Watchman comment: my son left the US Army as a decorated infantry major and like his father a veteran of the Iraq war. When he was in ROTC I advised him to stay away from the armor branch because I told him tanks were "death traps". The video below bears out what I told him approximately 24 years ago.
I can never recall a tank slaughter like Hezbollah inflicted on the Israelis occurring on the US or its allies during Desert Storm, or the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. Anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), bomb dropping drones and rocket propelled anti-tank grenades (ATRPGs) have changed modern warfare. Hamas and Hezbollah learned and adapted from watching the Russians in Ukraine! With each passing Middle East war the balance is shifting away from Israel. Eventually, some day Yeshua will have to intervene in order to save Israel in war!
Hezbollah Anti-Armor Rockets
Bombard and Destroy Israeli Merkava Tanks
Oct 31, 2023
Hezbollah Anti-Armor Rockets Bombard and Destroy Israeli Merkava Tanks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX7yHsUW6Pw
Russian AT-14 'Kornet' missile
The Weakness of Merkava Tanks
Oct 26, 2023
Merkava, celebrated as one of the world's most protected tanks, stands as the ultimate testament to Israel's unwavering dedication to maintaining an unbeatable edge on the modern battlefield. Its distinctive design sets it apart from conventional tanks, but, as the saying goes, "Being different doesn't grant it any magical powers." The truth is: The Merkava is not invulnerable. In total, five Merkava tanks met their demise. Among them, two Merkava Mark 4 – one fell victim to an IED, while the other succumbed to Russian AT-14 'Kornet' missiles. The attack in the Gaza Strip, where a bomb detonated beneath the tank, tragically resulting in the loss of three soldiers, has once again brought the Merkava's vulnerability into sharp focus. But what vulnerabilities lie beneath the surface of this armored giant, and how do they impact its performance on the battlefield?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tNKnt7T3Z0
How Can The Merkava IV Tank
Be Destroyed By Cheap Kornet Missiles
Sep 6, 2021
What becomes a question is, Why can the Merkava 4 tank be destroyed by cheap Kornet missiles? Only a few countries have proven capable of producing their own main battle tanks (MBTs) in the last four decades. One of these tank powers is Israel, which is one of the world's smallest countries. The Merkava series, Israel's primary battle tank, is one of the best-designed tanks ever made. The Merkava tank has seen several battles and has proven its worth. The new tank, known as Merkava was unveiled in May 1979. The tank was unlike anything fielded by other armies, particularly the United States and the
Soviet Union. The Merkava first saw action in 1982, when it fought Soviet, made Syrian T 72 tanks in the Bekaa Valley. Merkava destroyed several T72s at ranges of up to four thousand meters, without a loss to a single T72. What becomes a question is, Why can the Merkava 4 tank be destroyed by cheap Kornet missiles? From incidents that have happened, the late model Merkava could take ATGM hits from the front without appreciable effect from the outside. I am sure it was pretty hair raising for the crews, but they carried on moving and fighting without impediment. When Israeli tanks were destroyed, it was by shots to the side or rear. It is clearly shown that two destroyed Merkava in Lebanon at the time at close range, and both had been hit on the engine grill by rear shots that were Kornet hits. I don’t think there is any MBT in the world that could take a side or rear shots from a Kornet, it is a really modern, really powerful missile, intended to take on the best protected tanks ever built and destroy them. However, the Israeli problem was tactical; they were in a gorge with Hezbollah ATGM teams dug in on high ground flanking their approach route. Supporting infantry was nowhere to be seen. So basically, any armor unit in any tank under those conditions would be in trouble. The Merkava 2 was too vulnerable to ATGMs and was phased out, and it was decided that most ATGM hits could be avoided by better tactical crew training. The Israelis also developed the Trophy APS system and fitted it to a large numberof their tanks. The impact of these changes could be seen in the attacks on Gaza in 2014: no Israeli tanks were even hit, let alone destroyed, despite hundreds of ATGM attacks, dozens with Kornet missiles. The United States has also just bought Trophy and put it on 80 tanks in Eastern Europe. So - in 2006, you could destroy a Merkava 4 in a bad tactical position with a Kornet, if you were skilled, lucky and brave. Now, all that has changed as the tactical advantage swung to the Kornet, drones and ATRPGs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHpbmXTT8j8
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