is remodel the turret a bit and add trophy to it, simple as that.
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Might consider a suggestion on it but would need more information/sources. Could be a good event vehicle or premium vehicle. Since there was a test bed…maybe if the IDF finds itself short of tanks…could see more of them…lol (probably not). Nice find 🤙
Lack of information can be quite sad for suggesting vehicles when only a few pics exist online. For instance there is only a single image here that I’ve found regarding a Magach 7A upgraded with an IMI 120mm cannon, and practically nothing else exists online about it…
(Ingnore the caption which incorrectly states it as an M60A3, as it’s obviously a Magach 7A)
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Agreed, I’ve scraped by on some suggestions but others it’s just too hard. 120mm Magach 7A is pretty sick though.
I might know someone who could get more information on it. If I can dig out more…I’ll do one and I’ll “@“ you in it for finding these images.
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The first one looks more like the ra’am sagol and I would love to see the source for the second one
You can see the RADAR and Launcher for the Trophy on the first image. Completely different from the Ra’am Sagol and have the distinctive look of the Trophy.
Experimental Ra’am Sagol.
Merkava 3D w/ Trophy.
- Edit:
- So far just been blogs and such:
- Also, a designation and serial number of this:
- Merkava Mk.3M Melech Ha’arayot, or “Lion King”.
- Serial Number: 833284
- One noticeable change is the removal of smoke grenade launchers due to the RADAR. Likely still has the mortar with smokes.
- Historical Note:
- “In November 2016, the Ministry of Defense announced the purchase of hundreds of systems worth hundreds of millions of shekels. In 2017, the commander of the ground arm, Major General Kobi Barak, said that the IDF had ordered about a thousand “Windbreaker” systems, and some of them will also be installed on Merkava Mark 3D tanks of the 188th Brigade.”
- However, the 188th received the Merkava 4M instead, with a renewed focus to produce more Merkava 4’s is what I gathered based on the time of this information and now.
- During this time, the 188th was supposedly equipped with solely the Merkava 3D so its completely possible the timeline adds up. In 2018, the Merkava 4M and Merkava 3D made up the entire armored core with regular Merkava 4’s like the Merkava 4A or Merkava 4 LIC, Merkava 3C, and Merkava 2D being part of the reserve forces so it’s completely possible they pulled a "Ra’am Sagol’ situation and inserted an experimental “Merkava 3M” with Trophy for training and trial with the 188th.
- Issue with this information is one of the links is broken, one is a blog, and overall doesn’t provide the full details so I can’t verify the information above with hard sources.
- Not to mention, it’s clear today the Merkava 3D, Merkava 4M, Merkava 4B, and Merkava 3C’s are all currently activated and well in use and the information above doesn’t correlate that to the reserve forces. Haven’t seen any Merkava 3 LIC’s or Merkava 4 LIC’s though.
- “In November 2016, the Ministry of Defense announced the purchase of hundreds of systems worth hundreds of millions of shekels. In 2017, the commander of the ground arm, Major General Kobi Barak, said that the IDF had ordered about a thousand “Windbreaker” systems, and some of them will also be installed on Merkava Mark 3D tanks of the 188th Brigade.”
Images of Activated Merkava's
Merkava 4B and Merkava 4M relocating to a new position.
Merkava 3D’s and Merkava 3C’s at a staging ground in anticipation for operations.
A Merkava 4B with a ‘Cope Cage’.
- Only articles so far I can find during that time frame:
- If I understood Hebrew, this would be a lot easier to search lol. Using google and using the advanced tools/time setting to the years 2016-2018 and searching for keywords would be a lot faster.
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They’re both the same tank in those 2 image, it’s just a Merkava Mk.3D with trophy aps, and although it may seem similar to the Ra’am Segol, they’re quite apparently different.
Ra’am Segol:
Merkava Mk.3M (as I’ve seen it be referred to as):
As you can see, the mounts for the radar system are in different areas, and the Trophy APS mount on the top sides of the turret is clearly visible on the Merkava Mk.3M.
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Thanks
I just wanted to correct you, melech ha’arayot (מלך האריות) is not a tank it’s a very secretive unit that is part of the idfs armored corps. A actually know someone from that unit and he told me they use merkava 4b that have been upgraded to have and aps making them the merkava 4b-m.
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I saw that designation for the unit but I just left it on the Merkava name bc I don’t have enough to prove that the tank didn’t also share it lol. I figured it didn’t but oh well. The sources suck.
That’s pretty cool though. Merkava 4B-M is pretty sick. You should ask him about the Merkava 3M if he can talk about it.
To my knowledge he joined when they already used merkava 4. Also to my extent of knowledge the merkava 3m was around 2016 and the existence Melech ha’arayot was only declassified in the past 2 years so it doesn’t make a lot of sense to show a tank that belongs to a unit that technically doesn’t exist
Just a thought, he’d probably be the best source considering there really isn’t any. He may have knowledge of the equipment even though it’s been years and since there are images of it, its official designation and basic information shouldn’t be classified.
The only other way to know is to join the unit itself.
The information he told me isn’t classified but it is really shrouded with no mentions on the internet about there vehicles ore them
The US Merkava Mk1 should be move over to IL tree and we technically do have a 3 Dalet move over as the RA’AM.
But we need a merkava 3d for the tt
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Well there goes any confirmed hope for the regular Merkava 3D for the Israeli tree. Gaijin really needs to use there head and think ahead before they add event vehicles and screw over tech trees.
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It honestly feels like the game devs are completely disconnected from the player base
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