Turret of Merkava tank

Tanks got their hits mostly to the frontal part of the turret, so new tank's turret was designed with low-profile wedge shape. The main armament of the first series was USA 105-mm rifled M68 gun, MK3 tanks got a 120 mm smoothbore gun. Turret has practically no protruding parts and its front projection is not more than 1 square meter. The hole on the right of the gun is the loophole of 7.62 mm MAG machine gun embrasure. Gun barrel has a housing with thermal insulation and system of removal of powder gases.