HAPC.

This is coolbert:

This was originally a mystery to me. Seen pictures of Israeli troops on maneuvers and did not recognize this particular combat vehicle. What was this "thing"?

A tank chassis with the turret yanked off. That is what it appeared to me.

That is EXACTLY WHAT IT IS!!

BUT MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

Called, in Israeli parlance, a heavy armored personnel carrier [HAPC].

Comes in two varieties, both based upon a tank chassis. A tank with the turret ripped off, modified, and built into an APC [armored personnel carrier]!

1. Achzarit.

"The Achzarit . . . is a heavily armored armored personnel carrier [HAPC] manufactured by the Israeli Defence Forces"

An armored personnel carrier, HEAVY, based upon the Soviet T-55 tank chassis. Captured Soviet T-55 tanks, having the turret ripped out, the body of the tank chassis modified to provide a personnel carrier providing superlative troop protection and cross-country mobility.

An APC well armored and able to carry a squad of infantry!! From that low-profile, I would not have thought so.

A new engine, interior space for troops, weapons stations having the latest electronics allowing for remote use [gunner inside the APC can fire the weapon without exposing himself], additional reactive armor, modifications made by the thrifty, resourceful, and ingenious Israeli, and voila', a captured Soviet T-55 tank is put to good use.

 

[please keep in mind that during the Six Day War of 1967, the Israeli captured INTACT entire battalions of Soviet T-55 tanks from the Egyptian. Tanks, again, ENTIRE BATTALIONS, abandoned by their crews and just left in the Sinai desert. These tanks, captured over FORTY YEARS ago now, still seeing service in a manner NEVER INTENDED, IN A NEW INCARNATION!! Remarkable!!]

2. Namera.

Here the latest and greatest Israeli HAPC. Namera. Based upon the chassis of the indigenous Merkava [chariot] tank. Providing for EVEN GREATER TROOP PROTECTION THAN THE ACHZARIT!! The engine of this particular APC is up front, not in the rear.

But still allowing for a commodious interior, or so it would seem, an entire squad being accommodated, to include driver, commander and gunner. NOT cramped and offended as I would have thought. And again, each APC having pretty good organic firepower, cross-country mobility, and lots of protection.

The interior of the Namera.

LOW-PROFILE IS THE KEY HERE!! THAT HAPC WOULD MAKE A HARD TARGET TO HIT ON THE BATTLEFIELD. AND USING A TANK CHASSIS FOR THE BASE OF THE APC ALLOWS FOR EVEN GREATER TROOP PROTECTION!!

In contrast, he U.S. Army M113, a mid-1950's APC design, allowed for protection against small-arms fire, and that was about it. Did provide for good cross-country mobility and could "swim", BUT WAS NOT AS ROBUST AND COULD NOT PROVIDE PROTECTION OF THE SAME MAGNITUDE AS THESE CURRENT ISRAELI HAPC!!

coolbert.