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Merkava
Photo: Source: Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson UnitDerivative: User:MathKnight · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Merkava

Tanks · Israel · 1978
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Merkava

Merkava
Merkava Photo: Source: Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson UnitDerivative: User:MathKnight · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
* Absolute score — assessed within category · no era adjustment
Firepower
85
Protection
88
Mobility
75
Technology
80
Reliability
70
Crew Survivability
90
Operational Range
70
Logistics
65
Historical Performance
85
Strategic Impact
80
Origin Israel
ManufacturerGeneral Dynamics, Elbit Systems Ltd., Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, IMI Systems, Technology and Maintenance Corps, Israel Military Industries
CategoryTanks
EraCold War
In service1978
Operators3 countries
Quantity250
Data Quality87%
MASS(Military Archive Scoring System)
81
Tanks MASS Rating
2/89
Cold War
9/563
All-Time
Tanks · 10 axes scored
Firepower
85
Protection
88
Mobility
75
Technology
80
Reliability
70
Crew Survivability
90
Operational Range
70
Logistics
65
Historical Performance
85
Strategic Impact
80
ⓘ Regardless of era, the same scoring system applies to all units in the tanks category.
01 / Overview
Merkava
Category
Country
Production
1978–
Quantity
250
Unit Price (current)
$13.6M↗ 36% inflation · 2014→2025
Original Price
$10.0M (2014)
Operators
Conflicts
💰 PERFORMANCE / PRICE ASSESSMENT Methodology ↗
TANKS · COLD WAR
2
PERFORMANCE/PRICE
75
UNIT COST (2025 USD)
$13.6M
Original: $10.0M (2014)
Inflation: +%36
81
tanks category
ⓘ Performance/Price and MASS score are computed across all units in the tanks category, regardless of era.
02 / Specs & Design
◎General5MOD.5
◈Firepower12MOD.12
  • Main Gun Calibre120 mm
  • Main Gun TypeSmoothbore
  • Main Gun Length (Calibres)44
  • Muzzle Velocity (Max)1,750 m/s
  • Effective Range (Main Gun)4,000 m
  • Ammunition Stowage48
  • Can Fire APFSDSYes
  • Can Fire HEATYes
  • Can Fire HE-FragYes
  • Can Fire ATGMYes
  • Coaxial / Secondary MG Count1
  • Auxiliary Armament1× 12.7mm, 2× 7.62mm MG, internal 60mm mortar; Trophy APS; front engine
▣Protection5MOD.5
◇Mobility8MOD.8
  • Engine Power1,500 hp
  • Power-to-Weight Ratio23 hp/t
  • Fuel TypeDiesel
  • Transmission TypeHydromechanical
  • Suspension TypeCoil Spring
  • Max Road Speed64 km/h
  • Max Off-Road Speed55 km/h
  • Operational Range (Road)500 km
◆Dimensions5MOD.5
  • Length (Hull)7.6 m
  • Length (Overall, Gun Forward)9.04 m
  • Width3.72 m
  • Height2.66 m
  • Ground Clearance0.53 m
▲Production & Service3MOD.3
  • Total Production Units2,000
  • Current Service StatusActive Service
  • Notable Variants Count4
03 / History
SERVICE LIFESPANStill in Service
  1. 1945First deployment: Cold War
  2. 1978Production started
  3. 2023Sale: Cyprus
48
years in service
250
units produced
3
countries operating
ⓘ The producing country still actively operates it.
04 / Conflicts
MERKAVA · CONFLICTS SERVED IN0% win
Total Conflicts
4
Victories
0
Ongoing
0
Losses
0
ⓘ Shown only from conflicts recorded in our database.
05 / Variants
▚ WEAPON FAMILY
Merkava 1978
// DERIVATIVES
06 / Operators
MerkavaSALES2records
YearBuyerQuantityAmountPresent Value (2025)
2023Cyprus———
—Philippines1——
ⓘ "Present Value" is an estimated amount adjusted for inflation.
📖 TERMS ON THIS PAGE19terms
Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot: a type of kinetic energy penetrator ammunition.
Active Protection System. A defensive system that detects and intercepts anti-tank threats.
Anti-Tank Guided Missile: a missile designed to destroy tanks.
A Battle Management System (BMS) is a command‑and‑control software suite that gathers, processes, and shares battlefield data to provide situational awareness and coordinate the actions of military units.
Coil spring: a helical metal spring used in vehicle suspension to absorb shocks and maintain wheel contact, compressing under load.
Armour made from multiple materials, such as metals and ceramics, to increase effectiveness.
Type of internal combustion engine fuel, refined from crude oil.
Fire control systems using digital data buses to link components, enabling sensor fusion and integration with battlefield networks.
High-Explosive Fragmentation: ammunition that explodes on impact, releasing fragments.
High-Explosive Anti-Tank: a type of projectile that uses a shaped charge to penetrate armor.
Hydromechanical transmission combines hydraulic fluid power with mechanical gear components to transmit engine power to a tank's tracks.
Optical device that uses laser pulses to measure the distance to a target with high precision.
A main battle tank is a heavily armored vehicle with a large caliber gun, used for front-line combat.
Nuclear, Biological, Chemical protection for tank crews.
Enhanced low-light visibility through specialized optics or sensors.
Handheld or vehicle-mounted devices that release dense smoke to obscure vision, conceal movements, or screen friendly forces from enemy observation.
A smoothbore gun is a firearm with an unrifled barrel, allowing projectiles to travel without spin; it is commonly used in modern tank main guns for firing fin‑stabilized ammunition.
Thermal sights are infrared imaging devices mounted on a tank's gunner station that detect heat emitted by objects, enabling target identification and aiming in low‑visibility conditions.
These terms are listed automatically because they appear on this page.full encyclopedia →
📚 Sources
📖 ENCYCLOPEDIA Browse the Tanks entry →