WATCH: IDF inaugurates next-gen combat vehicles, ‘groundbreaking leap forward’

The armored personnel carriers can carry 12 men, drive at 90 kph and be in operational use for days at a time.

By JNS

Nahal Brigade infantry soldiers drilled on Sunday for the first time ever with Eitan APCs, simulating combat scenarios in northern Israel.

“After several years of hard work in developing, testing, and manufacturing, the first serial production Eitan APCs have been delivered to the esteemed Nahal infantry brigade,” said Brig. Gen. Oren Giber, head of the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Tank and APC Directorate.

“The Eitan constitutes a groundbreaking leap forward in the field of wheeled combat vehicles and is the first of its kind in the IDF. It offers a unique set of capabilities, including superior mobility and survivability for our fighting forces. It has the capability to fight alongside the Merkava Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) and Namer Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs),” he added.

This milestone achievement is the result of collaborative efforts across numerous industries, most of them domestic and some international, making it an exciting program,” Giber said.

The Eitan Armored Personnel Carrier has eight wheels, can carry 12 combat personnel, and is based on Merkava and Namer technologies. The 750-horsepower Eitan APC can drive at around 90 kilometers per hour, has high all-terrain maneuvering capabilities and can be in operational use for days at a time.

Tank and APC Directorate engineers developed the APC incorporating state-of-the-art technologies such as peripheral cameras equipped with day and night vision, front calculation and processing capabilities using computerized technology, and touch monitors and processors.

“We are humbled and immensely proud to operationalize the first Eitan company in the Nahal infantry brigade. We recognize that each Eitan delivered to the IDF will replace older M113 vehicles, ensuring that our combat soldiers are equipped with state-of-the-art, highly protected and capable weapon systems, assisting them in securing victory on the battlefield and ensuring their safe return home,” said Giber.

Said Col. Oren Simcha, commander of the Nahal Brigade: “The Nahal Brigade is proud to be the first in the IDF to receive the Eitan APC—a tool that will transform the brigade and allow us to become more operational, independent and protected.

“We understand the weight of this responsibility and the professional challenge involved in adopting this tool and thank the hundreds of professionals who took part in the planning, development, production and implementation of the Eitan APC.”