Israel says that its new Merkava-4 will have a 1,500hp engine (Merkava-3 has 1,200hp) and will be resistant to top attack weapons. It will be able to engage targets as far as 6km away (or even farther). The Israelis plan to continue producing tanks, giving the latest production Merkavas to elite units, which will turn over their used Merkava-1/2/3 tanks to reservists now using T-55s, M-60s, Centurions, or M-48s.--Stephen V Cole