WT Forums

After 40 years in operational service, including three wars, the IDF will officialy depart from the British Centurion tank, more commonly known as the Shote or Whip.

During a final operation, IDF soldiers will run an excercise and celebration for the British tank. The Centurions arrived in the 1960's, and since then participated in all of Israel's wars. Although the IDF is officialy saying goodbyw now, the Shote hasn't been used by the IDF ever since the Merkava Mk III's were put into service. However, even after their retirement, the Centurions will remain in IDF emergency storage.

The Shote, with a 105mm cannon, and weighs over 50 tons, is not the only tank to be retired. With the coming of the Merkava Mk IV, the American M48/M60 Patton tanks are also due to be retired. the Patton tanks are known as "Magakh"s which stands for Merkavat Giborei Khayil, which, translated, means "Chariot of Heroes and Men of Valor"

<img src="http://images.maariv.co.il/images//news2/desk24120217.jpg" border=0>

The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. -General George Patton

Edited by - bigross86 on Dec 30 2002 07:53 AM

Doesn't the IDF also operate the M1A1 Abrams?

If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right!

As far as I'm aware of, the IDF doesn't use the M1 Abrams tank. I think it's beacuse now that Israel has an MBT of their own, the Merkava, they are trying to base their whole armor infrastructure on that. I also have a friend, an expert on IDF armor, who says the reason the IDF doesn't use the Abrams is because the Abrams is based upon plans for the Merkava. He says they modified the weapons control systems, the turret, and the tracks because of the different climates. He might sign up here and talk to you yourselves, but his English isn't that good.

The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. -General George Patton

the IDF donot use the M1 Abrams tank because is only some improvement of the Merkava in issue of automatic system or technical
system & the IDF prefer to save money in thet issue & to put it on safety of the fighting crew & make them more effective.
the IDF belives thet "the man is overpower the steel"

(i servd the IDF in variety of interesting chores)

Edited by - rich_y on Dec 30 2002 1:43 PM

Edited by - rich_y on Dec 30 2002 1:47 PM

Hey, Richy! Glad to see you finally made it.

The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. -General George Patton

Edited by - bigross86 on Dec 31 2002 06:36 AM

Welcome to the Forum, Rich! And thanks for the insight.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

King George II on Gen. James Wolfe: "Mad, is he? Then I wish he'd bite more of my other generals!"

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson