leib10

Me too. He's a helluva nice guy and I'm praying for his safe return.

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"The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world. So wake up, Mr. Freeman. Wake up and smell the ashes." G-Man

leib10

Yes. Most total losses are blown up using demolition charges or missiles or bombs from planes.

Garry

I also wish Ben safe return home.

There is something which I don't understand.... If RPG-29 is effective against side armor of Mekava IV then it probably effective against Abrams. In Lebanon there are RPG-29 and Merkava lost to them..... but there were no losses to this weapon reported in Iraq. This is same region and if Syrians were supplying this to Hez why didn't they supplied it to Iraqi insurgents?

possible explanations:

1) Syria is not really supplying weapons Iraqi insurgents.... (hence all the bs about their support is just a bs)
2) Iraq is well blocked from weapons import (Shek well don)
3) It was not RPG-29 which was effective against Merkava but some other ATGM... while news reporters decided to pool losses to this weapon.
4) RPG-29 is not really that available on the market of Iraq.

The last is least likelly.... besides Russia RPG-29 is being produced by more than 10 countries including, Iran, Syria, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria....... long list. Indeed it is quite an old weapon which more expensive that good old RPG-7 but was introduced already in 80-es.

canoe

I actually doubt the Syria or the Iranian governments are actively trying to significantly arm Iraq. I think both are probably a little worried about the whole situation. If the U.S does get forced out somehow what the hell will end up taking its place? And will whatever it is be friendly to its neighbours..

In regards to effectiveness versus a specific tank type. I'd say the Abrams are pretty well protected, obviously so are the Mekava's. I think its the difference in tactics that are getting the Mekava's killed. There just sitting there getting pounded from a distance. If you toss enough crap at a tank sooner or later your going to hit something important. The U.S tends to like to keep moving all the time, I think that tactic combined with the Abrams speed and related armor configuration are the greatest design successes of the Abrams and will become more important as more anti-tank weapons end up arriving in the worlds trouble spots.

Archer

The Abrams passive crew protection is the best in the world. Hull AND Turret ammo, both with blast off panels.
That said, its all about deployment and that means the best tank cant get hammered if poorly used..

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