Merkava

The Merkava is a series of main battle tanks used by the Israel Defense Forces, with the current iteration being broadly equivalent to the capabilities of the M1 Abrams, Leopard 2, and Challenger 2. The tank was developed in the 1970s, with the first generation, the Merkava Mark 1, entering service in 1979. The Merkava was designed to provide maximum protection for its crew, with a unique layout featuring a front-mounted engine and a rear-mounted turret assembly. The tank has undergone several upgrades, with the Merkava Mark 4 Barak being the latest version, and has been used extensively in various conflicts, including the 1982 Lebanon War.learn more on wikipedia