Merkava Main Battle Tank 1977-1996

Scanning through his field glasses on a barren training field somewhere in Israel's north, a young lieutenant, a Merkava Mk III commander, stands in his turret as his powerful vehicle grinds a path on the cold, hard volcanic ground. A target appeals 1,900 metres away and must be obliterated, preferably on the first shot. Hopping back inside the lank, in order to stand on his commanders (hair, the young 'Ma'Tak' (Hebrew acronym for tank commander) orders the turret swung 40° to the right, the gun placed at a minus 3° trajectory, and an APFSDS round loaded into the breech of the tank's 120mm main armament cannon. 'Steady,' the lieutenant utters into his communications gear, 'let's place this round dead-centre on the cross-hairs.' Three seconds pass and finally the order 'Esh' (fire) is issued. A thunderous blast emanates from the hulking armoured beast, cracking through the mountainous landscape with resonating power. A thick cloud of smoke and dust engulfs the tank, but the gunner monitors the round through his high-optic sights. In the valley below, what was once a Svrian Army BTR-60 armoured personnel carrier receives the Merkava's offering near the driver's compartment.
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