Merkava Mk III MBT (revision #1 MAV)
Israel's newest battle tank carries a locally developed 120mm smoothbore
cannon. The cannon fires rounds which are almost completely used up in the
firing process - there is no case to eject. The 60mm mortar is fired from
within the hull, without requiring the crew to expose themselves. Two
machine guns, the coaxial .5" and the commander's MAG, complete the weapon
fit. In locating the engine in the front of the tank (before the driver) IMI
provided additional protection to the crew and the crew compartment if further
equipped with flash fire suppression system. An environmental sensor is tied
into the fire-control computer providing data on weather conditions and cannon
barrel curving. A telephone is located in the rear of the tank, allowing
infantry units in combined operations to talk directly to the tank commander.
CraftID: Merkava Mk III MBT, TL8, MCr0.6
Hull: 3/6, Disp=2, Config=4USL+Turret, Armour=40C, Unloaded=52.3606 tons
Loaded=58.1256 tons
Power: 1/2, GasTurbine=1.8Mw, Dur=1/3
Loco: 1/2, P/W=24, GP=13, Speed=105 kph, Offroad=42 kph
Comm: Radio=Regional*3
Sensors: Headlight*2, AdvActiveIR, PassiveIR, LightAmp, ImageEnh
EnvironSensor, Telephone
Off: Hardpoint=1, Stabilized=80 kph
Pen/ Max Auto Dngr
Ammo Attn Dmg Range Tgts Spc Sig ROF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
12cm HV gun 62 - - Dist(22) - - M 7
HE - 19 16 - - 35 - -
HEAP - 37 12 - - - - -
KEAP - 34 12 - - - - -
KEAPER - 34 14 - - - - -
Flechette - 19 3 - - 150 - -
Illum - - - - - 90 - -
6cm mortar 20 - - Vlong(4) - - M 45
HE - 10 10 - - 20 - -
Illum - - - - - 45 - -
Smoke - - - - - - -
HMG(Coax) 1200 6/3 4 Vlong(5) 2 - H 40
LMG(Com) 3000 3/3 2 Vlong(2) 2 - H 40
Def: DefDM+2, Smoke*15
Control: Comp=0/bis, ElecLinked*4, Electronic Circuit Protection
Accom: Seats=4 (Commander, Gunner, Driver, Loader/Commo), basic env,
basic ls
Other: Fuel=2.88kl, FlashFireSuppression, ObjSize=Small, EmLevel=Moderate
Note: This is not exactly the Merkava. I abided by the rules and made the
ground pressure much higher than I would have liked - no way I could
stuff the armour and suspension and the weapon fit into the weight of
the real Merkava. I am now short some 3.5 tons from the real tank.
An additional problem is the ammunition for the main gun - removing
42 rounds allows the tank to carry 6 infantry - by the volume taken
by 42 rounds is not enough to carry 2 men... Oh well. Moreover, the
cannon uses special AT rounds which are not known to me and I have
no idea how to quantify them. This is (in any case) revision 1 of
the design. I will try some more to fit the design to reality later.