IDF to Operate New Wheeled APCs

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The Israeli Ministry of Defense has begun serial production of the wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier, Eitan. The first Eitan APCs will become operational in the IDF by the end of 2021, they are expected to be equipped with the Iron Fist active defense system and an unmanned turret.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense has mentioned that the armored vehicles directorate will begin mass producing the APC. The Eitan APC is an eight-wheeled APC based on the technology of the Israeli Merkava tank and the Namer Armored Fighting Vehicle. The Eitan is capable of transporting up to 13 combat soldiers and their gear and is expected to replace the IDF’s M113 APC.

The Eitan APC was developed based on the lessons learned from operation Protective Edge. The Armored Vehicles Directorate has led the development and production of the APC. The vehicle will be manufactured in Israel and the United States. Building one Eitan APC requires about one million parts, 20 tons of steel, 36 kilometers of wire, and 70 liters of paint.

The APC’s 750 horsepower engine makes it possible for the vehicle to reach around 90 kilometers an hour. The APC also integrates several sensors, computers, and cameras for increased situational awareness.

“Five intense years of development, which began shortly after Operation Protective Edge, led to the moment we pressed the steel cutting machines at the APC production headquarters in Tel Hashomer,” said the head of the Armored Vehicles Directorate, Brigadier General Guy Paglin. “It will provide combat soldiers with quick mobility and enable them to adapt to all relevant combat scenarios. In addition, the Eitan will be the world’s most well-protected APC, equipped with advanced combat capabilities.”