Prior to the 1982 invasion of Lebanon ( 1982 Lebanon War), Magach 6 tanks were fitted with explosive reactive armor (ERA). The war's losses were replaced with new M48A5 (Magach 5) and M60 (Magach 6) during the 1970s. After the war Israel had only about 200 M48A3 and M60A1 tanks, after a large number of Israeli tanks were destroyed or terminally hit during the war, mostly in the Sinai front in fighting against the Egyptian army. The location of flammable hydraulic fluid at the front of the turret was discovered to be a severe vulnerability. During the war, the tanks suffered heavy losses. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Israel had a total of 540 M48A3 (with 105mm gun) and M60A1 tanks. These modifications included replacement of the original 90 mm cannon gun with the British 105 mm L7, lowering the command turret's profile, upgraded communication suite, and replacement of the flammable and weak gasoline engine with a 750 hp diesel one. During the war, the Israeli tanks served in their original (American) configuration.įollowing the 1967 war, several modifications were made to improve the tank to M48A3 level, resulting with the Magach 3. ![]() Several dozen Jordanian M48 tanks, captured intact during the 1967 Six Day War, were also commissioned into service, adding to Israel's 150 already in service at that time. The tanks were sold to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) by West Germany and later the United States, during the 1960s and 1970s.
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