As Israel’s military continues to wage war in the Gaza Strip, the country’s Defense Ministry has announced a large-scale initiative to accelerate the production of Israeli armored vehicles to strengthen the army’s maneuvering capabilities.
The plan is valued at approximately $1.5 billion (over NIS 5 billion) and has been presented to the Israel Defense Procurement Committee for final approval by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) Director-General, Maj.-Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram.
Plan to advance to Knesset for budget approval
The Armored Vehicle Acceleration Project is led by the IMOD’s Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate (MANTAK), in collaboration with the Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD), Planning Department, and the IDF’s Ground Forces and Technological and Logistics Directorate. Under the acceleration program, the ministry 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.
These platforms have accumulated more than a million kilometers in current operation since the Swords of Iron War began.
The acceleration will be carried out in parallel with an expansion of domestic production infrastructure, as part of the defense-industrial base resilience strategy initiated by the IMOD director-general. This effort involves expanding production in industries across Israel that contribute to the Merkava program, many of which are located in peripheral regions, and improving the infrastructure of the IDF’s depot production facility.
According to a press release by the Defense Ministry, the decision to acquire additional Israeli-developed tanks and APCs stems directly from the advanced armored vehicles’ combat success and supports a comprehensive initiative to enhance the IDF’s maneuvering capabilities.
“During the Swords of Iron War, the IDF’s advanced armored vehicle fleet proved its decisive importance for maneuvering," Baram said. "The achievements of the Merkava, Namer, and Eitan on the battlefield are on a global scale. Accelerating armored vehicle production is part of the Ministry’s strategy to support the IDF’s needs in the current conflict and to enhance readiness for an intense decade ahead. At the same time, we continue to constantly upgrade the vehicles’ capabilities and develop the next generations of advanced armored vehicles for the IDF.”
The armored vehicle acceleration project will now be transferred to the Knesset Joint Committee for Defense Budget. Following its approval, the IMOD will be able to proceed with signing procurement contracts with dozens of companies worth billions of shekels.
Defense Minister Katz called the project a “strategic decision” that would strengthen the IDF’s capabilities.
“The Swords of Iron War proved how critical Merkava tanks and Namer and Eitan APCs are for successful IDF ground operations. Today’s approval of this over NIS 5 billion armored vehicle acceleration project is a strategic decision that maintains the IDF’s qualitative military edge and our ability to prevail in any arena,” he said.
“This project strengthens both the IDF’s capability and hundreds of defense companies nationwide, many in Israel’s periphery – demonstrating how national security and economic growth go hand in hand," Katz said. "We won’t compromise on Israel’s security and will keep investing in our forces to protect the nation’s future.”