Israel Starts Serial Production of Eitan Armoured Personnel Carrier – Defence Ministry

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) – Israel has started serial production of the new Eitan armoured fighting vehicle, the country's Defence Ministry has announced.

"Today, the Ministry of Defence of Israel announces the start of serial production of the first Eitan APC [armoured personnel carrier]," the ministry said in a Sunday statement.

Brig. Gen. Guy Paglin, head of the ministry's Armoured Vehicles Directorate, said, as quoted by The Times of Israel on Sunday, that the Eitan "will be the world's most well-protected APC, equipped with advanced combat capabilities".

The Armored Vehicles Directorate in IMoD will begin serial production of the "Eitan" - the first wheeled APC.
The Eitan will become operational at the end of 2021 and will be equipped with the ‘Iron Fist’ advanced, active defense system and an unmanned turret pic.twitter.com/hyfWWogc74

— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) February 9, 2020

Israel's new APC uses technologies from the Merkava tank and the Namer APC. The Eitan can develop a speed of up to 90 kilometers (56 miles) per hour.

The first Eitan APCs are expected to be put into operation at the end of 2021.