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M113A2
Jun 21, 2014 9:00:06 GMT -7
Post by Robert on Jun 21, 2014 9:00:06 GMT -7
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier developed by Food Machinery Corp (FMC) and manufactured by BAE Systems. The M113 introduced new 5083 aircraft-quality aluminum alloy armor that made the vehicle much lighter than earlier vehicles. It was thick enough to protect the crew and passengers against small arms fire but light enough that the vehicle was air transportable and moderately amphibious. In the U.S. Army, the M113 series have long been replaced as front-line combat vehicles by the M2 and M3 Bradley, but large numbers are still used in support roles such as armored ambulance, mortar carrier, engineer vehicle, command vehicle, etc. In 1979, further upgrades were introduced as the M113A2. Engine cooling was improved by switching the locations of the fan and radiator. Higher-strength torsion bars increased ground clearance, and shock absorbers reduced the effects of ground strikes. Armored fuel tanks were added externally on both sides of the rear ramp, freeing up 16 cubic feet of internal space. The weight of the M113A2 was increased to 25,880 lbs. Because the added weight affected its freeboard when afloat, it was no longer required to be amphibious. Four-tube smoke grenade launchers were also added. The suffix A2 is used on all variants to denote upgrade to A2 standard.
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