Magach

Magach 6B in the Yad La-Shiryon Armored Corps Memorial and Museum, Latrun.

Magach (מגח; Ma-GAKH) designation refers to a series of tanks in Israeli service. The tanks are based on the American M48 and M60 Patton tanks. Magach 1, 2, 3 and 5 are based upon M48 tanks; Magach 6 and 7 are based upon M60 tanks.

Service history

The tanks were sold to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) by West Germany and later the United States, during the 1960s and 1970s. Several dozen Jordanian M48 tanks, captured intact during the 1967 Six Day War, were also commissioned into service, adding to Israel's 150 already in service at that time. During the war, the Israeli tanks served in their original (American) configuration.

Following the 1967 war, several modifications were made to improve the tank to M48A3 level, resulting with the Magach 3. These modifications included replacement of the original 90 mm gun with the British 105 mm L7, lowering the command turret's profile, upgraded communication suite, and replacement of the flammable and weak gasoline engine with a 750 hp diesel one.

When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Israel had a total of 540 M48A3 (with 105mm gun) and M60A1 tanks.[1][2] During the war, the tanks suffered heavy losses. The location of flammable hydraulic fluid at the front of the turret was discovered to be a severe vulnerability. After the war Israel had only about 200 M48A3 and M60A1 tanks, after a large number of Israeli tanks were destroyed or terminally hit during the war, mostly in the Sinai front against entrenched Egyptian infantry armed with AT-3 Sagger anti tank missiles.[1] The war's losses were replaced with new M48A5 (Magach 5) and M60 (Magach 6) during the 1970s.

Prior to the 1982 invasion of Lebanon (1982 Lebanon War), Magach 6 tanks were fitted with explosive reactive armor (ERA). Further work has been done on the upgraded Magach 6 models, including new armor, Merkava-based tracks, new fire controls, a thermal sleeve for the gun and smoke dischargers, eventually resulting in the Magach 7 model which is still in use with the IDF.

Since the 1980s and 1990s, the Magachs are gradually replaced with Merkava tanks as Israel's front-line main battle tank. However, the large majority of the IDF's armored corps continued to consist of Magach variants until the 1990s, and the tank was continuously upgraded during this time.

By 2006, all Magachs in regular units have been replaced with the Merkava.

In July 2015, Israel officially unveiled the existence of the "Pereh", a version of the tank converted into a tank destroyer by being equipped with an anti-tank guided missile launch station. The original turret has been enlarged to install a launcher under armor for 12 "Tamuz" Spike NLOS missiles, which can destroy targets out to 25 km (16 mi). The front is fitted with a fake cannon to identify it as a standard tank, but it can be easily identified by a curved antenna mounted at the rear on the roof of the turret, which is erected in firing position; additional features include add-on frontal armor and stowage boxes on the turret sides. Pictures of the Pereh were first released during Operation Protective Edge in July 2014.[3]

Source of the name "Magach"

Contrary to a popular belief, "Magach" is not an abbreviation but a Hebrew word meaning "ramming hit".[4] However, as the word is very rarely used and is not known to many Hebrew speakers, several popular explanations of the name exist:

Versions

Magach 7C in Yad la-Shiryon museum, Latrun.

Magach should not be confused with Sabra series of upgrade packages (which appear especially similar to Magach 7 versions) for the M60A1/A3 which were developed for export to Turkey. Sabra includes upgrades similar to those of Magach 7, but an essential difference is that it is armed with the MG251 120 mm smooth-bore gun (the same as the Merkava 3).[5]

Operators

See also

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 "Patton Tanks in Israeli service", Vehicles, Israeli weapons.
    2. ↑ "Trade register", Arms trade, Sipri.
    3. ↑ Israel unveils officially existence of "Pereh" based on Magach tank but armed with anti-tank missile - Armyrecognition.com, 22 July 2015
    4. 1 2 3 Brezner 2008, pp. 23–25.
    5. ↑ "Sabra M60A3 Main Battle Tank Upgrade". Army Technology. 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2013-12-15.

    Bibliography

    External links

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