The Israel Defense Forces Nahal Infantry Brigade received the first indigenous Eitan armored fighting vehicles.
The eight-wheel-drive vehicles, developed by the Ministry of Defense Tank Administration in cooperation with the IDF Ground Forces, will replace the Vietnam-era M113 tracked armored personnel carriers that still support the bulk of Israeli infantry.
The new armored personnel carrier weighs up to 35 tonnes, has a 750 hp engine, and can reach speeds of up to 90 km/h on paved roads.
The hulls of new wheeled fighting vehicles were built by US-based Oshkosh Defense Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation.
Watch: The first serial production Eitan Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) were delivered to the Israel Defense Forces Nahal Infantry Brigade. 📸IDF pic.twitter.com/sz8UdIIL1v
— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) May 28, 2023
The Israeli Ministry of Defense has selected Oshkosh Defense to produce the Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) hulls for the Israeli Defense Forces on January 2023. As part of this contract, valued at over $100 million, Oshkosh Defense will build hundreds of Eitan APC main hulls.
Israeli media reported that Eitan is the world’s best-protected armored personnel carrier.