It is estimated that the Israeli armed forces lost up to 40% of their southern armored groups during the first two days of the war, [ which?

Presented with highly detailed digital artwork, this is a tightly focused study of two of the Cold War's first main battle tanks.Its excellent armour, mobility and firepower made it the preferred choice and many tanks were purchased well into the 1960s.

Furthermore, the heavy frontal armour of the Centurion was deemed an asset in the defensive battle envisaged from the prepared positions along the Purple Line as well as for any offensive into Syria that would, perforce, be on a narrow axis. In keeping with Israeli military conventions, US spelling has been retained when referring to IDF units. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Israel had a total of 540 of the modified M48A3 (with 105mm gun) and M60A1 tanks.In the intractable debate in tank design as to how to combine the three basic elements of firepower, protection and mobility, the British opted for the first two, although agility across country was considered of more importance than a high road speed. In the Golan Heights, the Syrians attacked two Israeli brigades and eleven artillery batteries with five divisions (the 7th, 9th and 5th, with the 1st and 3rd in reserve) and 188 batteries. Due to a flawed strategy and inept commanders, the Egyptian forces were totally outfought by the Israelis and no true comparison could be drawn between the tanks. The engineering vehicles were priority targets for Israeli gunners and took heavy losses, but Syrian infantrymen, braving intense fire, advanced forward and used their entrenching tools to build up earthen causeways for the tanks, enabling them to overcome anti-tank ditches.