I other aspects: Hey, stop arguing about Merkevas (Merk'a'vas?) over there... the Leopard II is a full fletched Main Battle Tank (MBT) while the other Bucket (avoiding mispelling it twice) is a hybrid between a medium sized tank and an APC. Both have different designs, tasks, field of operations. The reason the Leopard II is considered the World's Best MBT (!) is due to the fact that it outperforms other MBTs such as the US M1, British, French and Russian equivalents in the areas of relative Speed and Manouverability, Armour and Weaponry, as well as in terms of reliability on the (northern hemisphere) Battlefields- which accounts for most of the planet's land mass...
The "M.-tank" is customized to its immediate environment, purposebuilt for the role it has been designed to perform eversince the Israelies realised they needed a medium sized, versatile, customizable battlevehicle to defend themselves from Arab attacks- note that both the position of the turret (earlier versions saw the turret a bit more backwards on the tank's main body) as well as the shape of the frontal armor have been aimed at for the hilly terrain of the Palestine and Sinai (and NOT, as some people have claimed in other threads, to fight in street wars). A tank has always been a sitting duck in populated areas and will remain so since visibility and operative actions are fairly limited in such environments...
Who are you bull****ting exactly?
The Merkava is no "hybrid" it is a fully sized and armored MBT!
Let's examine further:
the Leopard II is a full fletched Main Battle Tank (MBT) while the other Bucket (avoiding mispelling it twice) is a hybrid between a medium sized tank and an APC
Nonsense. The Merkava is a fully sized, 65 tons weighting, modularily armored,
MBT.
Both have different designs, tasks, field of operations. The reason the Leopard II is considered the World's Best MBT (!) is due to the fact that it outperforms other MBTs such as the US M1, British, French and Russian equivalents in the areas of relative Speed
Field of operations? Yeah you are right.
The Merkava is fully operational for both Urban areas and cross country long range fighting.
As for Speed, the Merkava has a 1,500 hp engine that gives it superior speed, about the same, if not better, as the Leopard 2 and the M1A2.
Nonsense. The Merkava has state-of-the-art suspensions designed to meet with one of the worlds toughest battlefields - the basalt rocks filled Golan Heights.
As a matter of fact, the Merkava tank is the
only tank with the ability to fastly drive on these hard magma-made rocks without falling apart.
It is also designed to be
fully operational in the snow of the Hermona and the Desert of the Negev.
Whatever you bring on it, Steppe or Mountains, it will take it.
The only advantage the Leopard latest model has here is the L/55 caliber Main gun.
Yet, it has no Anti Helo capable fire control, no guided missiles that require no line of sight for the firing tank and no turret protection on the above.
The Merkava is the
only tank with full 360 degrees, top and above turret protection.
as well as in terms of reliability on the (northern hemisphere) Battlefields- which accounts for most of the planet's land mass...
If the Merkava can take on the Snow of the Hermon, the boulders and basalt rocks of the Golan Heights and the steaming heat of the Desert there is no reason it will perform extraordinarily well on the northern hemisphere and the European/Russian environment.
As a matter of fact, it should preform better than other tanks because It's suspensions allow it faster speeds at mountainous and cross country than other tanks.
The "M.-tank" is customized to its immediate environment
And what environment is that?
The Israeli/Syrian environment would cover for:
1. Basalt rocks, boulders
2. Snow
3. Desert
4. Steppe / Plains
6. Wasteland / Mountainous desert
7. Urban
purposebuilt for the role it has been designed to perform eversince the Israelies realised they needed a medium sized, versatile, customizable battlevehicle to defend themselves from Arab attacks
HUH?!?!?
The Israelis realized that due to the small number of their population and the small number of their forces they need an Uber-tank that will give them a qualititive advantage over the Egyptians M1's or the Syrian T-72's and perhaps in the future T-90's.
Where do you get the Mid-sized crap from?
The Merkava is just as big and heavy as any other MBT.
Anyway, the Merkava is built to sustain any type of attack. From attack on the top, to attack on the back, to attack on the front to attack on the side.
From ATGW and ATGM's to Silver Cartridges supplied to Egypt by USA.
note that both the position of the turret (earlier versions saw the turret a bit more backwards on the tank's main body) as well as the shape of the frontal armor have been aimed at for the hilly terrain of the Palestine and Sinai (and NOT, as some people have claimed in other threads, to fight in street wars).
What the fudge are you talking about?
The tank is designed for
everything. From Snow and basalt rocks to "urban" areas fightings, and it have proved itself on both, tests and real time.
And, for your info, the Merkava is more designed for the Golan heights than the Sinai in mind because Peace with Egypt has been achieved already.
Anyhow, it performs extraordinarily well on both.
A tank has always been a sitting duck in populated areas and will remain so since visibility and operative actions are fairly limited in such environments...
True. And the Merkava has proved itself in such.
One Merkava mk. 3 sustained 20 ATGW's when only one penetrated the (former generation) armor in a sharp angle and only killed the crew memeber with his head outside the hatch.
Anyway, look at the armour design of the Turret of the Merkava Mk. 4. It is the ONLY tank in the world with full turret protection even against missiles that strike the tank from above, and a crew member has double-defense on the hatch to avoid casualties.
The Merkava Mk. 4 is equipped with better missiles, better fire control, more advnaced sight systems than any other tanks.
The only category the Leopard has an advantage is the L/55 caliber gun, but even that can be eliminated with better firecontrol and guided long-battelfield-range (5KM) missiles that hit a tank from Above.
The weapon the Merkava uses immitates the Hellfire by hitting a tank in it's softest spot - the top.
If you have time read this article:
http://knox-www.army.mil/center/ocoa/ArmorMag/mj00/3merkava00.pdf
... I do models when I am back home. At the moment I am at university (and 2000 kilometers from it) so I went to the ROCO and REVELL sites to look for some pics for U...
is customized to its immediate environment, purposebuilt for the role it has been designed to perform eversince the Israelies realised they needed a medium sized, versatile, customizable battle vehicle to defend themselves from Arab attacks- note that both the position of the turret (earlier versions saw the turret a bit more backwards on the tank's main body) as well as the shape of the frontal armor have been aimed at for the hilly terrain of Palestine and the Sinai (and NOT, as some people have claimed in other threads, to fight in street wars). A tank has always been a sitting duck in populated areas and will remain so since visibility and operative actions are fairly limited in such environments...
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