The “Pere” Tank is Exposed

After the Yom-Kippur War, the IDF sought a response to Russian armor. One of the solutions was the “Pere” tank – a modified M-60 Patton platform fitted with a multiple-tube antitank missile launcher, and one of the most closely-guarded secrets of the IDF

The “Pere” Tank is Exposed

The Yom-Kippur War left the IDF with a limited capacity of coping with the Russian armor of Egypt and Syria. The IDF sought a way to extend the range at which enemy tanks may be engaged and destroyed. The solution was provided by Rafael that developed the Tamuz (Spike) missile in the early 1980s. Back then, the Spike had a range of 8 kilometers, could be employed during the daytime and proved highly effective against the Russian armor.

The question was what should be done with that missile. One of the most creative ideas was conceived by Col. (res.) Benny Beit-Or, who wanted to build a Tamuz launching platform that would look like a tank. The idea was for such a platform to blend into a column of standard tanks, so as to take the enemy by surprise just before the actual engagement. For this purpose, the platform was developed by Rafael and manufacturing was assigned to IMI, and in 1982 the new weapon system was delivered to the Moran unit of the IDF.

Moran was an Artillery Corps unit established around the “Pere” (Savage) platform, which operated in southern Israel. Its objective was to prepare for the crucial day when Egyptian armor columns once again march toward Israel. Beit-Or was the unit’s first commander. Later on, the Artillery Corps established the Meitar Unit, which operated the “Pere” platform in northern Israel, and eventually the Moran Unit was absorbed by the Meitar Unit.

Until 2005, the battalion was not involved in any operational activity and its entire function was to prepare secretly for a future armor-versus-armor war. With the exception of a handful of people who were familiar with the “Pere” system within the IDF, the platform remained strictly confidential. Eventually, the IDF acquired Merkava tanks, and the M-60 platform, on which the “Pere” platform was based, could no longer blend into the tank units without arousing suspicions on the enemy’s side. This may have been one of the reasons why the censors granted the request by the Israeli “Fresh” website to publicize this weapon system last July.

In 2005 a decision was made to employ the “Pere” platform for the first time in Lebanon. Subsequently, it was employed operationally in the Second Lebanon War of 2006 (during which “Pere” platforms launched 527 missiles), in Operation Cast Lead (27 missiles) and in Operation Protective Edge (433 missiles) as well as in specific incidents where the IDF responded to “leakages” from Syria.

The “Pere” platform is based on an M-60 Patton tank fitted with an expanded turret which houses a Tamuz (Spike NLOS) missile launcher with 12 launching tubes. The crew consists of four specialists: commander, driver and two missile aimers/operators. The “Pere” platform is fitted with Rafael’s “Raz Pra’ee” system that supports the launching of the Tamuz missiles. From the moment of the actual launch, the missile takes 40 to 60 seconds to reach any target up to a maximum range of 30 kilometers. The aimer’s job is to identify the target and steer the missile, which is fitted with a camera, all the way to the target.

The accuracy of the Tamuz missile makes it possible to engage “disappearing” targets that pop out of a window or operate on foot. Among other things, the “Pere” crews can handle enemy detachments that operate rocket launchers, motorcycle riders and enemy surveillance teams, including teams deployed inside buildings. The effectiveness of this weapon system enables it to close the sensor-to-shooter cycle within a very short time. To prevent collateral damage, if a decision is made to abort the mission while the missile is already airborne, the aimer can steer the missile into the ground and crash it in order to avoid hitting uninvolved parties.

 

The recent media exposure and the low probability of a future armor-versus-armor confrontation notwithstanding, the “Pere” platform is expected to remain in IDF service in the coming years, as part of the precision weapon systems of the Artillery Corps that are being employed alongside the statistical fire resources. In the recent confrontations, the “Pere” platform proved that an equation that includes prompt response and the accuracy of the Tamuz missiles constitutes a deterrence element even in an asymmetrical warfare environment.