- Yes
- No
caid’s suggestion #42
I would like to suggest an interesting tank that would be a natural addition in the Magach line, the Sabra Mk.I
The Sabra was an intensive modernization of the M60A1 and M60A3. therefore a natural evolution of the Magach 7C. The prototype was built from a Magach 7C it was refitted with new armor incorporating Steel Laminate and a new 120mm MG253 gun. the turret has an all-electric transverse as well. this tank was offered for export as an upgrade package and new tanks for whoever needed it. the tank was proposed on the market in 2002 but didn’t get any specific success however, an improved version was ordered by Turkey under the name of M60T which was the Sabra Mk.2
Firepower
The main armament is a powerful 120mm IMI MG253 L/44 gun which is an improved version of the 120mm found in the later version of the Merkava. this gun is simply fit for a tank of the top rank and has access to many different rounds which allow Gaijin to decide which one could be added and which one is not needed to allow this tank to be at a BR where they could see it fill a potential gap. the elevation has been -9/+19 makes it pretty decent in most situations. the reload rate and the turret speed is also quite comfortable. the tank comes with 2x roof-mounted 7.62mm machine gun and naturally, it also has a coaxial 7.62mm. They also have a laser rangefinder and a night vision for the commander and the gunner. but it didn’t have the thermal. it includes the Knight FCS which is the same as found on the Merkava Mk.3
Mobility
The Sabra mk.I is rather heavy and the engine is not up to its weight. it retained the original engine found in the Magach 7C but also had the same weight. this makes it capable of moving around fairly well but this is not a very fast MBT. but this is common for the Israeli MBT. The tank weighs 55 tonnes and is powered by a Continental AVDS-1790-5A Diesel Engine providing 908 Horsepower. it still receives a new transmission with different gear to improve its cross-country capacity.
Protection
the Sabra I features better protection than the Magach 7C. The turret armor was reviewed and the hull received composite armor on the front. this makes the Sabra I a fair bit more protected than the Magach 7C and improves his survivability. the crew remains the same with 4 men. The tank also features a 12x smoke launcher on the side of the turret.
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