Israel armored personnel carrier has more armor than Merkava Tank

Israel designs its tanks and armored carriers with a high focus on soldier survivability. Namer is an Israeli armored personnel carrier based on a Merkava tank chassis. They weigh 60 tons. They have a crew of 3 and can carry 12 soldiers. Top speed is 40 mph and it has a range of 310 miles.

The US armored personnel carriers are typically 13 to 27 tons (M113, Stryker, Bradley fighting vehicle).

Namer has been designed for survivability and rapid repair, with modular armor, V-shaped belly armor pack, and NBC protection.

According to Brigadier general Yaron Livnat, they are more heavily armored than the Merkava IV: “The weight saved by eliminating the turret was ‘reinvested’ in beefing up the armor.”

From 2015 onwards, it is planned for them to begin to be equipped with a Trophy active protection system. The Trophy system is an automatic shotgun like system that can defeat rocket propelled grenades.

Armament

Namer is armed with either a M2 Browning machine gun or a Mk 19 grenade launcher mounted on a Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station, a 7.62 mm (FN MAG) machine gun, a 60 mm mortar. Smoke grenade launchers are also carried. Mounting an external remote controlled 30-mm autocannon and Spike anti-tank guided missiles is also being considered.

Capabilities

Namer is capable of maneuvering in difficult terrain, powered by the Teledyne Continental AVDS-1790-9AR 1,200 hp (895 kW) V12 air-cooled diesel engine of the Merkava Mark III. Namer is able to carry up to 12 troops (crewmen and fully equipped infantrymen) and one stretcher, or two stretchers and medical equipment on a Namerbulance MEDEVAC version. The original Merkava Mark IV rear entrance was redesigned to be a wider door ramp with a sniper port. Two hatches are fitted on the roof, which is higher than Merkava’s hull roof. Namer also shares a digital battlefield management system with Merkava Mark IV.

Namers took part in Operation Protective Edge. During the fighting, Namers (which are currently not fitted with an Active Protection System) were hit multiple times by RPGs and ATGMs, including suffering direct hits by Kornet ATGMs, but the vehicles emerged undamaged and in no instances was the armor penetrated or injuries caused. As a result of its success on the battlefield, there were calls for the number of vehicles to be increased (beyond the 170 on order), and for them to begin to replace a number of the M113s currently fielded in combat unit.

The US tested the Namer in 2012. Buying Namers would save $9 billion for the Ground Combat Vehicle program. However, the US army claimed that some requirements for the GCV would not be met with significant redesign.

SOURCE – Wikipedia, DODbuzz