Misplaced Pages

#662337

104-610: In Spanish service, the vehicle is called " Pizarro ". The Austrian version is called " Ulan ". The ASCOD was designed to replace the older light armoured fighting vehicles of the Austrian and Spanish armies, such as the M113 armored personnel carrier and the Saurer APC . The Ulan, the Austrian version of the Pizarro, would provide a flexible complement to their heavy Leopard 2 A4. The Ulan would allow

208-608: A Renk HSWL 106C hydro-mechanical transmission, and suspension — based on torsion bars and rotary dampers — designed and manufactured by "Piedrafita" . The ASCOD uses Diehl type-129 tracks. The Pizarro has a maximum speed of 70 km/h, and a maximum reverse speed of 35 km/h. The ASCOD has a ground-clearance of 450 millimetres (18 in). The Ulan can accelerate from 0 to 50 kilometres per hour (31 mph) in 14 seconds. It can cross ditches of 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in), climb walls of 950 millimetres (37 in) and ford rivers of 1.2 metres (3 ft 11 in) depth. It

312-692: A 1,000 m range over the forward 30° arc, and all-round protection against 14.5 mm armour piercing incendiary (API) rounds from a range of 500 m. The Ulan is fitted with spall-liners to minimise casualties in case of armour penetration. In terms of mobility, the Spanish Pizarro is fitted with a 600 horsepower (450 kW) MTU SV-183 TE22 engine, while the Austrian Ulan includes a 720 horsepower (540 kW) MTU 8V-199-TE20 engine. These have power-to-weight ratios of 21 and 25, respectively, offering both vehicles excellent mobility. Both versions use

416-566: A Renk HSWL 256 B transmission and Diehl 1028 tracks. It has an increased gross vehicle weight of 38 tons, with a growth potential to 42 tons. The ASCOD 2 has been presented as an IFV (with the SP-30 turret of the original ASCOD), as an APC with a raised roof and armed with an M2 machine gun (in a BAE Lemur remote weapon station) and as a specialized APC for urban combat (designated the ASCOD PSO). In June 2008, GDELS, in conjunction with KMW, announced Donar,

520-465: A circular turret for the .50-caliber M2 machine gun in the track commander (TC) position, two M60 machine guns with shields for the left and right rear positions, and "belly armor"—steel armor bolted from the front bottom extending 1/2 to 2/3 of the way towards the bottom rear of the M113. The two rear machine gunners could fire their weapons while standing inside the rectangular open cargo hatch. This transformed

624-658: A cooperation with the Spanish company Empresa National Santa Barbara S. A. was signed, which resulted in the development being renamed to ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development). Following this, the development of the ASCOD started. The hulls were manufactured in Spain. The ASCOD turrets were made by Steyr in Austria, based on the SP-30 turret design used on the scout version of the Pandur . In 1991,

728-696: A cost of £3.5 billion excluding VAT. A number of Block 2 variants were merged into the Block 1 order. The variants ordered include: Deliveries to the British Army began in 2017; the last deliveries were scheduled for around 2026. In July 2015, the Ministry of Defence concluded their study into having final assembly of the Scout SV vehicles take place in the UK rather than General Dynamics' primary production facility in Spain. There

832-975: A detonation of the explosives carried on the exterior of their M113. On 24 June 2024, Al-Qassam Brigades published footage of its forces attacking an M113 using a Chinese HJ-8 ATGM, hitting the vehicle, caused an external fire on the carry-on CARPET demining system. Several disabled Zelda APCs in Nabatieh , Lebanon and Gaza have revealed VBIED use by the IDF, where the vehicles are filled with explosives, towed to their target, and detonated. An unknown number of M113s were converted into Unmanned Ground Vehicles and were observed to be acting as VBIEDs in Rafah. In November 2024 IAI showed videos of unmanned M113 units working with unmanned D9 bulldozers in what appeared to be Gaza as an example of its new teaming system for robotic units. The Israel Defense Forces still operates large numbers of

936-481: A digital panel for the driver. For the rest, a renewed electrical turret drive, other revisions to the electrical system and the drivetrain. M113 armored personnel carrier The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier (APC) that was developed and produced by the FMC Corporation . The M113 was sent to United States Army Europe in 1961 to replace the mechanized infantry's M59 APCs. The M113

1040-603: A dismounted infantry unit. The remaining SPATS platoon was reequipped with M113s in late 1966 and the mortar platoon was deactivated in early 1967. From early 1967, D/16th had three line platoons equipped with M113s and eventually, its diesel version, the M113A1. It was also standardized in late 1968 with three machine guns per track, one M2 .50 caliber and two M60 machine guns mounted on each side. The M113s were instrumental in conducting reconnaissance in force (RIFs), search and destroy missions, and large invasions (incursions) such as

1144-459: A front-mounted trim vane; they are propelled in the water by their tracks. The Vietnam War was the first combat opportunity for mechanized infantry , a technically new type of infantry with its roots in the armored infantry of World War II , now using the M113 armored personnel carrier. In addition, armored cavalry squadrons in Vietnam consisted largely of M113s, after replacing the intended M114 in

SECTION 10

#1732858267663

1248-464: A maximum range of 50 metres (160 ft). The Pizarro is additionally fitted with limited amounts of SABBLIR explosive reactive armour along the frontal arc and might be upgraded with more later. The SABBLIR reactive armour increases protection against shaped-charge warheads as used on rocket-propelled grenades . The Ulan has been fitted with MEXAS composite armour, which increases ballistic protection against up to 30 mm APFSDS rounds fired from

1352-751: A medium-weight 155 mm self-propelled artillery system based on the KMW Artillery Gun Module (AGM) autonomous artillery system, integrated with the ASCOD 2 chassis. A prototype has begun mobility and firing trials in Germany. In March 2010, the UK MoD announced that ASCOD 2 will be used as the base for the Scout Specialist Vehicle of the FRES program, which was later renamed to " Ajax ". At Eurosatory 2018, General Dynamics European Land Systems presented

1456-702: A modernized version known as an "MRV" (medium reconnaissance vehicle). The MRV featured a Scorpion turret with 76 mm gun, improved fire control, and passive night vision equipment. Regiments using the M113 included former Citizens' Military Forces (CMF) units like the 4/19th Prince of Wales Light Horse Regiment (armoured reconnaissance) and Regular units such as 2ns Cavalry Regiment (armoured reconnaissance) and 3/4th Cavalry Regiment (APC Regiment). An Armoured Reconnaissance Troop consisted of Alpha Track – Charlie Track (M113 LRV) Bravo – Delta Track (M113 MRV) Echo Track (M113 APC) with Assault Section (armoured infantry) later known as Scouts... The Israel Defense Forces are

1560-561: A new IFV. In 1985, the decision to develop a new IFV was made following the Bundesheer announcement of the military requirement for the Kampfschützenpanzer 90 (combat infantry fighting vehicle 90). Based on this, Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug started the conception of the vehicle. However, it was clear that Austria would not order new IFVs in the next years and that the development costs exceeded Steyr's budget. Therefore, in 1988,

1664-515: A new variant of the ASCOD 2. The ASCOD medium main battle tank (MMBT), with a gross vehicle weight of 42 tonnes, is fitted with the Italian Leonardo Defence Systems HITFACT 120   mm turret. This is armed with a 7.62   mm coaxial machine gun, a 7.62   mm pintle-mounted gun and a 12.7   mm remote weapon station on the roof. The 120   mm smoothbore gun is coupled to a computerised fire control system, with

1768-567: A statement in March 2023, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said that full operating capability was expected between October 2028 and September 2029, when the army has trained and converted forces to the vehicle. The Ajax has its origins in the Future Rapid Effect System programme going back to the 1990s when the joint UK/USA TRACER programme was cancelled. The purpose of the FRES programme

1872-624: A true infantry fighting vehicle rather than an armored personnel carrier. Pacific Car and Foundry entered the steel-armored XM701, but this proved to be too slow and too heavy to be airmobile, even in the C-141. FMC entered the XM734, which was largely the ACAV M113, but whereas the M113 seated the troops facing inward on benches along the walls, the XM734 sat them facing outwards on a central bench. Four gun ports and vision blocks were added on each side to allow

1976-673: A variety of roles, and armor battalions contained M113s within their headquarters companies, such as the maintenance section, medical section, vehicle recovery section, mortar section, and the scout (reconnaissance) section. United States Army mechanized infantry units in Vietnam were fully equipped with the M113 APC/ACAV, which consisted of one headquarters company and three line companies, normally with an authorized strength of approximately 900 men. Ten U.S. mechanized infantry battalions were deployed to Vietnam from 1965 until their departure in 1972. Company D, 16th Armor, 173rd Airborne Brigade ,

2080-407: A very strong resemblance to both of these earlier vehicles. The M75 was too heavy and expensive to be useful, as its weight precluded amphibious use and transport by air. The lightened M59 addressed both of these problems, but ended up with too little armor, and was unreliable as a result of efforts to reduce its cost. The Army was looking for a vehicle that combined the best features of both designs,

2184-526: A view to commencing Reliability Growth Trials in January 2023. On 21 December 2022, the Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence, Alex Chalk , stated that these trials could last from 18 to 24 months—a period which would mean that the results of the trials would not be available until after the next UK general election. On 24 February 2023 Defence Secretary Ben Wallace described the programme as having "turned

SECTION 20

#1732858267663

2288-464: Is Spanish for Armored Tracked Carrier. In the Ukrainian Army it is called "Emka" (M). The basic M113 armored personnel carrier can be fitted with a number of weapon systems. The most common weapon fit is a single .50 caliber M2 machine gun. However, the mount can also be fitted with a 40 mm Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher. A number of anti-tank weapons could be fitted to the standard variant:

2392-449: Is able to drive at 75% gradient and 40% side slope. The ASCOD chassis has been used for a number of vehicles in Spanish service and numerous private ventures developed for the export market. Aside from the IFV version, the ASCOD has been offered as light tank and scout vehicle. The ASCOD Direct Fire light tank can mount a number of different commercial turrets with 105 or 120 mm tank guns. It

2496-415: Is able to fire at a rate of up to 770 rounds per minute and accurately engage targets on the move. As secondary armament, the ASCOD carries a 7.62 mm machine gun. The Spanish Pizarro is fitted with an MG-3 machine gun. The Ulan is fitted with an FN MAG . The Ulan carries 200 rounds of 30 mm and 600 rounds of 7.62 mm in the turret. A further 205 rounds for the 30 mm gun and up to 1,290 for

2600-504: Is also equipped with a state of the art Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) package with advanced sensors and space for further future growth. This advanced ISTAR package allows for automated search, tracking and detection, more than doubling stand-off range at which targets can be identified and tracked. The Ajax has a 20 Gbit/s Ethernet intelligent open architecture , which enables it to capture, process and store six TBs of information gathered by

2704-492: Is estimated that over 80,000 vehicles in the M113 family have been produced and used by over 50 countries worldwide, making it one of the most widely used armored fighting vehicles of all time. M113 production was terminated in 2007. The Army initiated the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program to search for a replacement. In 2014, the U.S. Army selected BAE Systems ' proposal of a turretless variant of

2808-417: Is expected to weigh about 30 tonnes. Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge has developed an improved version called Ulan 2. This was never ordered by the Austrian government. An improved version of the ASCOD, called ASCOD 2, has been developed by General Dynamics and was presented in 2004. The ASCOD 2 uses the more powerful MTU 8V 199T21 engine, which provides a 600 kilowatts (800 hp) output, together with

2912-691: Is impractical and less vibration and rolling resistance. Most of the 13,000 M113s that are still in U.S. Army service have been upgraded to the A3 variant. The current U.S. Army M113 fleet includes a mix of M113A2 and A3 variants and other derivatives equipped with the most recent RISE (reliability improvements for selected equipment) package. The standard RISE package includes an upgraded propulsion system (turbocharged engine and new transmission), greatly improved driver controls (new power brakes and conventional steering controls), external fuel tanks, and 200-amp alternator with four batteries. Additional A3 improvements include

3016-415: Is located at the left hull front. The commander and gunner sit in the slightly off-center–mounted two-man turret. The rear compartment has two hatches on the roof. The Ulan can carry eight dismounts. The Pizarro carries seven. The ASCOD mounts a 30 mm Mauser MK-30/2 autocannon in a fully traversable electro-mechanical turret. The dual belt-fed 30 mm cannon, electrically stabilized on two planes,

3120-491: Is manufactured by Elbit and provides 8× magnification in the day channel. The integrated thermal imager, featuring 2.8× and 8.4× magnification, can be accessed by both the gunner and the commander. The commander has a fixed day-sight with 8× magnification. The Pizarro uses the Mk-10 fire control system from Indra, featuring a full-solution digital ballistic computer, day channel, thermal channel and laser rangefinder. Future versions of

3224-612: Is planned to include the following upgrades: The vehicle's normal combat weight is 34 tonnes. The ASCOD Pizarro is built by GDELS Santa Bárbara Sistemas, and operated by the Spanish Army. It exists in multiple variants. The VAC  [ es ] is the successor of the M113 TOA in the Spanish Army : It is based on the VCZ Castor chassis, it takes over the electronic architecture of

ASCOD - Misplaced Pages Continue

3328-505: Is prototyping the Eitan (Hebrew for steadfast), an eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicle to replace their M113s. Designed to serve alongside the tracked Namer, the Eitan is planned to be cheaper and lighter, at 35 tons, incorporating an active protection system and a turret. They are expected to begin replacing the M113 starting in 2020. However, due to the slow rate of production of replacement APCs,

3432-771: The 2010 raid on Complexo do Alemão . Ajax (Scout SV) The Ajax , formerly known as the Scout SV (Specialist Vehicle), is a group of armoured fighting vehicles being developed by General Dynamics UK for the British Army . It has suffered serious development and production difficulties. The Ajax is a development of the ASCOD armoured fighting vehicles used by the Spanish Armed Forces and Austrian Armed Forces . The vehicles were originally developed by Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug and Santa Bárbara Sistemas in

3536-577: The Defence Select Committee that "we cannot be 100 per cent certain that [the salvation of the programme] can be achieved." On 15 December 2021, Quin updated the Parliament and stated that "We are commissioning a senior legal figure to look more deeply at Ajax, and not just health and safety; to examine the cultural and process flaws that it has highlighted. We will leave no stone unturned to learn these lessons." Quin also listed four key points for

3640-759: The U.S. invasion of Cambodia on 1 May 1970 and later Laos ( Operation Lam Son 719 ) in 1971; all of which used the M113 as the primary workhorse for moving the ground armies. While operating with cavalry and armor units, the M113s often worked in conjunction with U.S. M48 Patton and M551 Sheridan tanks. During the Vietnam War, U.S. Army gun trucks , along with V-100 armored cars, conducted convoy escorts for military traffic. The USAF used M113 and M113A1 ACAV vehicles in USAF security police squadrons, which provided air base ground defense support in Vietnam. Also, M113s were supplied to

3744-682: The "APC disaster". The vulnerability of the M113 armored personnel carrier to IEDs and RPGs led the IDF to later begin to develop the Namer APC. M113s were used again in the 2006 Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead . In 2014, during the first wave of the IDF's ground incursion into Gaza in Operation Protective Edge , a Hamas RPG-29 destroyed a fully loaded M113 in Gaza during the Battle of Shuja'iyya , killing all seven Golani Brigade soldiers inside

3848-608: The "Common Base Platform Critical Design Review" (CDR) was completed and development continued. In June 2014, the Protected Mobility Reconnaissance Support (PMRS) variant of the Scout Family officially completed its CDR. A "Mobile Test Rig", the precursor to a prototype, which had been undergoing rigorous testing including cold weather and Operational and Tactical (O&T) mobility trials, as well as Accelerated Life Testing (ALT), completed system de-risking. At

3952-428: The "Zelda" and "Zelda 2", which are fitted with ERA -suites. The Australian Army refers to its M113A1s as "buckets", "bush taxis" and modified M113A1s fitted with 76 mm turrets as "beasts". The German Army has various nicknames, depending on location and branch of service, including "elephant shoe", "Tank Wedge" and "bathtub". In Spain's Army it is known as "TOA", the acronym of Transporte Oruga Acorazado, which

4056-520: The "airborne armored multi-purpose vehicle family" (AAM-PVF) of all-purpose, all-terrain armored fighting vehicles. FMC had been working with Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Co. in the late 1950s to develop suitable aluminum armor. It was known that use of this armor could produce a vehicle that provided the protection of the M75 and the low weight and mobility of the M59. FMC responded with two proposals; two versions of

4160-531: The 450 IFVs cancelled. Following the numerous changed requirements during the ASCOD's conception and development phases, the weight increased from the original 18.8   t to 25.2   t and finally 29.0 tonnes. The first prototype was trialled in Norway in 1993/94, but Norway decided to purchase the Swedish CV9030 instead. Following these trials, a slightly updated third prototype was built, essentially equalling

4264-661: The 7.62 mm machine gun are stored inside the hull. The Pizarro carries 300 rounds of main-gun ammunition. This armament is comparable to that of the M2 Bradley and the CV90 , and performed well in a Norwegian vehicles trial, although it ultimately lost to the Swedish CV90. The Ulan is fitted with a digital fire-control system built by Kollsman, utilising some components of the Kürassier A2 's fire control system. The gunner's sight

ASCOD - Misplaced Pages Continue

4368-814: The ARVN. One notable ARVN unit equipped with the M113 APC, the 3d Armored Cavalry Squadron , earned the Presidential Unit Citation . Additional M113s were supplied to the Cambodian Khmer National Armed Forces , equipped with a turret for the machine gun and a M40 recoilless rifle mounted on the roof. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam also used M113 armored personnel carriers. In 1975, 1381 ARVN M113s were destroyed and captured. Losses in other years are unknown. The Australian Army also used

4472-743: The Ajax Armoured Vehicle programme would be delivered on time and within budget and suggested that there was a risk that the vehicles' credibility would be questioned by troops and morale impaired. General Dynamics UK refused to comment on the report. In early 2021 MPs on the Defence Select Committee issued a report critical of the state of the Army's armoured vehicle programme—including Ajax—which had spent hundreds of millions of pounds with little to show for it. Some defence experts questioned whether Ajax would ever enter service, calling it "the Army's Nimrod MRA4 " (an upgrade of which never entered service and

4576-605: The Austrian Bundesheer in April 2001 for the final qualification. The official handover happened in May 2001. In 2002, 28 Ulans were delivered. The next batch of 36 was delivered in 2003. In 2004 the order was completed. In contrast to the original prototypes, the Ulan was completely manufactured in Austria. The ASCOD effectively brought Austrian and Spanish armour up to date. The Pizarro project

4680-421: The Austrian army to deploy rapidly and effectively over longer distances, especially for foreseeable future operations—such as trouble-spots for UN operations. In 1982, Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug initiated the conception phase for the development of a new infantry fighting vehicle. This was followed by initial talks with the militaries of Greece, Norway and Switzerland to find the desired requirements for

4784-654: The Bradley Fighting Vehicle to replace over 2,800 M113s in service. Thousands of M113s continue to see combat service in the Israel Defense Forces , although by 2014 the IDF was seeking to gradually replace many of its 6,000 M113s with the Namers , and with the Eitan AFV in 2020. The M113 was developed by FMC Corporation , which had produced the earlier M59 and M75 armored personnel carriers. The M113 bears

4888-453: The British supply chain. Ordered in 2014, the first delivery was scheduled for 2017, while it was stated that the first British Army squadron "will be equipped by mid-2019" so that they could be deployed by the end of 2020. This was delayed due to design and testing problems. Test crews were required to wear noise cancelling headphones and be checked for hearing loss at the end of operations and

4992-634: The DVD exhibition in 2014, the first pre-production prototype of the PMRS variant was unveiled, built at General Dynamics' facilities in Spain . Initially, the Ajax was to be procured in a number of blocks totalling 1,010 vehicles. The first order of Block 1 vehicles encompassed Scout Reconnaissance, PMRS APC, and Repair and Recovery variants, with a following order of Block 2 to consist of Reconnaissance, C2, and Ambulance variants. There

5096-487: The IDF in the 1978 South Lebanon conflict . In the 1982 Lebanon War , they saw heavy action. PLO ambushes with RPGs caused extensive casualties because of the tendency of the M113's aluminum armor to catch on fire after being hit by anti-tank weapons. Israeli infantrymen being ferried by M113s learned to quickly dismount and fight on foot when engaged. By the time of the Siege of Beirut , M113s were only used to carry supplies to

5200-707: The IDF is expected to be dependent on the M113 well into the 2020s. The IDF has also increased production of Namer APCs to replace the M113. In the United States, M113s have been adopted by numerous law enforcement agencies. An M113 belonging to the Midland County Sheriff's Department was used in the 2008 raid of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints compound. The Brazilian Marine Corps 's M113s were used in joint operations with Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais during

5304-401: The M113 in Vietnam. After initial experiences showed that the crew commander was too vulnerable to fire, the Australians tried a number of different gun shields and turrets, eventually standardizing with the Cadillac-Gage T-50 turret fitted with two .30 cal Browning machine guns, or a single .30-single .50 combination. Other turrets were tried as were various gun shields, the main design of which

SECTION 50

#1732858267663

5408-427: The M113 are capable of mounting anti-landmine applique armor. The M113A3 was upgraded with internal spall liners and additional applique armor which provided 14.5 mm ballistic protection. In comparison, a modern APC such as the Stryker has all-around 7.62 mm armor-piercing protection, plus 14.5 mm protection on the front, sides, and rear, and a protection against antipersonnel mines. Its weight allows

5512-440: The M113 into a fighting vehicle, but the vehicle still suffered from its lightly armored configuration, having never been designed for such a role. Canada also adopted the ACAV kits when employing the M113A2 during peacekeeping operations in the Balkans in the 1990s. In order to improve the fighting ability of the mounted troops, a number of experiments were carried out in the 1960s under the MICV-65 project, which aimed to develop

5616-473: The M113 series, making them function as assault guns and fire support; while in many cases still having room inside to carry dismounted infantry or cavalry scouts. The M113 is built of 5083 aircraft-quality aluminum alloy . Aluminum alloy is lighter than steel but requires around three times the thickness for an equivalent level of ballistic protection, meaning the armor of the M113 was only designed for 7.62 mm and shell splinter protection. All variants of

5720-459: The M113, maintaining a fleet of 6,000 of the vehicles. On numerous occasions since their introduction in the late 1960s, the IDF's M113s have proven vulnerable to modern anti-tank missiles, IEDs, and RPGs, resulting in the deaths of many Israeli soldiers riding inside the vehicles. The IDF has nonetheless been unable to replace the use of them in combat operations, due to budget constraints in equipping its large mechanized infantry regiments. Israel

5824-400: The M551s they replaced, have also been modified to resemble enemy tanks and APCs, such as the T-80 and BMP-2 . One of the advantages of the M113 being used to simulate the latter is that the infantry squad can now ride inside the simulated BMP instead of in a truck accompanying a tank masquerading as one, as was often the case with the M551s. The M113 has received a variety of nicknames over

5928-454: The Ministry of Defence awarded General Dynamics a £500 million Demonstration Phase contract. General Dynamics has conducted design review work using the input of soldiers and bringing the ASCOD 2 Chassis in line with the British requirements. The Ajax programme passed the "Preliminary Design Review" (PDR), initial design point in December 2012. At this stage of development, system maturity and preliminary system design were reviewed. In late 2013,

6032-532: The Mk-10 will be fitted with a new VC2 thermal imager. The ASCOD is constructed of several rolled steel armour plates. The armour provides protection against 14.5 mm armour-piercing ammunition fired from distances of 500 meters or more along the frontal 60° arc, with all-round protection against 7.62 mm ammunition. The turret is fitted with two banks of 76 mm Wegmann multi-purpose grenade launchers . These can fire smoke grenades for self-protection, or high-explosive grenades with fragmentation warhead to

6136-409: The Spanish and Austrian armies in 2002. The British Army received its first ASCOD SV in 2020. Despite being part of ISAF , Spain did not deploy the Pizarro IFV owing to its lack of a mine-protection kit. The primary version of the ASCOD is the tracked infantry-fighting vehicle. It follows a conventional layout, featuring a front-mounted engine and a rear compartment for the dismounts. The driver's seat

6240-416: The U.S. Army developed kits that allowed the M47 Dragon and BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile systems to be mounted. In the case of the M47, the system mated to the existing machine gun mount, without having to remove the machine gun. This allowed the commander to use both weapons. A large array of turrets and fixed mounts are available to mount high explosive cannon ranging from 20 mm to 105 mm on to

6344-551: The U.S. Army, the M113 series have long been replaced as front-line combat vehicles by the M2 and M3 Bradleys , but large numbers are still used in support roles such as armored ambulance, mortar carrier, engineer vehicle, and command vehicle. The U.S. Army's heavy brigade combat teams are equipped with approximately 6,000 M113s and 6,724 Bradleys. The M113's versatility spawned a wide variety of adaptations that live on worldwide and in U.S. service. These variants together currently represent about half of U.S. Army armored vehicles. It

SECTION 60

#1732858267663

6448-413: The aluminum T113 – a thickly and a more thinly-armored one, along with the similar but mostly steel T117. The thickly-armored version of the T113 – effectively the prototype of the M113 – was chosen because it weighed less than its steel competitor, whilst offering the same level of protection. An improved T113 design, the T113E1, was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1960 as the "M113". A diesel prototype, T113E2,

6552-441: The arrival of the army's conventional forces in 1965. The vehicles continued to operate in the role of a light tank and reconnaissance vehicle, and not as designed in theater. Still, the M113 could carry 11 infantrymen inside, with two crewmen operating it. The U.S. Army, after berating the South Vietnamese for flouting battle doctrine, came out with their own ACAV version. This more or less standardized ACAV kit included shields and

6656-416: The commander and gunner having stabilised day/thermal sights incorporating a laser rangefinder. The ASCOD vehicle was chosen by the UK MoD as the common base platform on which the Ajax would be developed. This selection was the result of the UK's Specialist Vehicle Programme . Around 300 British engineers at General Dynamics UK's Oakdale facility began developing the Scout from the ASCOD after being awarded

6760-534: The commander. On 30 March 1962, the first batch of 32 M113s arrived in Vietnam, and were sent to two Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) mechanized rifle companies, each equipped with 15 of the APCs. On 11 June 1962, the two mechanized units were fielded for the first time. During the Battle of Ap Bac in January 1963, at least fourteen of the exposed .50 caliber gunners aboard the M113s were killed in action, necessitating modifications to improve crew survivability. Makeshift shields formed from metal salvaged from

6864-439: The contract in 2010. These vehicles are the replacements for the CVR(T) family vehicles: FV107 Scimitar (armoured reconnaissance), FV103 Spartan (specialist personnel carrier) and FV106 Samson (recovery vehicle). Recce Block 2 is expected to include ambulance, engineer reconnaissance and command & control replacements for the CVR(T) FV104 Samaritan (armoured ambulance) and FV105 Sultan (command vehicle). The Ajax

6968-413: The contract in 2010. The ASCOD 2 Scout SV was to replace the CVR(T) family of vehicles, including the FV107 Scimitar , the FV103 Spartan and the FV106 Samson armoured recovery vehicle. General Dynamics offered the ASCOD 2 in an APC configuration in the competition for the Danish M113 replacement. The ASCOD 2 was not chosen. The Danish army preferred the wheeled Piranha 5. ASCOD entered service with

7072-419: The cost of this second batch had increased to €845m. The improved ASCOD 2 vehicle was chosen by the UK MoD in March 2010 as the common base platform for the Scout Specialist Vehicle , later renamed Ajax . This selection was the result of the UK's Specialist Vehicle Programme . Around 300 British engineers at General Dynamics UK 's Oakdale facility began developing the Ajax from the ASCOD 2 after being awarded

7176-488: The early 1990s. Both companies were purchased by General Dynamics in the early 2000s. In 2010, General Dynamics UK was selected as the winner of the Future Rapid Effect System contract with the ASCOD Common Base Platform, beating BAE Systems ' CV90 proposal. The Ajax vehicles were to be procured in a number of variants, initially planned to be in blocks, with the first vehicles planned to be delivered in 2017. Delays meant that as of January 2020, initial operating capability

7280-490: The equipment repair vehicle was named Apollo ; the equipment recovery variant was named Atlas ; and the engineering reconnaissance variant was named Argus . In April 2016, the main cannon and chain gun were fired successfully. In December 2016 manned firing tests of the three machine guns which can be fitted to the Ares vehicle were successfully carried out. The Ajax is manufactured and designed by General Dynamics UK and General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas (Spain), with

7384-468: The first prototype was presented in 1991 in Sevilla. It was tested in 1992. Production began in 1996. Initially, the design was a cooperation between Austrian Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG and the Hellenic ELVO , formerly Steyr Hellas, after signing the contract for the domestically contracted Leonidas 2 APC . The contract, activated in 1988, required Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG to follow Hellenic instructions, and to include parts already produced in Greece, such as

7488-775: The front line, always stopping at least 100 meters from enemy lines. M113s were subsequently used by both the IDF and the South Lebanon Army during the South Lebanon conflict . The IDF utilized M113s during the First Intifada and the Second Intifada . In May 2004, two fully laden IDF M113s were destroyed by IEDs in the Gaza Strip , killing 11 soldiers, all those inside the vehicles on both occasions. This became known in Israel as

7592-464: The he VCR Dragón 8×8  [ es ] , and exists in the following variants: The Sabrah light tank' s tracked version is a new variant developed and offered by Elbit Systems for the Philippine Army 's Light Tank Acquisition Project. It uses the ASCOD 2 platform with a new turret, armed with 105 mm gun developed by Elbit in partnership with Denel Land Systems . The Notice of Award (NOA) for

7696-466: The hulls of sunken ships were soon fitted to the carriers, affording better protection. However, it was found that this material could be penetrated by small arms fire, so subsequent shields were constructed from scrapped armored vehicles. The ARVN 80th Ordnance Unit in South Vietnam developed the shield idea further and commenced engineering general issue gun shields for the M113. These shields became

7800-580: The incorporation of spall liners and provision for mounting external armor. The M113 has also been adopted to replace the aging fleet of visually modified M551s being used to simulate Russian-made combat vehicles at the U.S. Army's National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California as well as the M60A3s formerly at the Combat Maneuver Training Center near Hohenfels, Germany. These M113s, like

7904-622: The new turret and fire control system fitted on the Reconnaissance variant being designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin UK. Lockheed Martin is working closely with the Defence Support Group for turret manufacture and assembly as well as Rheinmetall. 75% of turret and Case Telescoped Armament System 40 (CTAS40) cannon work will be carried out in the UK. The turret ring is 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) in diameter, allowing for much more work-space than comparable AFVs. The Scout SV

8008-495: The predecessor to the standardized armored cavalry assault vehicle (or ACAV) variant and were issued to all ARVN mechanized units during the early 1960s. The ARVNs had modified the M113s to function as " amphibious light tanks " and not as battle taxis as U.S. designers had intended. Instead of an armored personnel carrier, the ARVN used the carried infantry as extra "dismountable soldiers" in "an oversized tank crew". These "ACAV" sets were eventually adapted to U.S. Army M113s with

8112-515: The project was issued to Elbit Systems Land by the Department of National Defense in September 2020. ASCOD Ulan is built by Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge. It includes a more powerful 530 kW engine, and a different fire control system built by Kollsman. In February 2023, a modernisation of the 112 IFVs was announced. It focuses mostly on the electronic, providing new observation equipment,

8216-571: The review to consider, relating to safety concerns by MoD officials that were communicated to the manufacturer. In June 2022 a report by the UK Parliament's Public Accounts Committee found that delays had been caused by a "litany of failures" and advised that the Ministry of Defence needed to either resolve the problems or scrap the project, to prevent the compromising of national security. Limited User Validation Trials recommenced in October 2022, with

8320-685: The seated troops to fire even while under cover. Although neither the XM701 or XM734 were deemed worthwhile to produce, FMC continued development of their version as the XM765 advanced infantry fighting vehicle (AIFV). The AIFV was sold to a number of third party-users in the 1970s, including the Netherlands, the Philippines and Belgium. Modified versions of the Vietnam War ACAV sets were deployed to Iraq to equip

8424-579: The second largest user of the M113 after the United States, with over 6000 of the vehicles in service. In 1967 some Jordanian M113 were captured in the West Bank during the Six-Day War and were integrated into the Israeli Army. In 1970 Israel started to receive M113A1 to replace the antiquated half-tracks. The IDF M113s were armed with M2 HB machine guns, and two MAG 7.62 mm machine guns on either side of

8528-640: The sensors. It can then share this data, be it images or other information, via a real-time integrated Bowman communication system as fitted to the Challenger 2 . Power for these systems comes from a silent auxiliary power generator. Eighty per cent of the vehicle manufacture will be completed in the UK, with 70% of the supply chain companies UK-based. The Ajax family project supports 400 jobs at General Dynamics UK's two facilities at Merthyr Tydfil and Oakdale in South Wales , and an estimated further 4,000 jobs in

8632-701: The standard M113s still in service. The circular .50 caliber gun shields have been modified, while the rear port and starboard gun stations have been deleted for service in that region. Some of these modified vehicles have been utilized for convoy escort duties. The M113 has relatively light armor, but it can be augmented with add-on steel plates for improved ballistic protection. Reactive armor and slat armor can be added for protection against rocket-propelled grenades . Band tracks made of rubber are in use by Canadian and other forces to enable stealthy operation, less damage to paved roads, higher speed, less maintenance, access to terrain where operation of wheeled vehicles

8736-563: The upper crew compartment door. The M113 took part in the Yom Kippur War in October 1973, when the IDF was equipped with 448 M113s that saw action on the Sinai and Golan fronts. They proved inadequate for direct fighting due to their poor armor protection. In the Battle of Buq'atta most of the 7th Recon Company was wiped out while trying to assault Syrian commandos with their M113s. They were used by

8840-414: The use of a relatively small engine to power the vehicle, a Detroit 6V53 V6 two-stroke diesel engine of 318 cubic inches (5,210 cc) with an Allison TX-100-1 three-speed automatic transmission . This allows the vehicle to carry a large payload cross-country and to be transported by fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. Original production M113s can swim without deploying flotation curtains, using only

8944-682: The vehicle. As a result, the IDF faced calls from the Israeli public to build more Namer APCs over the next decade and to gradually reduce the number of M113s used in its future combat operations. A group of 30 Israeli reserve soldiers subsequently notified their commanders that they would refuse to enter the Gaza Strip in M113s. M113s were fielded in Palestine and Lebanon during the Israel–Hamas war . On 15 June 2024, eight soldiers were killed, possibly due to

9048-605: The vehicles were unable to reverse over obstacles more than 20 centimeters high. As of March 2021, the British Army had taken deliveries of the Ares variant, whilst 12 Ajax variants were going through acceptance testing. In June 2021 it was revealed that trials of Ajax variants were halted from November 2020 to March 2021 due to excessive vibration and noise, leaving crews suffering from nausea, swollen joints and tinnitus . Test crews were then limited to 105 minutes inside and 20 miles per hour (32 km/h). The excessive vibration while moving

9152-399: The version offered as ASCOD to Austria, Spain and other countries. In 1994, Spain decided to order four pre-series vehicles after successful trials of the prototype. In 1996, Spain ordered 144 vehicles with the designation "Pizarro". Austria's order for the first 112 ASCOD vehicles, "Ulan" in Austria, was delayed for financial reasons until May 1999. Four pre-series Ulan vehicles were given to

9256-689: The wheels, tracks, and smoke-grenade launchers based on those of the Leopard 1 tank. Also, the secondary MG-3 gun — a variant of the Mauser 30F — was constructed in Greece. Greece withdrew from the program in 1991 after a change of government, requiring Steyr-Daimler-Puch to find a new partner. The IFV in Hellenic service would have the name Alexander the Great. Greece donated its design rights to Steyr-Daimler-Puch as compensation for

9360-485: The years. The South Vietnamese Army ( ARVN ) called it the "green dragon". United States troops tended to refer to the M113 simply as a "113" (spoken as "one-one-three"), or a "track". The Israel Defense Forces employ the M113 in many different variants, all designed in Israel, and have given each of them official names, from the baseline "Bardelas" ( lit. Cheetah ) to the "Nagmash" (Hebrew acronym equivalent to "APC"), "Nagman", and "Kasman" variants for urban combat up to

9464-694: Was a business case for UK final assembly and testing. As part of a £390 million maintenance package running until 2024, General Dynamics moved production of the last 489 vehicles to Britain. General Dynamics bought a former forklift factory in Pentrebach in South Wales to assemble the Scout SV. Thales UK won the sight system contract for the Scout family, safeguarding engineering and manufacturing jobs at their site in Scotland. In early August 2015, Rheinmetall of Germany

9568-561: Was a possibility for a third Block of vehicles encompassing a "Direct Fire" vehicle with a 120 mm main gun, "Manoeuvre Support", and a "Joint Fires" variant equipped to succeed the FV102 Striker in the anti-tank role. However, in September 2014, Block 3 vehicles were dropped and the Ministry of Defence had "no plans" to order any Block 2 vehicles. On 3 September 2014, the British Government ordered 589 Scout SV vehicles, totalling

9672-481: Was also damaging electronic systems and preventing armament from stabilising. Suspension faults on the Ajax variant meant that its turret could not fire while moving. The hulls were of inconsistent lengths and had non-parallel sides, which meant that the vibration problems did not manifest in a uniform manner, making it exceedingly difficult to determine if the vibration arose from a fundamental design problem or from build quality failures. A leaked report doubted whether

9776-456: Was contracted to manufacture the Scout SV turrets. Meggitt was to manufacture the Scout SV ammunition handling system. On 15 September 2015, Scout was renamed Ajax . The name Ajax applies to the family as a whole, but also to the turreted variant specifically. The reconnaissance support variant was named Ares after the Greek god of war ; the command-and-control variant was named after Athena ;

9880-530: Was expected in July 2020. In November 2020, trials were halted over excessive noise and vibration. In September 2021 Jeremy Quin, Minister for Defence Procurement, in a written response stated that dynamic testing and training on Ajax was suspended and that "it is not possible to determine a realistic timescale for the introduction of Ajax vehicles into operational service". Limited trials resumed in October 2022, with extended trials to last possibly until early 2025. In

9984-603: Was first used in combat in April 1962 after the United States provided the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) with heavy weaponry such as the M113, under the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) program. Eventually, the M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War and was used to break through heavy thickets in the midst of the jungle to attack and overrun enemy positions. It

10088-432: Was largely known as an "APC" or an "ACAV" ( armored cavalry assault vehicle) by the allied forces. The M113 was the first aluminum hull combat vehicle to be put into mass production. Much lighter than earlier similar vehicles, its aluminum armor was designed to be 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

10192-517: Was part of the greater Project CORAZA (Project Armour) to replace Spain's M113 APCs, M60A3s , and M110 artillery pieces. By 2005, the Austrian army was equipped with 112 Ulan vehicles and Spain with 144 (123 IFV and 21 C2V ). In 2004, the Spanish Ministry of Defence ordered another 212 Pizarros (170 IFV, 5 C2V, 28 artillery observation, 8 recovery, 1 engineering vehicle) for €707.5 million Euros, with up to 356 units total planned. By 2010

10296-453: Was put into production in 1964 as the "M113A1", and quickly supplanted the gasoline-engined M113. In 1994, FMC transferred the M113's production over to its newly formed defense subsidiary, United Defense . Then in 2005, United Defense was acquired by BAE Systems . The M113 was developed to provide a survivable and reliable light tracked vehicle able to be air-lifted and air-dropped by C-130 and C-141 transport planes. The original concept

10400-483: Was scrapped in 2010 at a cost of £3.8bn). The Times reported that in June 2021 the problems with noise and rough handling were so serious that trials involving the Ajax had been suspended. The paper quoted Francis Tusa, editor of Defence Analysis , concluding that the British Army "are spending good money after bad for something that is arguably unfixable." On 20 July 2021, Minister for Defence Procurement Jeremy Quin told

10504-538: Was similar to the gun shield used on the U.S. M113 ACAV version. In addition, the Australians operated an M113 variant fitted with a Saladin armored car turret, with a 76 mm gun as a fire support vehicle, or FSV, for infantry fire support. This has now also been removed from service. Subsequent to Vietnam all Australian M113 troop carriers were fitted with the T50 turret. The FSV was eventually phased out and replaced with

10608-443: Was that the vehicle would be used solely for transportation, bringing the troops forward under armor and then having them dismount for combat, after which the M113 would retreat to the rear. Entering service with the U.S. Army in 1960, the M113 required only two crewmen, a driver and a commander, and carried 11-15 passengers inside the vehicle. Its main armament was a single .50-caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun operated by

10712-532: Was the first U.S. Army armor unit deployed to Vietnam. It originally consisted of three platoons of M113s and a platoon of 90 mm M56 Scorpion self-propelled anti-tank guns (SPAT). It was the only independent armor company in the history of the U.S. Army. Upon the company's arrival in Vietnam, a fourth line platoon was added; this was equipped with M106 4.2 in. mortar carriers (modified M113s). The mortar platoon often operated with Brigade infantry units to provide indirect fire support. It also deployed at times as

10816-498: Was to find a replacement for the British Army 's Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) family of vehicles, which have been in service from 1971. General Dynamics UK won the contract in March 2010 after years of competition from BAE Systems . After the Ministry of Defence had selected the ASCOD 2 Common Base Platform, BAE tried to reverse the decision by offering to manufacture the CV90 at their Newcastle facility. Nevertheless,

#662337