Israeli Merkava tanks have what looks like a curtain or row of chains that sway when it moves. What is that?

Question

Each chain has a heavy metal ball at the bottom...what purpose does this serve? I haven't noticed this feature on American tanks.

Answer 1

I belive it is supposed to clear (set off) mines, so the ground troops don't....

Answer 2

The chains probably serve any number of roles, most likely the clearing of mines, although typically, a tank for mine clearing would have a rotatin flail at the front that spins, sleping the chains against the ground. But the chains may have a utilitarian use as well, for maintenance purposes.

Answer 3

If you are talking about the chains on the front of the tank.It is to set off anti-tank mines before the tracks on the tank itself make contact.
If you are talking about the row chains an the back of the turret.With steel ball hanging on each chain.It is to detonate any RPG rounds before they make contact with the turret itself.

Answer 4

The chain skirt is there to prematurely detonate RPGs. Wire mesh is another add-on sometimes seen on armored vehicles. Strykers have a box-like cage. BMP-2s serving with the Finns will have pine logs lashed to the side with chains. The idea is to get as much stand-off distance between the detonation and the armor as possible.

Answer 5

All modern tanks has that. It is armored steel to prevent shots disabling the tank's chains which makes the tank possible to move. If that chain around the wheels is broken or damaged the tank will not move.

American tanks does have it too, but it is not installed to it. If you look at the tanks in Iraq most of them do. Depends where they are stationed to fight.

Answer 6

That is used to detonate land mines before they can get under the tracks of the vehicle.

Answer 7

It prevents terrorists or anyone else from easily throwing a bomb to the more vulnerable underside of the tank.