Israel shows off bizarre tank amid hot weather

According to information released by the IDF, this specially designed tank is known as the Spike-Magach Missile Tank.

The reason this tank line has this special name is because the Spike-Magach still retains the attack role of a tank, but in addition, it integrates the Spike NLOS missile complex at the rear of the turret.

Spike-Magach will probably be the world's first missile tank developed by Israel based on the improvement of the old American M48A5 tank chassis, combined with Spike NLOS missile launchers located at the rear of the turret.

It has been observed that the latest Magach missile tanks have just been deployed by the IDF to the vicinity of the Gaza Strip, each equipped with 12 Rafael Tamuz tactical missile launchers (also known as Spike NLOS).

When it is necessary to fire a missile, the Spike-Magach tank will turn the rear of the turret towards the target, open the hatch containing the missile launcher and fire - similar to the launchers of the Grad multiple launch rocket systems.

After firing the missiles, the internal launchers are protected by retracting into the turret and closing the armored hatch. The first images of the Spike-Magach missile tank appeared in the spring of 2013, when the IDF was deployed near the Syrian border, but at that time no details of the missile launchers integrated into the vehicle were seen.

Based on new images, military experts believe that the IDF has converted a small number of Magach tanks into the missile-firing Spike-Magach version.

Another interesting thing is that the turret layout of the Spike-Magach tank has also been improved by Israel to look very similar to their indigenous Merkava tank. Equipped with 12 Spike-NLOS missile launchers, the new Magach tank can attack targets from a distance of up to 25km.