HEZLIYA, Israel, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Israel is ignoring calls to
stop the production of Merkava tanks, the latest version of which
is said to be the best-protected tanks in the world.
Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Israel would continue to
produce Merkava tanks, "one of the best tanks in the world, if not
the best, that proved itself operationally ... I do not intend to
close the Merkava project." He made his declaration to executives
of government and private defense industries in Herzliya north of
Tel Aviv Monday.
For years there have been arguments on whether Israel should build
more such tanks and whether a future war would be so different that
it should find other uses for its money.
At Monday's conference, retired Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben-Israel, who
headed the Defense Ministry's research and development projects,
said there is no way to decide wars, especially against
organizations such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, "without ground forces
that maneuver and occupy territories."
Israel used hundreds of tanks during the last Lebanon war. Shlomo
Pazzy, who heads the Forum of Merkava and armored combat vehicles'
producers in the Manufacturers' Association, said the
Merkava costs less than half the price of any other modern tank
such as the U.S. M-1 and the German Leopard.Anti-tank
missiles that hit Merkava Mark IV tanks, the latest version,
penetrated them in 44 percent of the cases. But on average, one
crewman was killed in the ensuing explosion, Pazzy said.
Recent conflicts proved Israel must retain the ability to produce
its own advanced weapons, he argued. The United States faced
hurdles when it tried to airlift arms to Israel during the Lebanon
war because some European countries would not let its planes land
there. Four years ago Britain halted a shipment of spare
parts for Centurion tanks it had sold Israel, Pazzy
added.
http://militarynuts.com/index.php?s=5f31f292870cb02d5ec3fbf9f4c0d384&showtopic=1212
Since a Merkava MBT, one of the best in the world cost only half as
much as a new Leopard tank. Then is the cost of our 2nd hand Leo2A4
per unit lesser than a new Merkava with more or less similar
capabilities? 
Do we produce our own spares for the Tempests? If not where we buy
them from? I thought that the Centurions in Israel is being kept in
storage? Thanks
