Hamas Destroys Israel's World's Greatest Tank, Copying Ukrainian Tactics and Using Russian Rockets
The world's best tank, Israel's Merkava Mk4, was destroyed in an attack launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Photo/Gagadget
JERUSALEM - The world's best tank, Israel's Merkava Mk4, was destroyed in an attack by Hamas on October 7 2023. The Merkava Mk4 tank was destroyed after being hit by a Soviet-era PG-7VR rocket dropped from a drone.
In video footage circulating on social media, the Israeli Merkava Mk4 tank was destroyed as a result of a bomb attack dropped from above by a drone. This video caught the attention of experts in the military industry, for various reasons.
First, this war tactic, rocket attacks or bombs dropped by drones was first used by the Ukrainian armed forces against advanced Russian armored vehicles and tanks. The effectiveness of the attack used by Ukrainian troops was apparently imitated by Hamas to destroy the Merkava KM4 tank belonging to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“The Al Qassam (Hamas) Brigade destroyed a Merkava Mk4, with drone-dropped PG-7VR tandem RPG HEAT projectiles, easily penetrating armor from above,” wrote Caliber Obscura, Weapons Research & Analysis from Around the World, with a focus on the Middle East, in X's (formerly Twitter) account was quotedSINDOnews from the Bulgarian Military page, Sunday (8/10/2023).
Second, this attack used a Soviet-era rocket, namely the PG-7VR, which was dropped from the air using a drone. Usually the PG-7VR anti-tank rocket is fired using a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) from the ground with an effective distance of 200 meters.
Third, the Merkava Mk4 tank, which has been known as one of the best tanks in the world and is difficult for various weapons to penetrate, can actually be destroyed. The Merkava IV (Mk 4) tank was put into service about 20 years ago, in 2010 it was named the best tank in the world by the analytical agency Forecast International.
Even the Merkava Mk4 tank in 2006, received (equipped) the Trophy active defense system for better protection. The main function of the APS Trophy is to protect tanks from various threats such as anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), anti-tank rockets and high-explosive anti-tank shells (HEAT).
However, the fact is that on the ground the Merkava Mk4 tank was destroyed by Hamas fighters using a Soviet-era anti-tank rocket dropped from the air by drone. “Militants of the Palestinian Islamic movement destroyed one of the most modern and protected tanks in the world,” wrote Gagadget.
Hamas Hancurkan Tank Terhebat di Dunia Milik Israel, Tiru Taktik Ukraina dan Gunakan Roket Rusia
Tank terbaik dunia milik Israel Merkava Mk4 hancur dalam serangan yang dilancarkan Hamas pada 7 Oktober 2023. Foto/Gagadget
YERUSALEM - Tank terbaik dunia milik Israel Merkava Mk4 hancur dalam serangan yang dilancarkan Hamas pada 7 Oktober 2023. Tank Merkava Mk4 hancur setelah dihantam roket PG-7VR buatan era Uni Soviet yang dijatuhkan dari sebuah drone.
Dalam rekaman video yang beredar di media sosial, Tank Merkava Mk4 Israel hancur akibat serangan bom yang dijatuhkan dari atas oleh drone. Video ini menarik perhatian para ahli di industri militer, karena berbagai alasan.
Pertama, taktik perang ini, serangan roket atau bom yang dijatuhkan oleh drone pertama kali digunakan oleh angkatan bersenjata Ukraina melawan kendaraan lapis baja dan tank canggih Rusia. Efektivitas serangan yang digunakan pasukan Ukraina tampaknya ditiru Hamas untuk menghancurkan tank Merkava KM4 milik Pasukan Pertahanan Israel (IDF).
“Brigade Al Qassam (Hamas) menghancurkan Merkava Mk4, dengan proyektil RPG HEAT tandem PG-7VR yang dijatuhkan drone, dengan mudah menembus armor dari atas,” tulis Calibre Obscura, Penelitian & Analisis Senjata dari Seluruh Dunia, dengan fokus di Timur Tengah, di akun X (sebelumnya Twitter) dikutip SINDOnews dari laman Bulgarian Military, Minggu (8/10/2023).
Kedua, serangan ini menggunakan roket buatan era Uni Soviet, yaitu PG-7VR yang dijatuhkan dari udara menggunakan drone. Biasanya roket anti-tank PG-7VR, ditembakkan menggunakan peluncur roket (rocket propelled grenade/RPG) dari darat dengan jarak efektif 200 meter.
Ketiga, tank Merkava Mk4 yang selama ini dikenal sebagai salah satu tank terbaik di dunia dan sulit ditembus berbagai senjata, ternyata bisa dihancurkan. Tank Merkava IV (Mk 4) mulai digunakan sekitar 20 tahun yang lalu, pada tahun 2010 dinobatkan sebagai tank terbaik di dunia oleh badan analisis Forecast International.
Bahkan tank Merkava Mk4 pada tahun 2006, menerima (dilengkapi) sistem pertahanan aktif Trophy untuk perlindungan yang lebih baik. Fungsi utamanya APS Trophy adalah melindungi tank dari beragam ancaman seperti peluru kendali anti-tank (ATGM), granat berpeluncur roket (RPG), roket anti-tank, dan peluru anti-tank dengan daya ledak tinggi (HEAT).
Namun, fakta di lapangan tank Merkava Mk4 dihancurkan pejuang Hamas menggunakan roket anti-tank era Uni Soviet yang dijatuhkan dari udara dengan drone. “Militan gerakan Islam Palestina menghancurkan salah satu tank paling modern dan terlindungi di dunia,” tulis Gagadget.