The Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD) is evaluating initial proposals from some local companies to decide what types of loitering weapon systems will be deployed on Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) Merkava 4 main battle tank. The operational requirements match the experience gathered from the extensive operation of this MBT in the ongoing war.
The idea to equip the MBT with advanced loitering weapon systems stems from the initial experience accumulated by the IDF’ armored corps during the fighting in the highly densely populated Gaza. In the fighting in such an urban area, the tank is more vulnerable to advanced anti-tank weapons.
The initial idea is to equip the tank with special loitering weapon systems that will enable the tank commander to “see beyond the building” and, immediately after, attack the enemy using direct fire by the tank’s gun or other supporting weapons that enables indirect attack such as a loitering weapon, or another drone launched by the tank (such as the Viper 300 or 750).
Tal Inbar, a senior defense analyst, said there is an urgent operational need to enhance the crew’s situational awareness, especially the tank commander’s field of view. “a loitering weapon system with an EO payload will allow the tank commander to locate hidden threats and destroy them in real-time. This is needed in very high priority.”
A number of Israeli defense companies, like Uvision, Elbit Systems, Spear UAV, BlueBirs UAS and Aeronautics, have developed advanced loitering weapon systems that are used by many countries, including the U.S. RAFAEL have already included Spear UAS’s Viper loitering weapons in their Samson 30 turret configuration displayed at the DSEI 202 exhibition.
The loitering weapon systems that will be carried by the MBT will have added capabilities to fulfill the triple task – improve situational awareness, detect and destroy the enemy.
Originally published Israel Pursues Loitering Weapons for Main Battle Tanks on by https://defense-update.com/20250504_loitering-weapons-on-merkava.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=loitering-weapons-on-merkava at Defense Update
Originally published Defense Update
