Israel Approves $1.5B plan to Expand Merkava Tank Production
The Israeli Ministry of Defense has approved a $1.5 billion program to increase the production of armored personnel carriers and tanks over the next five years, a move aimed at reinforcing the country’s ground forces after months of intense combat.
According to a statement from the ministry, the plan “will increase the armored vehicle inventory while boosting production rates of the Merkava Mk. 4 Barak tanks, Namer APCs, and Eitan wheeled APCs, including those equipped with a turreted 30mm cannon.”
The proposal underscores Israel’s reliance on domestically developed armored vehicles, which played a central role in the ground campaign that followed Hamas’s assault on October 7.
The ministry said that “these platforms have accumulated more than one million kilometers in [the] current operation,” pointing to the heavy deployment of the vehicles in urban combat and cross-border operations.
The Merkava Mk. 4 Barak, the latest variant of Israel’s main battle tank, features advanced sensors, digital networking, and active protection systems designed to defeat incoming threats such as rockets and guided missiles.
The Namer armored personnel carrier, built on a Merkava chassis, has been widely used to transport infantry under fire while maintaining high levels of protection.
The Eitan, Israel’s first eight-wheeled APC, adds greater mobility and flexibility, with the latest versions fitted with a remote-controlled turret armed with a 30mm cannon.
In recent months, these platforms have been deployed extensively across Gaza, where Israeli forces faced heavy resistance in dense urban terrain. Military officials have credited the armored fleet with reducing troop casualties while allowing ground units to sustain pressure during prolonged operations.
While the approval from the ministry sets the program in motion, the plan still requires a budgetary green light from the Knesset. Lawmakers are expected to review the funding allocation in the coming months as part of broader defense spending deliberations.