View source for IMI 120 mm gun

{{Infobox weapon|is_artillery=yes
| image        = MG253 tank gun.jpg
| image_size   = 300
| caption      = MG253 tank gun
| name         = IMI 120 mm MG251 & MG253 tank gun
| origin       = [[Israel]]
| type         = smoothbore tank gun
| manufacturer = [[Israeli Military Industries]]
| service      = {{plainlist|
* MG251: 1989–present<ref name=janes>{{cite web|url=http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Armour-and-Artillery-Upgrades/Israel-Military-Industries-120-mm-smoothbore-tank-gun-MG251-Israel.html|title=Israel Military Industries 120 mm smoothbore tank gun MG251 (Israel)|publisher=Jane's Information Group|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101101114331/http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Armour-and-Artillery-Upgrades/Israel-Military-Industries-120-mm-smoothbore-tank-gun-MG251-Israel.html|archivedate=2010-11-01|accessdate=2019-11-26}}</ref>
* MG253: 2003–present
}}
| prod_date   = 1988–
| used_by     = see [[#Operators|the operators section]]
| wars        =
| caliber     = {{convert|120|mm|in|sp=us|adj=on}}<ref name=imi/>
| part_length =
| velocity    =
| recoil      = {{plainlist|
* MG251: {{convert|300|mm|in|sp=us}}<ref name=imi/>
* MG253: {{convert|430|mm|in|sp=us}}<ref name=imi/>
}}
| range       =
| weight      = {{convert|2900|kg|lb|sp=us}}<ref name=imi>{{cite web|url=http://www.imi-israel.com/home/doc.aspx?mCatID=68579|title=120mm L44 (MG251/3) Smoothbore Tank Guns|publisher=IMI Systems|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231050132/http://www.imi-israel.com/home/doc.aspx?mCatID=68579|archivedate=2016-12-31|accessdate=2019-11-26}}</ref>
| length      = {{convert|5.3|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name=imi/>
| variants    = MG251<br>MG251-LR<br>MG253
}}

The '''IMI 120&nbsp;mm gun''' is an [[Caliber (artillery)|L44]] [[smoothbore]] [[tank gun]] designed and produced by [[Israeli Military Industries]] (IMI). It is widely confused as a licensed production of the [[Rheinmetall 120 mm gun|Rheinmetall L44]] tank gun, however it was developed by IMI from 1983 to 1988, to meet the requirements of the [[Israel Defense Forces]]' [[Merkava|Merkava Mark III]] [[main battle tank]], i.e. a narrower mount like in the [[M60 tank|M60]], both tanks designed around a 105 mm gun.

It was first revealed in 1989 when it was shown to be the main armament of the Merkava Mark III. In 1990 the [[Israel Defense Prize]] was awarded to Israeli Military Industries for this development, which gave Israel the means to produce tank guns independently.

==Design==
This tank gun is very similar to the Rheinmetall L44 versions installed on the [[Germany|German]] [[Leopard 2]], [[United States|American]] [[M1 Abrams]], [[South Korea]]n [[K1A1]], and [[Japan]]ese [[Type 90 Kyū-maru|Type 90]] [[main battle tank]]s. However, it has a different [[recoil]] system, consisting of an optimized [[concentric]] [[Retarder (mechanical engineering)|retarder]] and [[pneumatic]] [[recuperator]], and more compact overall dimensions, not exceeding those of the existing 105&nbsp;mm [[Royal Ordnance L7|M68]] [[rifled|rifled gun]] of the Merkava Marks I, II, and the [[M60 Patton]].

==Versions==
There are three versions of the IMI 120&nbsp;mm gun:<ref name=elbit>{{cite web|url=https://elbitsystems.com/media/Catalog-Tanks_15_Web.pdf|title=Elbit Systems Land Tank Ammunition Portfolio|publisher=[[Elbit Systems]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112111933/https://elbitsystems.com/media/Catalog-Tanks_15_Web.pdf|archivedate=12 January 2020|accessdate=12 January 2020}}</ref> the '''MG251''',  fitted with a [[thermal sleeve]] developed by [[Vishay Intertechnology]] and provided with a fume extractor which can be removed for maintenance without disturbing the actual sleeve, its improved version '''MG251-LR'''<ref name=elbit/> and the '''MG253''', with a thermal sleeve developed by [[VIDCO Industries]] and a new compressed gas [[recoil]] system.

They fire a family of ammunition developed by IMI, can fire French, German or US 120&nbsp;mm [[NATO]] ammunition if required, and also fire the [[LAHAT]] [[Anti-tank missile|anti-tank guided missile]].

{{Gallery
|File:Merkava4 gun.jpg|IMI 120 mm gun.
|File:IMI120shells.jpg|Different shells for IMI 120 mm gun.
|File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - 188th Brigade Training Day, March 2008.jpg|Muzzle flash of the IMI 120 mm gun.
|File:Sabra tank.jpg|[[Sabra (tank)|M60T Sabra Mk II]] armed with the MG253 120 mm smoothbore gun.
}}

==Operators==
[[File:120mm IMI operators.png|thumb|400px|Map with IMI 120mm operators in blue]]

===Current operators===
* '''MG251:'''
**{{ISR}} [[Merkava|Merkava Mark III]]<ref name=janes/><ref name=elbit/>
* '''MG251-LR:'''
**{{ISR}} [[Merkava|Merkava Mark IV]]<ref name=janes/><ref name=elbit/>
* '''MG253:'''
**{{TUR}} [[Sabra (tank)|M60T Sabra]]<ref name=janes/><ref name=elbit/>

==See also==
'''Weapons of comparable role, performance and era'''
* [[Royal Ordnance L30]]: British rifled equivalent H
* [[GIAT CN120-26/52]]: French equivalent
* [[Rheinmetall 120 mm gun]]: German equivalent
* [[2A46 125 mm gun]]: Russian 125-mm equivalent
* [[CN08 120 mm gun]]: South Korean equivalent

==References==
{{commons category|IMI 120 mm guns}}
{{reflist}}

[[Category:120 mm artillery]]
[[Category:Tank guns of Israel]]
[[Category:Tank guns]]