Image source: topwar.ru
The Israeli Defense Ministry has officially presented the new Merkava Barak MBT, which is positioned as a "fifth generation tank".
According to the military department, the first units were delivered to the 52nd armored battalion of the 401st Brigade after five years of development.
The Barak tank is the result of joint efforts of several Israeli defense companies, such as Elbit Systems, Rafael and Elta, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries. The tank is equipped with sensors that provide target detection and are part of an integrated system that allows the exchange of intelligence information in real time between the tank and other military units, foreshadowing what the IDF calls "a real revolution on the battlefield."
Barak is a further upgrade of Merkava IV, which uses advances in armor protection and digital warfare. From the point of view of design, the new modification largely repeats its predecessor: the driver's seat is located on the left side of the body, the tower is in its rear part, and the engine is in front. The tank is operated by a crew of 4 people, which includes a driver, commander, gunner and loader.
As for firepower, the Merkava V retains the same armament configuration as the Merkava IV: a 120 mm smoothbore cannon from Israel Military Industries with the ability to fire at a distance of up to 4 km with high penetration projectiles and guided ammunition. Additional armament includes a 7.62 mm twin machine gun, another 7.62 mm machine gun mounted on the right side of the turret, and a 60 mm mortar with a breech placed inside.
One of the features of the Barak tank is a high-tech helmet developed by Elbit Systems and called IronVision. It provides a 360-degree view of the battlefield for the tank commander with AI recognition and digital marking of targets.
The Barak tank is also equipped with an advanced Windbreaker missile defense system developed by Rafael. This system is capable of detecting approaching ATGMs and causing them to detonate away from the tank. The firepower of the MBT has also been improved. The fire control system, also developed by Elbit, allows for "precise attacks at idle and in motion" both day and night.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stressed the symbolic date of the tank's presentation: Israel is celebrating 50 years since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He stated that the Barak tank represents an "extraordinary leap forward" in the capabilities of the armored corps and will "constantly guarantee the qualitative advantage of the IDF, both in defense and in attack."
