Voices from the steel: The technological surgery that revealed the moments of heroism on 10/7

An extensive profile of the Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate (MANTK) in the Ministry of Defense, which for the first time reveals the work of extracting and deciphering black boxes from tanks and APCs that were hit on October 7. The engineers and the unit describe an operation under fire in the Gaza envelope, real-time technological development, and the emotional cost of listening to the last moments of soldiers.

An extensive profile by ynet reveals for the first time the work of the Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate (MANTK) in the Ministry of Defense since October 7, 2023. Immediately upon the outbreak of the war, the unit's engineers went down to the Gaza envelope, under fire, to extract black boxes from Merkava tanks, Namer APCs, and Eitan vehicles that were hit in the containment battles. They extracted video, audio, and telemetry files, at personal risk, to clear the fog of war and assist in locating missing persons and hostages. The technological analyses led to immediate developments, such as the 'Pergola' shield against drone drops. The unit developed an artificial intelligence program that unifies all data into a single investigation arena. The engineers describe the heavy emotional cost of listening to the last moments of soldiers on the radio, while ensuring not to expose names. Their findings are also used in the international and legal arena, including in the investigation of the shelling in Be'eri and the Namer disaster in which 11 soldiers fell. The article presents the unit as a vital national body working modestly behind the scenes.