'RPG penetrated IDF tank in Gaza Strip'_(merkave 3 not 4 w reac armor/shield)

j post ^ | December 13, 2007 | jpost staff

[Flavius]

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have managed to penetrate an IDF Merkava tank using a missile and the army is now checking if double headed anti-tank missiles have made their way to Gaza, Channel 10 reported Wednesday.

IDF tanks in northern Gaza on Wednesday. Photo: AP According to the report, the missile was fired at an IDF tank on Tuesday and its jet stream passed between the tank's soldiers, who subsequently suffered from smoke inhalation.

Details released by the IDF about the incident on Tuesday said that four soldiers had inhaled smoke and suffered minor bruises, but had not stated that the RPG had actually managed to penetrate the tank.

[gura]

Isn’t the proper tactical solution in this scenario lots of artillery to suppress the enemy missile teams?

[Flavius]

If you can get past the border chartists, well wishers, good doers, dreamers and politicians.

Good luck with all that...

[Chode]

ummm... as far as i know, ya don't get smoke or injuries inside without first you breach the hull.

[null and void]

Ummmmmm, I think that’s why the word ‘penetrated’ was used in the title...

[mountainlyons]

So was it a rocket or a RPG?

[Joe 6-pack]

"Isn’t the proper tactical solution in this scenario lots of artillery to suppress the enemy missile teams?" The old SA-3 Sagger was the Eastern Bloc's ATGM of choice for decades...roughly analogous to our TOW, it was wire guided and needed to be flown to the target. Main gun, automatic weapon, and indirect fire, coupled with evasive maneuvering were found to be reasonably effective countermeasures by the Israelis in '73. At that time, AFAIK, no RPG warhead had been developed that could defeat the armor of most heavy MBTs (although they could certainly blow a track and achieve a mobility kill).

As I understand it, the shaped charge, chemical energy penetrators for the RPGs are a relatively recent development. Since they are essentially a "point and shoot" weapon used at much more limited ranges than a TOW or other ATGM, the traditional countermeasures are generally ineffective.

In heavily urbanized areas, tanks are also highly vulnerable to attacks on the top armor, which is generally a lot thinner than front slope or flank armor...

[Chode]

Details released by the IDF about the incident on Tuesday said that four soldiers had inhaled smoke and suffered minor bruises, but had not stated that the RPG had actually managed to penetrate the tank.

[Flavius]

everything is pointing to the RPG most likely this

A conventional RPG-7 is incapable of knocking out the Merkava tank. Parchin Missile Industries in Iran however manufactures a tandem heat warhead version of the RPG-7 which is able to stop a Merkava.

[null and void]

Ah. Silly me.

[Iron Munro]

US intelligence is trying to identify the source of these rockets and other weapons used by Hamas.

.

[ApplegateRanch]

four soldiers had inhaled smoke and suffered minor bruises,

So, when the Palis "succeed", it is still a failure? Sounds about right.

Show the Israeli troops you care!

[Chode]

NoProb... i had to read it a couple times as it's worded weird.

[Squantos]

I hate it when that happens........:o)

[IGOTMINE]

RPG 29

[mountainlyons]

A regular RPG of Viet Nam era can make your ears ring for months. I would hate to be in a confined space when it went off.

[caisson71]

Parchin sounds like a good target to me - one Cruise Missle down the stack and one through the front door.

[QQQQ]

My ears are ringing from 1982(Lebanon).25 years.

[null and void]

Fortunately, I have plenty of practice...

[Squantos]

LOL.....Me as well.......:o)

Stay safe !!