Defense Ministry Suspends ‘Merkava’ Tank Project

Dozens of companies involved in the development of the Israeli ‘Merkava’ tank have received notice that orders for firing and control systems, as well as electro-optic systems and treads for the tanks are cancelled. Some 6,000 israeli employees were involved in the Merkava production, with contracts worth 1.1 billion NIS annually. As of now, the Defense Ministry has suspended the project out of financial considerations.