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Namer
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Namer
Namer (Hebrew: נמ"ר, pronounced [naˈmeʁ]; meaning "leopard," and also a syllabic abbreviation of "Nagmash" (APC) and "Merkava") is an Israeli armoured personnel carrier based on a Merkava Mark IV tank chassis. Namer was developed by and is being assembled by the Israeli Ordnance Corps. It has entered service in limited numbers with the Israel Defense Forces since the end of 2008. Due to budgetary constraints, the introduction of the Namer into the IDF has been slow, leaving the ground forces dependent on the M113 until 2027.
The experience of converting Centurion tanks into armoured personnel carriers (Nagmashot, Nagmachon) and combat engineering vehicles (Puma, Nakpadon), followed by the conversion of many T-54 and T-55 tanks into Achzarit infantry fighting vehicles, further promoted the idea of converting Merkava tanks into heavily armoured APCs / IFVs. This concept was also driven by the fact that many of the ~250 Merkava Mark I tanks were being withdrawn from service, and it was also made clear that the 105 mm armament of the Merkava Mark IIs could not be upgraded with the modern IMI 120 mm gun.
The development did not progress much in the 1990s due to funding issues, but following 2004 Israel–Gaza conflict, which exposed the vulnerability of the M113 armored personnel carrier to improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades, the IDF reconsidered the development. At that point, the Stryker armoured personnel carrier was considered, but was rejected by the IDF.
Eventually, IDF Ordnance developed infantry fighting vehicle prototypes based on the Merkava Mark I chassis, and also a handful of IFVs based on the Merkava Mark IV chassis. The vehicle was initially called Nemmera (Hebrew: leopardess), but later renamed to Namer (Hebrew: leopard), while the name Nemmera refers to a Merkava-based ARV.
On 15 February 2005, Maariv reported that a Namer prototype based on the Merkava Mark I was fielded by the Givati Brigade for trials and evaluation. It was equipped with a Rafael Overhead Weapon Station, which is remotely controlled and loaded from within the vehicle. This same unit was demonstrated at the Eurosatory 2005 military exhibition, where potential export customers showed interest.
Lessons learned in the battles of the 2006 Lebanon War also largely validated this program. Consequently, in 2007, it was reported that the first fifteen Namers would be delivered in 2008, and over a hundred more would finally equip two combat brigades. However, conversion plans were abandoned in favor of newly built Merkava Mark IV chassis.
The Namer was the first IDF vehicle designed by computer (CAD), which allowed it to be conceptualized more rapidly than previous vehicles.
On 1 March 2008, the IDF officially presented a Namer IFV that was operational, fully-developed, and built ab initio based on the Merkava Mark IV chassis. Reportedly, the construction was expedited in May 2008 by importing parts from the US. On 15 September 2008, the Namer was unveiled to the general public at an exhibition in Rishon LeZion.
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Namer
Namer (Hebrew: נמ"ר, pronounced [naˈmeʁ]; meaning "leopard," and also a syllabic abbreviation of "Nagmash" (APC) and "Merkava") is an Israeli armoured personnel carrier based on a Merkava Mark IV tank chassis. Namer was developed by and is being assembled by the Israeli Ordnance Corps. It has entered service in limited numbers with the Israel Defense Forces since the end of 2008. Due to budgetary constraints, the introduction of the Namer into the IDF has been slow, leaving the ground forces dependent on the M113 until 2027.
The experience of converting Centurion tanks into armoured personnel carriers (Nagmashot, Nagmachon) and combat engineering vehicles (Puma, Nakpadon), followed by the conversion of many T-54 and T-55 tanks into Achzarit infantry fighting vehicles, further promoted the idea of converting Merkava tanks into heavily armoured APCs / IFVs. This concept was also driven by the fact that many of the ~250 Merkava Mark I tanks were being withdrawn from service, and it was also made clear that the 105 mm armament of the Merkava Mark IIs could not be upgraded with the modern IMI 120 mm gun.
The development did not progress much in the 1990s due to funding issues, but following 2004 Israel–Gaza conflict, which exposed the vulnerability of the M113 armored personnel carrier to improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades, the IDF reconsidered the development. At that point, the Stryker armoured personnel carrier was considered, but was rejected by the IDF.
Eventually, IDF Ordnance developed infantry fighting vehicle prototypes based on the Merkava Mark I chassis, and also a handful of IFVs based on the Merkava Mark IV chassis. The vehicle was initially called Nemmera (Hebrew: leopardess), but later renamed to Namer (Hebrew: leopard), while the name Nemmera refers to a Merkava-based ARV.
On 15 February 2005, Maariv reported that a Namer prototype based on the Merkava Mark I was fielded by the Givati Brigade for trials and evaluation. It was equipped with a Rafael Overhead Weapon Station, which is remotely controlled and loaded from within the vehicle. This same unit was demonstrated at the Eurosatory 2005 military exhibition, where potential export customers showed interest.
Lessons learned in the battles of the 2006 Lebanon War also largely validated this program. Consequently, in 2007, it was reported that the first fifteen Namers would be delivered in 2008, and over a hundred more would finally equip two combat brigades. However, conversion plans were abandoned in favor of newly built Merkava Mark IV chassis.
The Namer was the first IDF vehicle designed by computer (CAD), which allowed it to be conceptualized more rapidly than previous vehicles.
On 1 March 2008, the IDF officially presented a Namer IFV that was operational, fully-developed, and built ab initio based on the Merkava Mark IV chassis. Reportedly, the construction was expedited in May 2008 by importing parts from the US. On 15 September 2008, the Namer was unveiled to the general public at an exhibition in Rishon LeZion.
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