I've been out of service and mostly out of country for years, so I'm not sure what I'm looking at there. BUT, I can tell you that Magach is the name for upgrades to the M60 Patton tanks, and certainly isn't all that new. In my time, they were based on M48 and M60 tanks. I hadn't read about any really new upgrades after the 90s - the Magach 7. The Merkava was already in use in my time (the 80s); but the venerable Patton/Magach was the most widely used tank in the IDF. Today, as far as I know, the Merkava is the mainly used tank, and Magachim would likely be used by reserves and maybe schools. Can you give us a link, please, for more info? I'm surprised if there is a significantly new version of the Magach, vs just some new additional doodads.
Those have been around since early 2013. http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?58508-Israel-Defense-Forces-(Read-First-Post!)&p=6692303&viewfull=1#post6692303
Your last photo shows the curved Spike NLOS antenna on an elevated (square-shaped) platform. The comm antenna itself is still in it's folded stowage position it that pic.
The tank carries 12 Spike NLOS missiles in an elevating box launcher.
i don't think the cannons are fake. the Israeli's are too good at doing stuff like removing turrets on modded vehicles to go to the bother of keeping a super structure that does nothing.
i'm betting that they do work and its all part of making the tank even more flexible.
If it's carrying that much secondary armament, then it's either going to be weak on the gun, on the armor, on the engine, or all 3. If they want to play with tactical missiles for armor support, why not create a dedicated turret for it?
Guys, keeping dummy barrel is quite traditional thing. It isn't because they couldn't(it's less than hour task), reason in disturbing of visual indentification. From long ranges(which are definetely possible on Holans) of with partially visible porfile this can be easily missidentified as Merkava. And such mistakes(and vise-versa) are very dangerous ones... for enemy.
Dummy guns on tanks is not new and is done to hide specialist tanks, command variants and flame vehicles. To be different on the battlefield is to draw attention, drawing attention draws fire, drawing fire means death.
The observation version of the German PzIII used a dummy cannon too. It was mounted a bit more to the right on the turret so the observer could look out the hole where the barrel should have been. :)
I'm not gonna get into any specifics about this MBT, but as has been noted by Mordechai, there's nothing new here. A couple of improvements made in terms of armor, fire control and tracks, as is quite obvious from pictures shown here. For tank buffs, check wikipedia or similar sites ...
This tank is fitted with a Spike NLOS launcher. This antenna is part of the guidance system.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magach
ReplyDeletenot really that new, the Magach series are upgraded m 48 or m 60 tanks, they are as old as the early sixties.
But boy do they know how to upgrade
I've been out of service and mostly out of country for years, so I'm not sure what I'm looking at there. BUT, I can tell you that Magach is the name for upgrades to the M60 Patton tanks, and certainly isn't all that new. In my time, they were based on M48 and M60 tanks. I hadn't read about any really new upgrades after the 90s - the Magach 7. The Merkava was already in use in my time (the 80s); but the venerable Patton/Magach was the most widely used tank in the IDF. Today, as far as I know, the Merkava is the mainly used tank, and Magachim would likely be used by reserves and maybe schools. Can you give us a link, please, for more info? I'm surprised if there is a significantly new version of the Magach, vs just some new additional doodads.
ReplyDeleteThose have been around since early 2013.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?58508-Israel-Defense-Forces-(Read-First-Post!)&p=6692303&viewfull=1#post6692303
Your last photo shows the curved Spike NLOS antenna on an elevated (square-shaped) platform. The comm antenna itself is still in it's folded stowage position it that pic.
ReplyDeleteThe tank carries 12 Spike NLOS missiles in an elevating box launcher.
They are definetely new, and de facto they aren't tanks - gun is dummy.
ReplyDeleteHeavy armoured antitank/ tactical strike complex...interesting vehicle.
Wouldn't be better to remove it then?
Deletei don't think the cannons are fake. the Israeli's are too good at doing stuff like removing turrets on modded vehicles to go to the bother of keeping a super structure that does nothing.
Deletei'm betting that they do work and its all part of making the tank even more flexible.
Yeah, just don't make any sense leaving a dummy cannon.
DeleteIf it's carrying that much secondary armament, then it's either going to be weak on the gun, on the armor, on the engine, or all 3. If they want to play with tactical missiles for armor support, why not create a dedicated turret for it?
Delete(sees fake bent barrel) Looks like they did.
DeleteGuys, keeping dummy barrel is quite traditional thing.
DeleteIt isn't because they couldn't(it's less than hour task), reason in disturbing of visual indentification.
From long ranges(which are definetely possible on Holans) of with partially visible porfile this can be easily missidentified as Merkava.
And such mistakes(and vise-versa) are very dangerous ones... for enemy.
LOL, I did not pickup on the bent (fake) barrel in the last photo.
ReplyDeleteGood Catch.
Dummy guns on tanks is not new and is done to hide specialist tanks, command variants and flame vehicles.
ReplyDeleteTo be different on the battlefield is to draw attention, drawing attention draws fire, drawing fire means death.
Well zebra, you have a point...
DeleteThe Sherman had a flame version with a dummy cannon, right?
The observation version of the German PzIII used a dummy cannon too. It was mounted a bit more to the right on the turret so the observer could look out the hole where the barrel should have been. :)
Deletebetter to replace it with a short gun or mortar...
ReplyDeleteI'm not gonna get into any specifics about this MBT, but as has been noted by Mordechai, there's nothing new here. A couple of improvements made in terms of armor, fire control and tracks, as is quite obvious from pictures shown here. For tank buffs, check wikipedia or similar sites ...
ReplyDelete