Rumour - Claims Azerbaijan has Merkava Mk 3

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Gripenator

Banned Member
A point of interest here, a few months ago on Yahoo news I noticed an article about Hezbollah claiming some sort of victory in 2006 and apparently they set up a museum where a captured Merkava tank (or replica) was placed. I don't have the link but I understand that the IDF is unlikely to let senstive equipment like that fall into the hands of a non state organization especially when that organization can just sell it to Syria or Iran for "evaluation". The only case where I beleive this could happen was if the Merkava MBT in question was the obsolete 80's 'I' variant and even then it seems doubtful. Does anyone know anything about this?
 
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Waylander

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
If this is the "Merk" I think you mean than it is a replica.
All damaged/destroyed IDF vehicles were recovered or destroyed.

Hizbollah once build one for commercial reasons (Respectable though).
The various commercials floating around are sometimes really good quality for a militia and when one lookes at the equipment they are equipped with (weapons, bordy armor. commo/observation equipment, heck they even operated their own drones during the conflict) one has to say that they seem to nearly play in the same league like regular light infantry and not perform like some kind of ad hoc militia.

Edit: Muhahaha I just saw that Rossiman even created a third account at Tank-Net.
One has to say he doesn't give up very easy. :D
 
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eaf-f16

New Member
Gripenator said:
A point of interest here, a few months ago on Yahoo news I noticed an article about Hezbollah claiming some sort of victory in 2006 and apparently they set up a museum where a captured Merkava tank (or replica) was placed. I don't have the link but I understand that the IDF is unlikely to let senstive equipment like that fall into the hands of a non state organization especially when that organization can just sell it to Syria or Iran for "evaluation". The only case where I beleive this could happen was if the Merkava MBT in question was the obsolete 80's 'I' variant and even then it seems doubtful. Does anyone know anything about this?
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I highly doubt it was a Merkeva. I think it was one of those Israeli APC's placed on a T-50 tank chassis but I'm not sure though.
 
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eckherl

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Waylander said:
If this is the "Merk" I think you mean than it is a replica.
All damaged/destroyed IDF vehicles were recovered or destroyed.

Hizbollah once build one for commercial reasons (Respectable though).
The various commercials floating around are sometimes really good quality for a militia and when one lookes at the equipment they are equipped with (weapons, bordy armor. commo/observation equipment, heck they even operated their own drones during the conflict) one has to say that they seem to nearly play in the same league like regular light infantry and not perform like some kind of ad hoc militia.

Edit: Muhahaha I just saw that Rossiman even created a third account at Tank-Net.
One has to say he doesn't give up very easy. :D
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Your are correct, it is just a replica. I have a photo of it somewhere and I will dig it up, picture shows it mocked up to where it sustained IED destruction.
 
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DavidDCM

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Yes, the "Merkava" that Hezbollah displays is a mocked-up T-55.

Image-link

Maybe they even have some more, cause they also showed a "Merkava-T-55" in one of their propaganda movies:

image
 
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caspianfish

New Member
Last year there was an agreement between President Aliev and Israeli officials in Baku,Azerbaijan.The meeting hold at Presidents Palace including high-ranked members of Azerbaijan army.

Azerbaijan received a military support from Israel and gave a lot for it to Israel.They got Merkava tanks with Israeli instructors and these tanks are stationed in Baku Garrison to protect the President not the country.Azerbaijani officials think to use it under control of Presidential Gurads in case if any kind of rebellious acts occurs in Baku or other major cities.

What they gave to Israel? They gave a full access to IDF for using the Kurdamir aerodrome which is not so far from Iran-Azerbaijan border.There is also a special permit granted by President Aliev which allows the Israeli agents work in Azerbaijan.
 
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caspianfish

New Member
I met Lieutenant Mammadov in August 2007 at Army Engineering Corps Training Center in Narlıdere,Izmir.Its the place ( Central Command of Army Engineering School and Training ) where I finished my 15 months military service.Lieutenant Mammadov was a special purpose squad commander at State Protection Service in Azerbaijan.He expalined that with the help of Israels ambassador in Baku they founded a special task force in order to use against any kind of rebellious acts against the Aliev regime.

There are 25 Merkava Mark III MBT,Remington 700 rifles,German MG-3,G3A3,MP5 in use of State Protection Service.They just want to get rid of old Soviet equipment and get ready against possible civil war or revolution.

According to the decision of President Alievs personel protection head General Eyyubov The SPS establishes special purpose squads.Each squad supported with 2 Merkava and Cobra APC from Turkey.Also 5 of Merkavas are always ready to protect the Presidential Palace.

Thats what he told and explained me.I was also surprised when I heard it but they really work good on this with Israel.

Now they are spending millions to buy jammers and some electronic equipments from Israeli companies.
 
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eckherl

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
caspianfish said:
I met Lieutenant Mammadov in August 2007 at Army Engineering Corps Training Center in Narlıdere,Izmir.Its the place ( Central Command of Army Engineering School and Training ) where I finished my 15 months military service.Lieutenant Mammadov was a special purpose squad commander at State Protection Service in Azerbaijan.He expalined that with the help of Israels ambassador in Baku they founded a special task force in order to use against any kind of rebellious acts against the Aliev regime.

There are 25 Merkava Mark III MBT,Remington 700 rifles,German MG-3,G3A3,MP5 in use of State Protection Service.They just want to get rid of old Soviet equipment and get ready against possible civil war or revolution.

According to the decision of President Alievs personel protection head General Eyyubov The SPS establishes special purpose squads.Each squad supported with 2 Merkava and Cobra APC from Turkey.Also 5 of Merkavas are always ready to protect the Presidential Palace.

Thats what he told and explained me.I was also surprised when I heard it but they really work good on this with Israel.

Now they are spending millions to buy jammers and some electronic equipments from Israeli companies.
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Could you please provide additional information to the Merkava 3, this doesn`t make any sense to me that they would purchase them due to the fact of current weapons procurements that are coming out of Russia and Ukraine, what - are they stating that they are spending millions of dollars on nothing but Russian garbage. 25 tanks give them 2.5 companies worth of vehicles, why 25. If their President has to rely on tanks for personal protection from his own military then he has some major issues.
 
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caspianfish

New Member
First of all I never said that I sold Merkava tanks to Azerbaijan.I just wrote what I heard from Mammadov.so no need to laugh or make fun of it.They got tanks for SPS not for Azerbaijan Army.Also its not an official purchase..Its a military help for what Israel got from Azerbaijan.

Aliev gave more rights to the Mountain Jews in Quba,Azerbaijan.
There are some oil fields given to the Israeli companies.
All security projects given to the Israeli companies.
Israel got and aerodrome in Azerbaijan.

Not to forget..Azerbaijan is the only one Muslim country where the Jews and Muslims live in peace more than 100 years.
 
SABRE

SABRE

Super Moderator
Verified Defense Pro
caspianfish said:
Not to forget..Azerbaijan is the only one Muslim country where the Jews and Muslims live in peace more than 100 years.
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Not to get too political & religious but Jews & Muslims have lived peacefully for 1400 years till the creation of Israel. Ready History of Crusades, Ottoman Empire & Muslim Spain.

Anyways, there are reports circulating in Pakistan that Azerbaijan is interested in Pakistani Tanks (Don't know whether Al-Khalid or Al-Zarar). They also signed an MoU on small weapons & are interested in purchase of 24 to 26 JF-17s. If Azerbaijan got Markeva than I don't know why they are looking into Pakistani tanks (if both reports are right that is).
 
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Soner1980

New Member
My uncle served his campaign in Azerbaijan as an captain. He is from the signal division in the Turkish Army. (Radio and communications)

He told me that the Azeri Army met the 60% of the NATO requirements and Turkey has only an advise team of platoon size unit stationed in Azerbaijan. (2006)

The biggest arms supplier is Ukraine he told me selling 17 MiG-29's, T-72's, BTR's, 300mm Smerch MLRS's etc.. But not a single Merkava entered Azeri territory. There are many rumors about Israeli weapons, but only the smaller arms entered from Israel, Turkey, USA, Ukraine, Bello Rus entered Azerbaijan. The Pakistani's together with Turkish defensive firms will help to set up the former Soviet weapons factury in operational status. Turkish Aselsan and Roketsan will give some support and also some other Pakistani factories will do. Azerbaijan will have their own armored fighting vehicle production line, possibly built under license in the beginning...

And for those who claims only Azerbaijan was a Jew friend. No, also Turkey and the Ottoman Empire helped a lot of fleeing Jews from Spannish pressure and the Muslim Ottoman gave the Jews the freedom of religion. Also Azeri's what was Ottoman soil in the past.

Who liked my story???
 
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