The heartbeat of war rumbles with the potential deployment of Israel’s mighty beasts of war, the Merkava tanks, in Ukraine.
Merkava: The battle titan ready to cross borders
Recent reports have suggested that Israel is exploring the export of its ferocious flagship, the Merkava main battle tank. However, the nations that could become the next pilots of these metallic creatures remain hidden in the shadow of intrigue.
Statements by Yair Kulas, head of the International Defense Cooperation Axis of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) —SIBAT—, give weight to these statements. He indicates that worldwide demand for these colossal war machines is on the rise, and some European nations are eager to get their hands on the wheel of these leviathans.
Could Germany be one of these countries thirsty for military might? Recent sources suggest that while Germany could be the buyer, Ukraine could be the final recipient of these fearsome behemoths.
The geopolitical background: Germany, Ukraine and the imposing Merkava
According to some sources, Berlin may be targeting surplus Merkava Mk2 and Mk3 models for later re-export to Ukraine. If this deal goes through, the tanks could be transferred quickly, with more than 1,000 models ready to go into action.
However, any export operations would be subject to the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, and the transfer or sale of the tanks to third parties is likely to be prohibited. However, Germany is already familiar with such operations, having authorized the transfer of Leopard 2 tanks from NATO partners to Ukraine.
Germany may be considering these moves to make good on its promise to supply some 100 Leopard 1 MBTs to Ukraine following the recent destruction of several Leopard 2s. In this military chess game, the stakes could be to avoid a repeat of a similar situation. that of Russia, which lost thousands of battle tanks.
Merkava: The fierce battle beast designed for supremacy
The Merkava, which means “chariot” in Biblical Hebrew, is a fighting machine conceived in response to the armored clashes of the Yom Kippur War and after the failure to purchase Chieftain tanks from the United Kingdom. Designed by IDF General Israel Tal, the Merkava is a combat platform like no other in the modern warfare arena.
Unorthodox in layout compared to contemporary Soviet and Western tanks, the Merkava Mk I has the engine located at the front of the crew compartment and the turret further back on the chassis, a configuration similar to some tank vehicles in infantry combat.
This formidable steel beast entered official service in 1979 and performed with fearsome prowess in the 1982 Lebanon war, annihilating Soviet-built Syrian T-72s in the Bekaa Valley.
The future of the battlefield: Will the Merkava be deployed in Ukraine?
With its impenetrable armor and deadly firepower, the Merkava could be a more capable addition to Kyiv’s forces than the Leopard 2, and definitely more so than the Leopard 1. The challenge, however, lies in whether the IDF will allow this Chariot to be deployed in a war against Moscow.
The outcome of this military chess game remains uncertain, but one thing is certain: the Merkava, with its intimidating abilities and destructive power, has the potential to turn the tide of any battle it engages in.
