Editing Merkava (section)

==Development==
During the late 1960s, the Israeli Army collaborated on certain design aspects for the British [[Chieftain (tank)|Chieftain tank]] which had originally been introduced into [[British Army]] service in 1965,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.salem-news.com/articles/may132010/depleted-uranium-dp.php |title=Israel and Depleted Uranium |publisher=Salem-News |date= 13 May 2010 |access-date=2013-11-26}}</ref> with a view to Israel purchasing and domestically producing the vehicle. Two Chieftain prototypes were delivered as part of a four-year trial.<ref name= "military-quotes1">{{cite web | publisher = Military quotes |url= http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/israeli-armor-magazin-chieftain-dirty-t443.html |title=The Knight That Gave Birth To The Chariot |work=Armored Corps Magazine |date=January 7, 2004 |access-date= 2013-11-26}}</ref> However, it was eventually decided not to sell the Chieftain to the Israelis, as the tanks were already being supplied to Arab countries,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.jta.org/1969/06/17/archive/house-of-commons-will-hold-debate-on-issue-of-sale-of-chieftain-tanks-to-libya |title=House of Commons Will Hold Debate on Issue of Sale of Chieftain Tanks to Libya |publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date= 1969-06-17 |access-date=2013-11-26}}</ref> which prompted them to follow their own development programme.<ref>{{cite web | work = Science |url= http://science.howstuffworks.com/chieftain-main-battle-tank.htm |title= Chieftain Main Battle Tank |publisher=HowStuffWorks |date= 2007-11-20 |access-date=2013-11-26}}</ref>

[[File:PikiWiki Israel 28625 Art of Israel.jpg|thumb|[[Israel Tal]] with a Merkava tank model, 2005]]

[[Israel Tal]], who was serving as a [[brigade commander]] after the [[Suez Crisis]], restarted plans to produce an indigenous Israeli tank, utilizing information learned from the 1973 [[Yom Kippur War]] – when Israel had suffered heavy losses of mechanized armour.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Whetten |first1=Lawrence |last2= Johnson |first2=Michael |date=1974 |title=Military Lessons of the Yom Kippur War |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40394764 |journal= The World Today |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=101–110 |jstor= 40394764 |issn=0043-9134}}</ref>

By 1974, initial designs were completed and prototypes were built. After a brief set of trials, work began to retool the [[Tel HaShomer]] ordnance depot for full-time development and construction. After the new facilities were completed, the Merkava was announced to the public in the ''[[International Defense Review]]'' periodical. The first official images of the tank were released to the American periodical ''[[Armed Forces Journal]]'' on May 4, 1977. The IDF officially adopted the tank in December 1979.