{"product_id":"israel-merkava-mk-2","title":"Israel Merkava Mk.2","description":"\u003cp\u003eBorder Model 1\/35\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cb\u003eMerkava\u003c\/b\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hebrew_language\" title=\"Hebrew language\"\u003eHebrew\u003c\/a\u003e: \u003cspan lang=\"he\" dir=\"rtl\"\u003eמֶרְכָּבָה\u003c\/span\u003e, \u003cspan class=\"IPA nowrap\" lang=\"he-Latn-fonipa\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:IPA\/Hebrew\" title=\"Help:IPA\/Hebrew\"\u003e[mɛʁkaˈva]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ext-phonos\"\u003e\u003cspan data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"ooui-php-1\" class=\"noexcerpt ext-phonos-PhonosButton ext-phonos-PhonosButton-emptylabel oo-ui-widget oo-ui-widget-enabled oo-ui-buttonElement oo-ui-buttonElement-frameless oo-ui-iconElement oo-ui-buttonWidget\" data-ooui=\"{\" _\u003e\u003ca role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/transcoded\/6\/61\/He-Merkava.ogg\/He-Merkava.ogg.mp3\" rel=\"nofollow\" aria-label=\"Play audio\" title=\"Play audio\" class=\"oo-ui-buttonElement-button\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"oo-ui-iconElement-icon oo-ui-icon-volumeUp\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"oo-ui-labelElement-label\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"oo-ui-indicatorElement-indicator oo-ui-indicatorElement-noIndicator\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csup class=\"ext-phonos-attribution noexcerpt navigation-not-searchable\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:He-Merkava.ogg\" title=\"File:He-Merkava.ogg\"\u003eⓘ\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, \"\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chariot\" title=\"Chariot\"\u003echariot\u003c\/a\u003e\") is a series of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Main_battle_tank\" title=\"Main battle tank\"\u003emain battle tanks\u003c\/a\u003e used by the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Israel_Defense_Forces\" title=\"Israel Defense Forces\"\u003eIsrael Defense Forces\u003c\/a\u003e (IDF) which are the backbone of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Armored_Corps_(Israel)\" title=\"Armored Corps (Israel)\"\u003eIDF's Armored Corps\u003c\/a\u003e. Current iterations of this tank are considered broadly equivalent to the capabilities of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/M1_Abrams\" title=\"M1 Abrams\"\u003eM1 Abrams\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Leopard_2\" title=\"Leopard 2\"\u003eLeopard 2\u003c\/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Challenger_2\" title=\"Challenger 2\"\u003eChallenger 2\u003c\/a\u003e. The current Merkava uses the same \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/MTU_Friedrichshafen\" title=\"MTU Friedrichshafen\"\u003eMTU\u003c\/a\u003e EuroPowerPack powerplant as a number of other tanks.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDevelopment began in 1970, and its first generation, the Merkava Mark 1, entered official service in 1979. Four main variants have been deployed. As of 2023, Merkava Mark 4 Barak is the latest version. The Merkava was first used extensively in the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1982_Lebanon_War\" title=\"1982 Lebanon War\"\u003e1982 Lebanon War\u003c\/a\u003e. The name \"Merkava\" was derived from the IDF's initial development program name.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Mark II was first introduced into general service in April 1983. \u003cbr\u003eIt incorporated numerous small adjustments as a result of the previous \u003cbr\u003eyear's incursion into Lebanon.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 id=\"Merkava_Mark_II\"\u003eMerkava Mark II\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Mark II used the same 105 mm main gun and 7.62 mm machine \u003cbr\u003eguns as the Mark I, but the 60 mm mortar was redesigned during \u003cbr\u003econstruction to be located within the hull and configured for remote \u003cbr\u003efiring to remove the need to expose the operator to enemy small-arms \u003cbr\u003efire. An Israeli-designed automatic transmission and increased fuel \u003cbr\u003estorage for increased range was installed on all further Mark IIs. \u003cbr\u003eAnti-rocket netting was fitted for increased survivability against \u003cbr\u003einfantry equipped with anti-tank rockets. Many minor improvements were \u003cbr\u003emade to the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fire-control_system\" title=\"Fire-control system\"\u003efire-control system\u003c\/a\u003e. Updated \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Meteorology\" title=\"Meteorology\"\u003emeteorological sensors\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Crosswind\" title=\"Crosswind\"\u003ecrosswind\u003c\/a\u003e analyzers, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thermography\" title=\"Thermography\"\u003ethermographic\u003c\/a\u003e optics and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Image_intensifier\" title=\"Image intensifier\"\u003eimage intensifiers\u003c\/a\u003e gave greater visibility and battlefield awareness.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNewer versions of the original Mark II were designated:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMark IIB\u003c\/b\u003e, with thermal optics and unspecified updates to the fire control system.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMark IIC\u003c\/b\u003e, with more armor on the top of the turret to improve protection against attack from the air.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMark IID\u003c\/b\u003e, with modular composite armor on the chassis and turret, allowing rapid replacement of damaged armor.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 2015 the IDF had begun a plan to take the old models out of \u003cbr\u003estorage and repurpose them as heavy armored personnel carriers. Cannons,\u003cbr\u003e turrets, and spaces used to store tank shells inside the hull were \u003cbr\u003eremoved to create a personnel carrier that outperforms the lighter M113 \u003cbr\u003eAPC. Converting hundreds of Mark II chassis provides a low-cost way to \u003cbr\u003eupgrade support units' abilities to perform medical, logistical, and \u003cbr\u003erescue missions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy late 2016, the last conscripted brigade to operate Merkava 2 \u003cbr\u003ewas scheduled to transition to Merkava III and Merkava IV tanks for \u003cbr\u003ebattlefield missions, relegating the vehicles to reserve forces for \u003cbr\u003eborder patrols during conflicts and conversion to personnel carriers. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/www.most-models.com\/files\/thumbnails\/bmbt055-16.750x500x0.jpg\" jsaction=\"\" class=\"sFlh5c FyHeAf iPVvYb\" style=\"max-width: 750px; width: 557px; height: 371px; margin: 0px;\" alt=\"Border Model 1:35 Merkava Mk.2 Israel Full Interior Battle Tank\" jsname=\"kn3ccd\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/d37tikmwcb2tc.cloudfront.net\/plastic_models\/image\/Border_BT055_23.jpg\" jsaction=\"\" class=\"sFlh5c FyHeAf iPVvYb\" alt=\"Israel Merkava Mk.2 w\/ Full Interior \u0026amp; Workable Tracks - Border BT055 |  kingshobby.com\" jsname=\"kn3ccd\" style=\"max-width: 1440px; width: 557px; height: 348px; margin: 0px;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/www.most-models.com\/files\/thumbnails\/bmbt055-27.750x500x0.jpg\" jsaction=\"\" class=\"sFlh5c FyHeAf iPVvYb\" alt=\"Border Model 1:35 Merkava Mk.2 Israel Full Interior Battle Tank\" jsname=\"kn3ccd\" style=\"max-width: 750px; width: 557px; height: 371px; margin: 0px;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/d37tikmwcb2tc.cloudfront.net\/plastic_models\/image\/Border_BT055_19.jpg\" jsaction=\"\" class=\"sFlh5c FyHeAf iPVvYb\" alt=\"Israel Merkava Mk.2 w\/ Full Interior \u0026amp; Workable Tracks - Border BT055 |  kingshobby.com\" jsname=\"kn3ccd\" style=\"max-width: 1440px; width: 557px; height: 348px; margin: 0px;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"cc-m-14519406333\" class=\"j-module n j-hgrid \"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"cc-m-hgrid-column\" style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"cc-matrix-4221376333\"\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"cc-m-14519406433\" class=\"j-module n j-header \"\u003e\u003ch2 class=\"\" id=\"cc-m-header-14519406433\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"cc-m-14519414833\" class=\"j-module n j-spacing \"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"cc-m-spacer\" style=\"height: 20px;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"cc-m-14519413633\" class=\"j-module n j-gallery \"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"cc-m-gallery-container cc-m-gallery-cool clearover\" id=\"cc-m-gallery-14519413633\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"cc-m-gallery-cool-item\" id=\"gallery_thumb_9014760333\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"cc-m-14519973333\" class=\"j-module n j-spacing \"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"cc-m-spacer\" style=\"height: 20px;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Border Model","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57795569549696,"sku":"BT-055","price":73.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0978\/1601\/9328\/files\/BT-055.jpg?v=1775219776","url":"https:\/\/pienoismallimarketti.fi\/products\/israel-merkava-mk-2","provider":"Pienoismallimarketti","version":"1.0","type":"link"}