Way too frigging time on my hands....

[serg3d]

About Merkava - I thought it in fact has highest silhouette of all modern tanks (2.4 m). An I think it can only carry troops if the ammo rack removed, and the only ammo is that in the autoloader. So in fact it can be used in tank mode or gun APC mode with reduced ammo. Anyway after recent Lebanon war, I think there will be drastic changes in the Merkava design. Mk2 and Mk3 which performed so badly in the war will probably be converted to Namer APC, and both Mk4 and Namer will be uparmored and upgraded with active defense system. I also think it's possible that some Merkava will be converted to supporting fighting vehicles, like russian BMPT(tank support fighting vehicle) - turret removed and replaced with remote controlled autocannon (possibly dual), with some additional wepon - CMG or ATGM or like.

[Marek_Tucan]

I'd say it is a stretch claiming the Mk2 and 3 performed badly - AFAIK rather contrary - atleast the uparmored versions (all of deployed Mk3 and most of Mk2 in later stages) - the total losses were usually due to BIG IED's, not to ATGM's, and it seems many ATGM kills were crew members standing in opened hatches hit by shrapnel, not results of penetration. From what I've seen the NERA packages worked as they should.
As for the Merk as APC, it's more like the Mi-28 which, IIIRC, has a capability of carrying two people, inteded for rescuing shot down wingmen.