מידע ותמונות רבות על טנק
המרכבה
MERKAVA
4
BAZ
BAZ? Comparisons
1995 MkIII BAZ Series
FCS Knight Mk3 (KM3)
1999 MkIV
BAZ
Aleph Series (KM4) plus ASPRO-C
2007 MkIV
BAZ
Bet Series
(KM4) plus ASPRO-A
The IDF has always been a quick learner. When
systems fail or
under perform, they are replaced and discarded.
When they work
they are expanded upon, improved but also they
are adopted for
the entire
Merk line
Past, Present and Future of that Mk. series.
A good example
was the close quarter fighting in built-up areas
of congested
Gaza which led to the modifications from lessons
learned to an
LIC version of the Merkava MBT as well as other
combat vehicles
mostly for their crew's protection. Belly armor
addressed IED's
also Laser R-OWS to melt them. LED tip corner
marking poles to
navigate urban areas. Increased mortar range to
counter
anti-tank missile teams. On board UAV's for over the
horizon
visibility and laser targeting. New light weight armor
superior
to last century's Chobham types on new
BAZ
models.
With the adoption of the stabilized on the move of
the new main
gun and its concomitant technology a sharpshooting
system has
evolved from ELBIT to actually take on Gun Ship
enemy Hind
Soviet helicopters. The first generation was the
Knights Mark3
system on the 1995 edition of the 1989 Merkava
MkIII which
was awarded the suffix BAZ or Hawk for this
sharpshooting skill
the tank now had.
An
improve system was refined, developed and incorporated into
the
new 1999 announced version Merkava Mk IV called the
Knights Mk4 which went beyond just hovering and slow moving
helicopters to fast moving attacking gun ships and even battlefield
aircraft are now victims of this high precision aiming system
ALL
with the name
BAZ. In
fact according to Mantak any tank getting
this Knights Mk4
system earns the moniker BAZ for
sharpshooting
enhanced capabilities. ELBIT says their product
is even advertised
in this manner throughout the world for
years now through SIBAT.
At the same time this
sharpshooting system was being developed
and fielded... also
showing up was the 1991 IMI system for a new
self protection
system that created a dome of anti missile protection
surrounding the combat vehicle. Due to lagging technology, lack of
progress and enormous R&D expense IMI sold the system
concept
and program to RAFAEL to include many of the associated
technical
personnel around 1993. Improvements and technology
break throughs
had progressed so far by the end of the decade
that it was to be
incorporated on the next generation Merkava's
for the 2000 decade.
However, at least two glitches were to
prevent this radical new
technology from being incorporated and
even ordered. One was
ForF (Friend or Foe) where the system
would have to interpret
if a projectile was incoming enemy or
outgoing friendly fire and
thus NOT intercept the out going
rounds and missiles. The second
was simple economics, it would
cost as much as the major single
part of any MBT... the
power-pack system. Thus it was considered
to be cost prohibited
and since there was no on going battles in
1999 when the Mark
IV was ordered into production and hence no
one dying in IDF
tanks... it was 'postponed' or referred to committee.
One
could argue that 2006 was the darkest hour of the future of
the
Merkava whole 40 year program, but like so many other times
your favorite enemy can always be counted on to rescue
defeat from
the jaws of
victory. Iran, through their proxies Fatah, Hamas and in
this case Lebanese Hizboallah decided to ambush a border fence
AM
patrol, kill a squad of troops, blow-up their vehicles and
kidnapped
two of the remaining injured and before returning
them via the Red
Cross, murder both of them in a torture
chamber. SEE,
Nice peaceful
neighbors
on that Northern border! In
one day the brilliant military
hezboallah tactician Nasrallah
changed a four year plan of closing
down the entire Merkava
tank production line & import the Egyptain
Abrams M1 kits
since the Abrams tank has not been built in the USA
for years
now, in the hopes (& dreams) of getting a new MBT. BTW,
that new MBT is in the ash heap of failed, cancelled and rejected
military projects like Aquilla, Palladin, SDI, Comanche, DDX
& FCS.
Many military analyst have opined that so
radical the Mk IV changes
and extraordinary improved
capabilities that the Merkava Mk IV
BAZ
is more deserving of a new series name: The Merkava MkV
BAZ. Now
we hear in 2010
the new For Sale edition Mk 4 at the July Eurosatory
might be given the 'Mk V'
export
designation. I Don't
Think So People!
The IDF in 2010 is in the middle of a platform series wide
improvement
program from 2007 reaching in to 2012, to upgrade
all the existing
Aleph or First Generation Merkava Mk IV's
built from 1999 through the
2006 series or about 400 units to
perform to the new BAZ
standards for
accuracy and protection systems with the Trophy
(now called ASPRO)
system modification. These can be readily
discerned by the remaining
chains still left hanging from the
rear turret shot gap. The actual Trophy
is placed on top
of an existing turret as can be seen below... OK, here
is a
whole plethora of Merkava IV
Aleph BAZ images from
Eurosatory:
Eurosatory Israeli Pavilion Opened With IDF
Forces
In Native English
Hear Enlisted Tankers & Commanding Officers in a
Tactical Briefing
Many Of Which Have Attended
Military Friendly Colleges.
Merk IV Aleph
BAZ Was Just Off Tel HaShomer IDF Workshops
Refurbished
Production Line,
Like The ALEPH In The Name
Implies, These Are From Pre Existing 1999-2006
Issued Tanks
Click Image Below For Video Of The
Eurosatory 2010 English
Presentation of Merkava
BAZ
Merkava IV Aleph
BAZ at Eurosatory Israel Pavilion July 2010 Looking Cool In
Mint Condition
Close Up Of The Mrk Business End
& The 4 LIC Marking Poles Used in MOUNT Urban Conflicts
Approach To Israeli Pavilion With
Now For Sale
Merkava Mk 4 BAZ Aleph (for Some Markets)
Trophy (Left), BMS
Sensor Panel, Cmdr Optics (Ctr), LIC 7.62mm In Line M-Gun
Full Size, Fully Armed and Fully
Accessorized Merkava 4 BAZ
Aleph On First Public
Display
Merkava Mk IV
BAZ Aleph As Seen From The Audience Area Of The Pavilion
Display
Good view of ballistic mesh that
covers exposed ports, optics and here exhaust. Current turret top arrangement
Rare Rear Quadrant View Of Trophy
Installation On The Merkava Mk IV BAZ Aleph
Extreme Close Up Of Merk IV Co-Axial 50 cal Machine
Gun
Merkava Back-Up IMI 7.62mm Remote
Control Firing and Aiming Heavy Machine Gun
Above latest version of the textured non-slip Merkava surface that works in any
weather and temperature
Good Detail Of Merkava IV BAZ Improved 120mm Smooth Bore
Main Canon Over Merk Mk III
Detail Close Up Of Merk IV Road Wheel Bogy Assembly With
Improved Quiet Treads
Image Shows To Good Advantage Right Forward Facing Elta
Sensor & Smoke Dischargers
Extreme
Close Up Of New 2007 Redesigned
Elta WindGuard 2133 Bullet Proof Right Forward Facing Sensor
Protective Housing Of The
Trophy Anti Missile Gun Assembly
Good Detail Left Rear Quadrant ASPRO-C With New
Redesigned ELTA Windguard
2133 Rear Facing
Sensor
We Got A Lot Of Excellent Images Of This Once Highly
Classified Project That Dates To 1991
Here You See The Shulamit Hair Chains That Remain On The
1999-2006 Merk 4 BAZ
Aleph
Close Up of BMS (Battle Management computer System) Sensor
Pkge (1 of 4) on BAZ
Tanks
Well, That Should Just About Take
Care Of Pictures For Merkava Siman Arba Aleph BAZ...
!
Merkava Mk IV
BAZ from the 2007 to 2012 production
assembly
line showing the 'integrated' construction of ASPRO-A
on a newly
reshaped turret eliminating the shot trap and need
for the hanging
chains on the rear turret basket can be seen
clearly below...
Merkava MkIV
BAZ Bet
2007 - 2012 Tefen IDF Budget Plan
Right now the final assembly line is going full bore with FOUR
full production lines at Tel ha Shomer Plant 5100. One line for
the definitive Mark 4
BAZ Bet
directly above. One line with the
upgrade program for the 400
unit Merks built from 1999 - 2006
(Mark 4
BAZ Aleph add-on program). One for the new
Merkava
Mark 4 APC (Armor Personel Carrier) Namer Program.
Finally
the fourth line is an amalgam of repairing, mid life
up-grading,
Export contracts, Duby program and other classified
work to
include
the Mark
V proto type construction
and R&D work.
Coming very soon here a whole
inventory of images of the Two
Merkava 4 programs showing not
only the BAZ sharpshooting
accessories and Trophy attachments but a whole host of other
improvements, attachments & systems both exterior and interior!
=Notice=
Coming Soon Here Will Be More In Depth Pro-detailed
Model Of the
Merkava Mark IV BAZ with Trophy APS,
Full
Interior
Layout of Forward Command Post and the
new
BAZ Tankbulance Versions!
We will also have Both scale 1/35th precision
models of the
Merkava MkIV Aleph
BAZ
and the Merkava MkIV BAZ
Bet
1/35th Scale Precision Hobby Models
WALK - AROUND
Academy
1/35th and Legend
1/35th
Coming Below
Merkava Mk IV
BAZ FCS & Trophy APS with Clear Protection Dome
