±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 227
Total: 227
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Downloads
02: Home
03: Home
04: Community Forums
05: Community Forums
06: Downloads
07: Community Forums
08: Community Forums
09: Community Forums
10: Home
11: Home
12: Home
13: Photo Gallery
14: Downloads
15: Community Forums
16: News Archive
17: Community Forums
18: Community Forums
19: Community Forums
20: Member Screenshots
21: Photo Gallery
22: Community Forums
23: Home
24: Community Forums
25: Community Forums
26: Home
27: Home
28: Home
29: Home
30: Photo Gallery
31: Your Account
32: Community Forums
33: Community Forums
34: Community Forums
35: Community Forums
36: Community Forums
37: Community Forums
38: Community Forums
39: Home
40: Home
41: Your Account
42: Downloads
43: Community Forums
44: Home
45: Community Forums
46: Community Forums
47: Community Forums
48: Community Forums
49: Home
50: Community Forums
51: Home
52: Community Forums
53: Community Forums
54: Community Forums
55: Home
56: Community Forums
57: News
58: Community Forums
59: Community Forums
60: Statistics
61: Home
62: Home
63: News Archive
64: Home
65: Home
66: Community Forums
67: Community Forums
68: Community Forums
69: Community Forums
70: Community Forums
71: Community Forums
72: Community Forums
73: Community Forums
74: Community Forums
75: Home
76: Member Screenshots
77: Member Screenshots
78: Home
79: Community Forums
80: Community Forums
81: Community Forums
82: Community Forums
83: Home
84: Home
85: Community Forums
86: Community Forums
87: Home
88: Community Forums
89: Home
90: Home
91: News Archive
92: Home
93: Community Forums
94: Community Forums
95: Member Screenshots
96: Community Forums
97: Community Forums
98: Community Forums
99: Community Forums
100: Community Forums
101: Community Forums
102: Community Forums
103: Community Forums
104: Community Forums
105: Home
106: Home
107: Community Forums
108: Community Forums
109: News Archive
110: Community Forums
111: Community Forums
112: Community Forums
113: Community Forums
114: News Archive
115: Home
116: Community Forums
117: Home
118: Community Forums
119: Community Forums
120: Community Forums
121: Community Forums
122: Community Forums
123: News Archive
124: Home
125: Community Forums
126: Community Forums
127: Home
128: Community Forums
129: Photo Gallery
130: Community Forums
131: Community Forums
132: Community Forums
133: Community Forums
134: Home
135: Home
136: Community Forums
137: Community Forums
138: Community Forums
139: News
140: Search
141: Home
142: Community Forums
143: Your Account
144: Community Forums
145: Community Forums
146: Community Forums
147: Community Forums
148: Home
149: Home
150: Home
151: Home
152: Home
153: Home
154: Home
155: Community Forums
156: Community Forums
157: Community Forums
158: Community Forums
159: Community Forums
160: Community Forums
161: Community Forums
162: Your Account
163: Community Forums
164: Community Forums
165: Community Forums
166: Downloads
167: Home
168: Home
169: Community Forums
170: Home
171: News
172: Home
173: Home
174: Member Screenshots
175: Community Forums
176: Community Forums
177: Community Forums
178: Community Forums
179: Community Forums
180: News Archive
181: Photo Gallery
182: Photo Gallery
183: Community Forums
184: Home
185: Photo Gallery
186: Community Forums
187: Home
188: Community Forums
189: Community Forums
190: Community Forums
191: Community Forums
192: Photo Gallery
193: Community Forums
194: Community Forums
195: Photo Gallery
196: News Archive
197: Community Forums
198: Home
199: News Archive
200: Community Forums
201: Community Forums
202: Home
203: Home
204: Community Forums
205: Home
206: Community Forums
207: Community Forums
208: Community Forums
209: Community Forums
210: Community Forums
211: Community Forums
212: Community Forums
213: Community Forums
214: Community Forums
215: Home
216: Community Forums
217: Home
218: Member Screenshots
219: Home
220: Downloads
221: Community Forums
222: Community Forums
223: News
224: Community Forums
225: Photo Gallery
226: Home
227: Community Forums

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
Machine Gun armament on Merkava II
The AFV ASSOCIATION was formed in 1964 to support the thoughts and research of all those interested in Armored Fighting Vehicles and related topics, such as AFV drawings. The emphasis has always been on sharing information and communicating with other members of similar interests; e.g. German armor, Japanese AFVs, or whatever.
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Dirk
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 115
Location: South Africa
PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 2:38 pm
Post subject: Machine Gun armament on Merkava II

Any idea so to why the Merkava II has three machine guns topside (This excluding co-axial MG).

From what I can gather one MG is mounted for the TC and Loader (7.62mm ?) and a 12.7mm MG mounted on the main gun.

Is this due to the SOP of IDF forces - close infantry support or just the nature of the environment , eg. urban terrian ?

IIRC other current tanks - M1 , Leo II etc. has at most two MGs .

Thanks in advance

Dirk
Back to top
View user's profile
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 3:49 pm
Post subject: Re: Machine Gun armament on Merkava II

Probably both...the IDF would seem to have made standard what other militaries have improvised when the operational conditions called for less main gun use, and more MG engagements. It was typical to see additional MG's mounted on U.S. tanks and other armored vehicles in Vietnam, regardless of doctrine...many of these being either hard mounted, or merely placed on the vehicle and using the infantry bi-pod.
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Sabot
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 380
Location: Kentucky
PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 4:07 pm
Post subject: Re: Machine Gun armament on Merkava II

The external .50 cal machine gun on top of the main gun is linked to the fire control system and can be fired by electrical actuation under armor. The IDF realized that the .50 cal is more effective in urban warfare.

Most modern MBTs included two machine guns due to the increased threat of attack helicopter aerial weaponry.

_________________
RobG
Back to top
View user's profile AIM Address
Jinx
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 186
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 5:52 pm
Post subject: Re: Machine Gun armament on Merkava II

I remember seeing a photo or an illustration of an Israeli Sho't (Centurion) with a 12.7 mm machine gun mounted above the main armament. So this seems to have been common practice with IDF tanks.
Back to top
View user's profile
Dirk
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 115
Location: South Africa
PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:21 pm
Post subject: Re: Machine Gun armament on Merkava II

Thanks for great info - very highly appreciated

Dirk
Back to top
View user's profile
mike_Duplessis
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 236

PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:43 pm
Post subject: Re: Machine Gun armament on Merkava II

I was under the impression the .50 cal over the gun was used like a spotting rifle for quick-draw engagements. At ranges under 800m(?) .50 cal and 105mm trajectories would pretty much match. The commander, without the gunner's aid, would be able to walk a stream of .50 cal rounds up to the target then fire the main gun himself. in worst-of-worst case scenarios a tank crew could drop all the way to two people. The driver and a VERY overworked commander/gunner/loader doing all the work out of the commander's station.
Back to top
View user's profile
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 6 Hours



Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum