M113

   When mentioning the M113 series of armored personnel carriers it is difficult to avoid superlatives for the type has become the most widely produced and utilized APC of the Western World. It's development began in 1956 and first prototype was produced in 1957. Since production commenced in 1961 well over 32 000 M113s and it's derivatives have been received by the US Army alone and the overall production in total in 2001 has reached nearly 76 000 of all types. It is the most massively produced armored vehicle in the wotld. M113 and its variants are in service with at least 50 countries.

   The main feature of the M113 is a fully enclosed hull welded from aluminum armor. Up to 40% of vehicle components are manufactured from the light alloys. M113 has an internal arrangement which became standard for most of the modern armored personnel carriers. Engine compartment is at the front of the hull from the right side while driving compartment is from the left. Middle and the rear part of the hull are occupied by personnel.

   Main armament of the M113 is a 12.7-mm machine gun mounted over commander's hatch.

   Vehicle's occupants enter and leave vehicle threw the rear entry ramp. In case of emergency the entry ramp was completed with emergency exit doors. Furthermore one large hatch is mounted in the roof over personnel compartment.

   The First batch of M113 was completed with Chrysler 75M petrol engine delivering 209 hp. It was coupled with a General Motors gearbox.

   Over the years the size and weight of the vehicle has grown and numerous components have been altered to accommodate that growth but the basic outline has remained the same. There were several M113 improvement programmes for the US Army:

   - M113A1 entered service in 1964. It's main difference from the base model was a General Motors V-6 diesel engine instead of the petrol one. Furthermore this variant was completed with an automatic gearbox;

   - M113A2 replaced the M113A2 on the production line in 1979. It had improved engine cooling equipment, improved chassis. In the USA 5 300 M113 and 12 700 M113A1 APCs were upgraded to the A2 standard;

   - M113A3 entered service with the US Army units in 1986. It is the latest production model with a longer hull, more armor, a more powerful engine and the revised layout of items such as the fuel cells which are moved to the rear of the hull, either side of the main entry ramp. This APC is protected against 14.5-mm rounds.

- the latest production model is the M113A3 with a longer hull, more armor, a more powerful engine and the revised layout of items such as the fuel cells which are moved to the rear of the hull, either side of the main entry ramp.

   On nearly all models the main armament has been a single 12.7-mm machine gun on a pintle over the commanders cupola. Sometimes the machine gun station is set behind a shield or a small open turret but variations abound, as indeed they do for the entire M113 series. Yet despite the huge number of variants and sub-variants the base M113 armored personnel carrier remains a welded aluminum box-shaped hull set on an uncomplicated tracked chassis.

   Derivatives are legion, ranging from command posts to anti-tank vehicles, numerous air defense missile and gun carriers, self-propelled mortars, combat engineer vehicles, ambulances, recovery and repair vehicles, etc. Only some of them are mentioned here:

   - M58 Wolf smoke generator carrier;
   - M106 self-propelled 107-mm mortar;
   - M113 AMEV armored medical evacuation vehicle;
   - M125 self-propelled 81-mm mortar;
   - M548 cargo carrier;
   - M577 comand post carrier;
   - M730 Chaparral short range surface-to-air missile system;
   - M901 improved TOW anti-tank guided missile vehicle;
   - M981 FISTV fire support vehicle;
   - M1059 Lynx smoke generator carrier;
   - M1064 self-propelled 120-mm mortar;
   - M1068 SICPS standard integrated command post system;
   - XM1108 modular weapon system carrier.

   Many user nations have added their own variations and modifications, as have license producers such as Belgium and Italy.

Video of the M113 armored personnel carrier