[Coming Soon] Merkava Mk.3C: The Invulnerable Defender

The Big and Medium trophies contain an Israeli MBT armed with a powerful 120 mm gun and excellent ammunition.

Historical note

The Merkava Mk.3 tank, developed in the late 1980s, was the result of a deep modernization of the previous Mk.2 model. The vehicle received fundamentally new elements, including a 120 mm smoothbore gun developed from the German Rh-120 L/44 cannon, a new powerplant with an automatic transmission, and an improved suspension system. Serial production of this modification began in 1990, with the tank's design being continuously refined. A key upgrade stage was the installation of the new Barak Zoher fire control system in 1995. Tanks equipped with this system were designated Merkava Mk.3B Baz or Merkava Mk.3C. The new FCS featured modern electronics, improved optical sights, and crucially, an independent panoramic commander's sight, which significantly enhanced target acquisition and combat capabilities in various conditions.

Production of all Merkava Mk.3 variants continued until 2002, with approximately 700 units built during this period. Despite the introduction of more modern modifications, these vehicles, thanks to continuous updates, remain in service with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Merkava Mk.3C (Rank XIII)

SWOT Analysis

Strengths: A powerful 120 mm gun with excellent APFSDS and HE-TF shells, fast reload, good gun depression/elevation angles, protected ammunition stowage due to the vehicle's layout.
Weaknesses: Vulnerable front-mounted engine compartment, mediocre mobility, large silhouette.
Opportunities: Well-suited for defense, holding capture points, and long-range sniping. Effective in urban combat when using cover skillfully.
Threats: Flank attacks and mobile enemies, aviation, and artillery.

In battle

In the upcoming War Thunder Mobile update, the US tech tree will be reinforced with the Israeli main battle tank Merkava Mk.3C. This is a balanced and tactically interesting vehicle with a powerful gun, effective ammunition, and excellent protection for the crew and internal modules, following the tradition of the series.

Like other Merkava Mk 3 tanks, the Mk.3C model is equipped with a 120 mm gun, similar to those found on the top-tier Abrams and Leopards, but with a different selection of available rounds. The primary anti-tank ammunition will be the APFSDS M322 shell with impressive armor penetration figures. A HEATFS shell will work excellently against light vehicles. And for targets behind cover, Merkava Mk.3C commanders can use a HE-TF shell with a proximity fuze, which showers the target with fragments onto the roof of the turret and engine compartment.

The layout of the Merkava Mk.3C is also characteristic of the series. The front-mounted engine and transmission compartment will more than once save your crew from injury and your internal modules from destruction. However, almost every hit to the front of the hull risks causing a fire and disabling the engine. For aggressive combat, this trait can be a hindrance, but for a sniper position or point defense, it is a very advantageous compromise.

The mobility of the Merkava Mk.3C is quite decent, although the tank's acceleration and top speed are slightly inferior to most competitors at its rank. This can be a problem in open terrain, but in urban environments, it hardly matters. Try to stay close to buildings and cover and avoid risking long sprints across open ground.

Premium version of the Merkava Mk.3C (Rank XIII)

The Premium variant is an extra tank for your hangar! The premium tank maintains the same performance as the standard variant, though it comes in a unique camouflage. With this premium tank you’ll be able to enjoy faster Silver Lion and Research Point gains, and earn some Golden Eagles in your battles.

If you’re lucky enough to unlock both the premium and the standard variants, you will be able to use them both in the same battle!

Premium version of the vehicle:

As a jackpot or as a random reward when attempting to open the Big Trophy.
By reaching the top-10 in the relevant Leaderboard.
From the Collector's Trophy after adding the vehicle to this trophy type;
In Special Offers.

Standard version of the vehicle:

As a jackpot or as a random reward when attempting to open the Medium Trophy.
Order vehicles for Silver Lions after collecting 1,000 blueprints.

Ways to get blueprints:

From the Medium Trophy: 700 pcs in the guaranteed reward, or 10 to 100 pcs per attempt.
From the Big Trophy: 700 pcs in the guaranteed reward, or 80 to 200 pcs per attempt.
In the in-game store: purchase for Silver Lions a Folder with a number of blueprints (even after the season ends).
In special offers.

*Vehicle specifications and camouflages are still work in progress and may differ on release.

The Merkava Mk.3C (Rank XIII) can be obtained in War Thunder Mobile (WTM) from Medium or Big Trophies in the Tank Campaign with the start of the new Season.