Namer
Summary
| Origin country | 🇮🇱 Israel |
| Category | Armored Personnel Carrier |
| Sub-type | Heavy armoured personnel carrier |
| Manufacturer | IDF Ordnance |
| Number built | 290 units |
| Est. avg unit price | $5 million |
Technical specifications
| Crew | 3 (commander, driver, RCWS operator) + 9 troops personnels |
| Range | 500 km |
| Mass | 60.0 tons |
| Height | None m ( ft) |
| Width | None m ( ft) |
| Length | None m ( ft) |
| Max. speed | 85 km/h (53 mph) |
| Engine | 1,200 hp (895 kW) turbocharged diesel engine |
| Weapon 1 | Samson RCWS equipped with either 12.7 mm (0.50 in) M2 machine gun or Mk 19 grenade launcher |
| Weapon 2 | 1 × 7.62 mm (0.300 in) FN MAG MG |
| Weapon 3 | 1 × 60 mm (2.4 in) external mortar |
| Weapon 4 | 12 × smoke grenades |
Further Reading
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Historical operators
Description
The Namer is a heavy armored personnel carrier developed by the Israeli Ordnance Corps and Israel Military Industries. The vehicle's design is based on the Merkava Mark IV tank chassis. Development was driven by the requirement to replace the M113 after the 2004 Israel–Gaza conflict demonstrated that platform's vulnerability to improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades. Although early prototypes utilized Merkava Mark I hulls, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shifted to newly built chassis based on the Mark IV. The Namer entered operational service in late 2008.
The hull features a sloped modular design utilizing a composite armor matrix of ceramic, steel, and nickel alloy, supplemented by reactive armor and V-hull belly protection. Since 2016, newly produced vehicles have been fitted with the Trophy active protection system. Primary armament typically consists of a Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station equipped with either a 12.7 mm machine gun or a Mk 19 grenade launcher. Secondary armament includes a 7.62 mm machine gun, an external 60 mm mortar, and smoke grenade launchers. An infantry fighting vehicle variant is equipped with an unmanned turret featuring a 30 mm cannon and a launch pod for Spike-MR missiles. The vehicle is powered by a 1,200 hp turbocharged diesel engine and incorporates a digital battlefield management system that enables hunter-killer capabilities.
In addition to the standard personnel carrier, specialized versions include a combat engineering vehicle (CEV) and a medical evacuation variant. The CEV is configured with mine rollers, bulldozer blades, and CARPET mine-breaching rockets. The Namer is operated by the IDF and has been produced in ongoing batches to equip infantry and engineering brigades.
The vehicle saw combat during the 2008–2009 Gaza War and Operation Protective Edge in 2014, where the armor was subjected to anti-tank guided missiles and heavy explosive charges. It has also been utilized during the 2023 war in Gaza. While primarily used by Israel, the vehicle was evaluated by the United States Army during the Ground Combat Vehicle program and has been offered for procurement to Azerbaijan and Colombia.