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А.Никольский
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16.10.2001 15:30:41
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Танки; Евреи и Израиль;
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Израиль начал производство Меркавы-4
Анонс из открытого доступа "Джейнса"
Israel starts production of Merkava Mk 4
STEVE RODAN JDW Correspondent
Tel Aviv
Israel Defence Force (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt Gen Shaul Mofaz has told Jane's Defence Weekly that the IDF's new main battle tank (MBT), the Merkava Mk 4, is now in series production - including assembly and production of subsystems.
"We are talking about production and assembly," Gen Mofaz said. "At the same time, development is still going on." Gen Mofaz would not elaborate on how many tanks are being produced. However he said the Merkava Mk 4 is a funding priority in the IDF.
The Merkava Mk 4 has been promoted by Israeli defence officials as the most modern MBT in the world in terms of armour protection and electronic subsystems. Currently, the most up-to-date tank in the IDF's inventory is the Merkava Mk 3 Baz, which was introduced in 1994. IDF sources said the Merkava Mk-4 is a marked improvement on the Baz, and includes the fitting of new ballistic armour for additional armoured protection.
The Mk 4 will be mounted with an improved version of the 120mm smooth-bore gun currently mounted on the Baz, although IDF sources said that Israel is seeking to develop a 140mm main armament and ammunition. However, they said that this would probably not be ready for deployment for another decade.
The main contractors of the Merkava Mk 4, as in the Mk 3, include the IDF, Israel Military Industries, which supplies the gun and armour; Elbit Systems, which has developed electronic, optical and electrical drive systems; state-owned Israel Aircraft Industries; Tadiran Communications. El-Op Electro-Optic Systems, which was bought by Elbit last year, has developed the fire-control system.