Namer

Israel's Namer is a heavily protected tracked personnel carrier built on the Merkava Mk 4 chassis for infantry and combat-engineer units.

Overview

The Namer is the Israel Defense Forces' heavy tracked armored personnel carrier. Its name means "leopard" in Hebrew and also contracts the Hebrew terms for armored personnel carrier and Merkava. The vehicle uses the hull and running gear of the Merkava Mk 4 tank but replaces the tank turret with additional protection, an enlarged troop compartment and a rear access ramp. It carries a crew of three and nine infantry personnel in its standard configuration.

The Namer was developed to replace vulnerable M113 carriers in formations expected to operate alongside tanks and under sustained anti-armor attack. Israel's Ministry of Defense has described it as the world's most heavily armored personnel carrier, a manufacturer-state characterization reported by Defense News. Its protection combines modular armor, underbody protection and, on newer vehicles, Rafael's Trophy active-protection system.

The design favors survivability over strategic mobility and procurement volume. At a reported 2014 price of approximately $3 million for a basic vehicle and $5 million with additional protection, according to Ynetnews, Namer is substantially more expensive than legacy personnel carriers. Israel consequently operates it as the protected tracked element of a broader armored-vehicle fleet that also includes the wheeled Eitan.

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