Top 7 Israeli Military Vehicles

Israel has been in intense combat since the day of its foundation. The need to survive, outrun and out gun our enemies has pushed the jewish state to create some of the most innovative vehicles and weapon systems in the world. 

Here are the top 7 most badass Israeli Military vehicles:

Panther

The Panther is the IDFs new multipurpose armored combat vehicle. It’s made for routine security missions in various sectors in and around Israel’s hostile borders.

The Panther’s is based on an Oshkosh truck and weighs in at 10 tons. It includes a spacious combat compartment, where 12 to 14 fighters can sit comfortably. The protection panels are designed to absorb light-weapon bullets, such as machine guns, up to 7.62x51 rounds. The ballistic protection can be further 

increased with additional armor. In the coming years, the IDF will produce about 100 panther vehicles for all sectors.

Sa'ar

(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

The Saar 6 is the Israeli Navy’s most advanced missile ship to date. It’s equipped with the latest operational systems and can defend Israel from incoming threats from Land, Air or Sea. The ship is built to be at sea 2000 hours a year for 30 years.

It’s dedicated to protecting Israel’s natural gas reserves which have been targeted by the Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist organizations over the past few years.

The Saar 6 is equipped with shore to shore defense systems including the Naval dome, the iron dome of the sea. It’s also able to carry and serve as a launch pad for helicopters that weigh about 23000 pounds.

Mercava

After hundreds of Syriain tanks nearly overran Israel's Golan heights in the 1973 yom kippur war, Israel realized they needed to create a super tank in order to properly defend the northern front. The merkava tank was born. 

The Merkava 4 features an improved 120 millimeter smoothbore gun developed by Israel military industries. This gun is designed to sustain high pressure generating higher muzzle velocity. Ten rounds are stored in an electronically operated revolving magazine and are ready to fire at any time. 

The tank is fitted with the combat proven Trophy active protection system, which destroys any incoming rockets or anti tank missiles in their tracks making it extremely difficult to damage or destroy. The Merkava 4 is considered to be one of the best tanks in the world.

Guardium UGV

The Guardium is an Unmanned Ground Vehicle. It employs an autonomous system which can be operated from a command center to carry out routine patrols and quickly respond to evolving emergencies.

The vehicle itself has a wide range of capabilities, allowing it to operate on a variety of missions. The design is modular, allowing for the placement of different observation or mission packages based on the task at hand.

It is equipped with an automated tactical positioning system and can operate autonomously on and off road, at speeds up to 80 km/h. The vehicle can carry a payload of up to 300 kg, including a light armor shield to protect vital systems.

Namer

The Namer Is an armored personnel carrier based on a Merkava Mark IV tank chassis. They are more heavily armored than the Merkava 4 and according to the IDF they are the most heavily armored vehicle in the world. The Namer was designed for survivability and rapid repair and features modular armor. 

The APC is armed with either a M2 Browning Machine gun or an MK19 Grenade Launcher that’s mounted on a Samson remote controlled weapon station as well as a 7.62 machine gun, making it a force to be reckoned with. The Namer performed outstandingly in 2014’s Operation Protective Edge in Gaza.

Eitan

The Eitan is an 8x8 wheeled  armored fighting vehicle developed to replace the IDFs outdated M113 APCs. It can carry up to 9 combat soldiers and weighs around 40 tons. It has a remote control weapon station with a 12.7mm machine gun and a 7.62x51mm machine gun mounted on the commander's cupola. 

In the past, Israel has preferred tracked vehicles for their APCs but thanks to modern automotive technologies, today, wheeled vehicle mobility performs nearly as well as tracked vehicles.  It is expected that the first Eitan will enter service in the IDF by the beginning of 2022.

Lavi

The IAI Lavi was a single-engine fourth-generation multirole jet fighter developed in Israel during the 1980s. It was designed to conduct high-speed penetration and first-pass bombing missions while maintaining a high level of maneuverability and survivability.

It had numerous similarities to the American F-16 fighter,  in terms of external appearance having a similar configuration and several shared design features while being a slightly smaller aircraft. It was envisioned that the Lavi's lifecycle costs would be significantly under those of the F-16.

Efforts were also made to achieve a lower procurement cost as well. The decision to develop the Lavi was controversial, both with the Israeli public, due to the enormous associated costs, and particularly with the U.S. government due to competition with the American made F16 on the export market.

The Israeli cabinet's late-stage cancellation of the program in 1987 continues to arouse controversy and bitterness in Israel until today. Some in the Israeli defense industry hold the opinion that if the project had not been cancelled the IAF "would be operating the world's most advanced fighter jet”.

Do you agree with our list? Let us know in the comments which other Israeli military vehicles you think should have made it.