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The Israeli tech tree is the latest variant in War Thunder. Added in late 2021, it brought vehicles from other nations as well as new and unique ones. A lot of ground vehicles in the Israeli tree come from the USA and the USSR, but many of them have unique modifications, incorporating the best of both worlds. In the higher tiers, the tech tree starts getting the Merkava series of tanks, which are completely Israeli-designed.
In this article, let's look at the five best Israeli tanks in this free-to-play vehicle combat MMO.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer. We have not taken into account premium or event vehicles.
What are the 5 best Israeli tanks in War Thunder?
1) Tiran 4
The Tiran 4 is a medium tank that sits at Rank V, Battle Rating 8.0 in the Israeli ground tree. It is identical to the T-54 (1951) in the Russian ground tree. So, if you are used to playing the T-54 series of tanks, you can effortlessly switch to this Israeli version of the T-54.
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This tank has good frontal mobility for its BR, reaching a max speed of 50 kmph. However, as with most Russian-designed tanks, the reverse speed is quite bad, maxing out at just 7.5 kmph. Due to this, it would become difficult for you to disengage from a fight if your gun is damaged.
The armor on the tank is decent. However, the turret cheeks are vulnerable to even conventional APCBC shells. The upper front plate is well armored and can stop most if not all, conventional shells.
The gun equipped on the Tiran 4 is the Russian 100 mm D-10T cannon. The cannon can fire a wide range of shells, from APHE, HEAT-FS, APDS, HE, APCR, and even smoke. All the shells have good penetrating power and can easily decimate most tanks at that BR bracket.
Also read: How to get Golden Eagles in War Thunder
2) Tiran 6
The Tiran 6 is a Rank VI, BR 8.7 MBT added to War Thunder with the 'Dance of Dragons' update. It is basically a captured and slightly modified T-62 MBT. The modifications come in the form of additional armor baskets that were added to the tank, particularly around the turret.
The mobility of the Titan 6 is the same as the Tiran 4, with 50 kmph as the maximum speed going forward and 7.5 kmpt in reverse. Therefore, reversing out of a fight is still a bit tough.
Due to the additional armor, the Tiran 6 is slightly more robust than the normal T-62. The turret has strong armor capable of bouncing multiple shots if angled slightly. The upper front plate also boasts great armor that is stronger than the Tiran 4, being able to bounce APDS, HEAT-FS, and sometimes even APFSDS if angled correctly.
The cannon features the Russian 115 mm U-5TS, which can fire HE, HEAT-FS, and APFSDS. The best APFSDS shell that the Tiran 6 gets, the 3BM3, can penetrate up to 350 mm of armor. This is extremely effective at BR 8.7, as most tanks that you will face are pretty lightly armored.
Check out more: War Thunder F-84F guide
3) Merkava Mk.2B
The Merkava Mk.2B is a MBT that sits at Rank VI, BR 9.3. It is an Israeli design, with a layout that is different from all other MBTs in War Thunder. Unlike other MBTs that have their engines at the back, the Merkava has its engine at the front. The turret is also located at the back as opposed to the center on other tanks.
The tank is pretty mobile, even though it's quite heavy, weighing 63 tons. It can reach a maximum forward speed of 54 kmph and hit reverse at 23.3 kmph. The armor on both the hull and the turret is not that strong, but the extreme angles that the armor has can bounce shots sometimes. Also, the engine at the front can stop a shell from penetrating, but at the cost of mobility as your engine gets disabled.
The Merkava Mk.2B is equipped with a 105 mm Sharir cannon that can fire HEAT-FS, APFSDS, HESH, and smoke rounds. The M413 APFSDS that the tank gets can penetrate up to 408 mm of armor, which is more than enough to even frontally penetrate most tanks in the BR bracket.
The gunner also gets thermal optics, making your task of spotting enemies easier.
Read more: Top 5 SPAA vehicles in War Thunder
4) Namer 30
The Namer 30 is an Israeli IFV/light tank that sits at Rank VII, BR 10.3. Although classified as a light tank in War Thunder, it is extremely heavy, coming in at 64.4 tons. This is because the hull is a modified version of the Merkava chassis.
As a result, the Namer has the best armor among all IFV/light tanks in War Thunder. The upper front plate is lined with composite armor, enhancing protection, and the engine can still stomach rounds. The forward and reverse speed of the Namer is the same as the Merkava Mk.2B.
The main armament of the Namer is a 30mm Bushmaster 2 Mk.44 autocannon. This autocannon turret is remotely operated, and all your crew members are located inside the hull. The Bushmaster can fire APDS, APFSDS, and HEI-T rounds. The Namer also boasts optical target tracking for locking and shooting down aircraft.
The turret has ATGM launchers, which can fire Spike-LR II fire-and-forget ATGMs. Another aspect where the tank shines is its -20° gun depression. This will enable you to engage targets from a hull-down position, even on steep inclines.
Note that your ammo is exposed right beside the turret, and if you get hit there, your tank explodes. On the bright side, you get thermal optics for both the gunner and the commander.
Also check out: 5 best helicopters in War Thunder
5) Merkava Mk.4M
The Merkava Mk.4M is the current top-tier MBT of the Israeli tech tree. It sits at Rank VIII, BR 11.7. The Merkava Mk.4 series of tanks are the most mobile and well-armored tanks in the Israel ground tree.
The Mk.4M is two tons heavier than the Mk.2B, but it has a better engine and transmission. It is pretty nimble and can reach a maximum speed of 64 kmph when going forward as well as in reverse.
Despite being the best-armored tank in the tech tree, its armor performance is a bit lackluster when compared to top-tier MBTs from other tech trees. The hull can barely stop any top-tier APFSDS rounds, and the turret does not fare much well either. However, due to extreme angles on the turret armor, some shots might ricochet, saving the tank.
One aspect that stands out in this Merkava is its Trophy hardkill Active Protection System. This APS is placed on four corners of the turret, giving it almost 360° coverage. It can stop ATGMs fired from ground vehicles, helicopters, and planes, giving Merkava enhanced protection against such types of ordinances.
This Israeli MBT is equipped with a 120 mm IMI MG251 cannon. It can fire APFSDS, HEAT-FS, and HE-TF shells. The M338 APFSDS that the tank gets can penetrate up to 611 mm of armor, making it one of the best rounds in War Thunder. Also, both the gunner and the commander have access to second-generation thermal optics, giving you better chances to spot your opponent.
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