New armored vehicles for the Israel Defense Forces.

On Sunday 11 March, the Israeli Defense Ministry announced the approval of a major upgrade of the army’s ground forces. The announcement focused of the purchase of hundreds of Eitan armored fighting vehicles and the development of a new cannon. Time has come for the IDF to phase out its old M113 APCs and replace them with Eitan AFVs.

Eitan Armored Fighting Vehicle (Picture source: IDF)

The Ministerial Committee on Security Affairs approved the plan to purchase hundreds of Eitan armored fighting vehicles developed by IAI, IMI and Rafael, and to develop a new cannon, the ministry said.

This ground forces upgrade is part of the five-year Gideon Plan designed to improve the army’s operational efficiency and its cost effectiveness.

Starting in 2020, the 8x8 Eitan AFVs will begin replacing the IDF’s current M113 APCs dating back to the Vietnam-war era. It combines technology from the Merkava tank and the Namer APC, but at a lower cost.

The Eitan has a weight from 30,000 to 35,000 kg and can carry a total of 12 fighters, including commander, driver and gunner. The vehicle will be fitted with a new generation of active protection system based on the Trophy Active Protection System developed by the Israeli defense company Rafael to counter RPG and modern anti-tank missile threats.
Brigadier General Baruch Matzliah, head of the Ministry’s Tank Production Office, said “The Eitan was developed from the experience of Israeli troop during the Israel-Gaza conflict 2014 and the Operation Protective Edge". "This new vehicle will join the fleet of Namer tracked armored vehicle personnel carrier to offer one of the most advanced, protected wheeled combat vehicle", he added.
The Eitan is motorized with a 750 horsepower engine and will be able to reach a 90 km/h road speed. The vehicle will be fitted with an unmanned turret armed with an automatic cannon of 30 or 40 mm.
The plan is namely a reaction to the lessons drawn from the 2014 Gaza war, and is intended to give troops greater speed and mobility. “We can now state that, within a decade, the IDF ground forces will undergo a dramatic upgrading of its capabilities,” Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said, noting that much of the technology would be developed and built in Israel, boosting the economy.