The Israeli Ministry of Defense (MoD) has unveiled a prototype of an improved Namer heavy Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) equipped with a 30mm unmanned turret.

According to the israeldefense.co.il, the turret was developed in order to be installed on two of the Tank Program Administration’s APCs, namely the Namer and the IDF’s first wheeled APC – the “Eitan,” which is currently undergoing tests.

“The APC equipped with the gun turret provides a better response to urban combat,” said Brig. Gen. Baruch Matzliah, Head of the Tank Program Administration. “The 30mm turret is designed to provide significant firepower to infantry units, to allow fighters to be more independent on the battlefield, and to reduce dependence on assistance from other units.

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“The turret is unmanned and does not penetrate the combat cell so that the ability to carry the soldiers is not harmed. Its operation is expected to be simple and will be performed by the APC’s crew. The turret will also incorporate an active defense system and additional systems that will greatly contribute to its capabilities.”

The cannon was added to improve the Namer’s urban warfare capabilities, something that the IDF attached top priority to after 2014’s Operation Protective Edge. Another APC, the ‘Eitan’, was introduced in July 2016, and is considered more maneuverable in urban warfare settings due to its having tires, as opposed to the more common tank treads.

Used by the Golani Brigade, the Namer is the IDF’s most fortified APC, significantly more protected then the ‘Achzarit’ used by the Paratroopers and Givati Brigades, and light years ahead of the Vietnam war-era M113. The Namer uses the same armor as the Merkava Tank, and is outfitted with the same Trophy anti-tank missile protection system.