Nagmachon

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Nagmachon
An Israeli Nagmachon, right, and Caterpillar D-9 armoured bulldozer.
Type	Armoured personnel carrier
Place of origin	Israel
Specifications
Weight	45 tonnes
Length	7.84 m
Width	3.38 m
Crew	2 driver, commander + 10 crew

Primary armament	2 x 7.62 mm FN MAG
Engine	ADVS-1790 –2AC, 750 HP/559,5 kw at 2400 rpm

Nagmachon is a heavily armoured armoured personnel carrier fielded by the Israeli army. The Nagmachon evolved from the NagmaSho't APC, which in turn was based on Centurion Sho't hulls from the 1970s and 1980s. The vehicle carries thick belly armour designed to withstand mine-blasts and mountings on the front hull for various engineering devices such as mine plows, mine rollers and dozer blades. In addition to its belly armour and the relatively heavy armour of the centurion hull, the Nagmachon also carries explosive reactive armour to counter HEAT rounds, such as rocket propelled grenades.

Early Nagmachons were equipped with three armoured shields to give soldiers firing the mounted FN MAGs some degree of protection from small arms fire. Later Nagmachons were fitted a distinctive raised superstructure, sometimes referred to as a 'doghouse'. The raised superstructure and increased mine protection have made the Nagmachon an ideal platform for counter-insurgency and urban operations, seeing much use in the al-Aqsa Intifada within the occupied territories and southern Lebanon. It is often used as an engineering vehicle and a carrier for sappers, although its main role has been to carry infantry.