Manufacturer catalog

Israel Ministry of Defense Tank and APC Directorate

The Israel Ministry of Defense Tank and APC Directorate is the IMOD armored-vehicle organization behind Israel's indigenous tank and APC production line, including the Eitan wheeled APC and the Merkava and Namer family.

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The directorate grew out of Israel's 1970 decision to reduce reliance on foreign tank suppliers and build an independent armored-vehicle production base. IMOD traces that decision to the Tank and APC Administration and presents the current Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate as the continuation of the same armored-vehicle program.

Its work covers design, development, production, and expansion of the domestic industries that support Israeli tanks and APCs. IMOD describes the Merkava assembly line as emerging from an IDF tank rehabilitation and maintenance center, while later procurement announcements show the directorate coordinating domestic production infrastructure with selected foreign hull production for the Eitan APC.

armored vehicle designarmored vehicle productiontank programswheeled APC programstracked APC programsdefense industrial base

Notable Systems

Eitan wheeled armored personnel carrier, Wheeled armored personnel carrier, Armored Vehicles

Eitan wheeled APC

Wheeled armored personnel carrier

Official IMOD releases identify the Eitan as developed by the Tank and APC Directorate and delivered to the IDF for operational use.

Sources: First Eitan APCs delivered to the IDF Nahal Brigade, "Eitan" APC procurement finalized, Oshkosh selected to produce Eitan hulls
Merkava Mk 4 main battle tank, Main battle tank, Tanks

Merkava tank family

Main battle tank

The directorate's official history page presents Merkava as the core tank program created under the IMOD armored-vehicle administration.

Sources: Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate
Namer, Heavy armored personnel carrier / infantry fighting vehicle, Armored Vehicles

Namer APC

Heavy armored personnel carrier / infantry fighting vehicle

IMOD's 2025 armored-vehicle production plan highlights the Namer APC as one of the directorate's major production lines.

Sources: $1.5B plan to expand tank and APC production

Manufacturer History

  1. IMOD establishes the Tank and APC Administration

    The IMOD department history says Israel's 1970 decision to reduce reliance on foreign tank suppliers led to the establishment of the Tank and APC Administration.

    Sources: Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate

  2. Eitan procurement agreement finalized

    IMOD announced that the Eitan APC was developed by the Tank and APC Directorate and that hull production and integration would move forward for IDF use.

    Sources: "Eitan" APC procurement finalized

  3. Israel approves expanded tank and APC production

    IMOD said the Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate would lead a multi-year acceleration plan covering Merkava, Namer, and Eitan production.

    Sources: $1.5B plan to expand tank and APC production

Predecessors
Tank and APC Administration
Website links
Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate"Eitan" APC procurement finalizedFirst Eitan APCs delivered to the IDF Nahal Brigade$1.5B plan to expand tank and APC productionOshkosh Eitan APC hull contract

Official IMOD pages use overlapping historical and current names for the same armored-vehicle directorate lineage. Tank and APC Administration, Tank and APC Directorate, and Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate refer to the same Israeli armored-vehicle program lineage.

Manufacturer Sources

  • Merkava and Armored Vehicles DirectoratePublisher: Israel Ministry of Defense | Note: Supports the directorate's current official naming, its 1970 origin as the Tank and APC Administration, and its role in the design, development, and production of Israel's tanks and related industries. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • "Eitan" APC procurement finalizedPublisher: Israel Ministry of Defense | Note: Supports the Eitan APC as a Directorate-developed system and the production-line context for the directorate's modern armored-vehicle work. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • First Eitan APCs delivered to the IDF Nahal BrigadePublisher: Israel Ministry of Defense | Note: Supports the Directorate's role in developing and manufacturing the Eitan APC and the handoff from development to IDF operational use. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • $1.5B plan to expand tank and APC productionPublisher: Israel Ministry of Defense | Note: Supports the directorate's current armored-vehicle production role and the 2025 expansion plan covering Merkava, Namer, and Eitan production. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Oshkosh selected to produce Eitan hullsPublisher: Oshkosh Defense | Note: Supports the Eitan APC supply-chain context: Oshkosh Defense was selected by IMOD to produce hundreds of Eitan APC main hulls for the IDF. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Commons Eitan APC front-view imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY-SA 3.0 licensing for the Eitan APC photograph used on the manufacturer page. | Accessed: 2026-07-11

Produced weapons

Category

Armored Vehicles

Troop carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and protected mobility.

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Eitan wheeled armored personnel carrier, Wheeled armored personnel carrier, Armored Vehicles2023 Israel-Hamas WarEitan wheeled armored personnel carrierWheeled armored personnel carrierBuilt in: Israel / United StatesThe Eitan is Israel's 8x8 wheeled armored personnel carrier, developed by the Defense Ministry's Tank and APC Directorate with Israeli final assembly and Oshkosh-produced hulls to replace older M113s. It entered IDF service with the Nahal Brigade in 2023, saw its combat debut during the October 7 fighting, and was later adapted in Gaza for protected troop movement and casualty evacuation.