Reports are circulating on social media claiming to show Israel deploying an experimental unmanned armored vehicle near Rafah. The reports show photos and a video of an American-designed and produced M113 armored personnel carrier (APC) converted into an unmanned ground vehicle.
The M113 is an American-designed and produced armored vehicle first put into service in the 1960s during the Vietnam War. The M113 is considered to be outdated, slow-moving in semi-urban settings and vulnerable to the most basic armaments Palestinian militants can carry in Gaza, including RPGs and other anti-tank weapons. Most militaries that still use the M113 only deploy it in auxiliary roles.
Some claim that the M113, called "Zelda" in the Israeli military, had been deployed since the onset of the war. (Related: So they're experimenting with military robots in Gaza now.)
Discussions on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighted the significant role M113s have played in the battle for the Philadelphi Corridor in Rafah, a critical area spanning seven miles along the Gaza-Egypt border. Reports suggest that these unmanned APCs have been advancing westward along the corridor, extending operations toward the Mediterranean Sea.
The use of unmanned M113s, while still unverified, could address some of the vulnerabilities of lightly armored vehicles like the M113 that only provide limited protection against small arms and are ineffective against more powerful munitions like RPG rockets and heavy machine gun fire.
Remote controlled M113s part of plan to repurpose and upgrade APCs
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have been seeking ways to repurpose M113s for years. After 2014, it was decided to replace the aging system due to its small size, slow speed, and vulnerability to anti-armor weapons, while allowing M113s to continue serving in auxiliary roles such as mounting mortars and transporting personnel.
Israel maintains hundreds of active M113s and thousands more in storage. One innovative approach has been to equip them with 120 mm mortars, transforming them into mobile artillery units.
The use of unmanned M113s in the Gaza conflict underscores a broader trend of deploying new technology.
The sighting of M113s in Rafah is notable, given that the IDF's new Eitan APCs have also been active there with the Nahal brigade.
The Eitan, developed to replace the M113, began production in 2020 and was delivered to soldiers in the fall of 2023.
This modern, wheeled vehicle can carry 12 soldiers at speeds up to 90 kph, offering greater speed and maneuverability compared to older tracked APCs like the IDF Namer, which is based on a heavy tank chassis.
The IDF has introduced several systems, such as smart gunsights and precision mortars, which were under development or in initial deployment stages.
The war has accelerated the need for these technologies to enhance soldier protection, provide better information to commanders, and deliver precise firepower to neutralize threats.
Learn more about the deployment of new weapons systems in Gaza at MilitaryTechnology.news.
Watch this video of an Israeli M113 APC operating on the Lebanese-Israeli border being destroyed by a Hezbollah anti-tank guided missile crew.
This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.
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