135-834: 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 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,
270-422: 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 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
405-727: A "Kangaroo" is the heavily armoured Israeli Achzarit , converted from captured T-55s tanks, the concept culminating in the Namer . Meanwhile, the Warsaw Pact developed their own versions of the APC. The Soviet Union termed theirs the Bronetransporter ( Russian : бронетранспортер ), better known as the BTR series. It comprised the BTR-40 , BTR-152 , BTR-60 , BTR-70 , BTR-80 , and
540-730: A .30 caliber Browning machine gun in each compact one-man turret on M113 APCs used by the Royal Australian Armoured Corps in South Vietnam. The M2HB has been in service with the Israel Defense Forces since its establishment and has served in all of Israel's wars, operations, and conflicts . In 2012, the IDF upgraded its M2HB machine guns to the M2HQCB model, with a heavy quick-change barrel. Today
675-452: A Mk 19 grenade launcher) are in fully enclosed turrets (turrets typically have optics which make them more accurate). More recently, APCs have been equipped with remote weapon systems . The baseline Stryker carries an M2 on a Protector remote weapons system. APCs may be used as armoured ambulances , to conduct evacuations of wounded personnel. These vehicles are equipped with stretchers and medical supplies. According to article 19 of
810-403: A dedicated M2 version was developed called the ".50 Browning AN/M2" or the "12.7 mm AN/M2". The "AN" stands for "Army/Navy", since the gun was developed jointly for use by both services. The AN/M2 designation was also used for other aircraft guns and therefore it is important to write the caliber before the designation. The 12.7 mm AN/M2 had a cyclic rate of 600–800 rounds per minute, with
945-931: 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
1080-606: 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
1215-533: A distinction between infantry units that use APCs and infantry units that use IFVs, with the latter being known as armoured infantry. One of the first armored vehicles to be used in combat was the Spanish Schneider-Brillié , which saw action in Morocco. It was built from the chassis of a Schneider P2-4000 bus and could carry 12 passengers. The genesis of the armoured personnel carrier was on
1350-496: A fixed developed for use on the M6 Heavy Tank designated Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, Fixed, and a "turret type" whereby "Flexible" M2s were modified slightly for use in tank turrets. The subvariant designation Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, TT was only used for manufacturing, supply, and administration identification and separation from flexible M2s. A number of additional subvariants were developed after
1485-426: A flash, report, and smoke on contact, useful in detecting strikes on enemy targets; they were primarily intended to incapacitate thin-skinned and lightly armored vehicles and aircraft, while igniting their fuel tanks. Current ammunition types include M33 Ball (706.7 grain) for personnel and light material targets, M17 tracer, M8 API (622.5 grain), M20 API-T (619 grain), and M962 SLAP-T. The latter ammunition along with
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#17327726766571620-464: 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
1755-624: A heavily sandbagged tripod, the M2HB proved very useful in either a defensive role or to interdict or block road intersections from use by German infantry and motorized forces. Hearing the sound of an M2 could often cause enemy infantry to take cover. There are numerous instances of the M2 Browning being used against enemy personnel, particularly infantry assaults or for interdiction or elimination of enemy artillery observers or snipers at distances too great for ordinary infantry weapons. The M2HB
1890-495: A larger-caliber machine gun. Pershing asked the Army Ordnance Department to develop a machine gun with a caliber of at least 0.50 inches (12.7 mm) and a muzzle velocity of at least 2,700 feet per second (820 m/s). Around July 1917, John Browning started redesigning his .30-06 M1917 machine gun for a larger and more powerful round. Winchester worked on the cartridge, which was a scaled-up version of
2025-506: A maximum effective range of 2,000 metres (2,200 yd) when fired from the M3 tripod . In its ground-portable, crew-served role as the M2HB, the gun itself weighs 84 pounds (38 kg) and the assembled M3 tripod another 44 pounds (20 kg). In this configuration, the V-shaped "butterfly" trigger is located at the very rear of the weapon with a "spade handle" handgrip on either side of it and
2160-702: 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
2295-452: A mounting bracket of his own design, Hathcock could quickly convert the M2 into a sniper rifle, using the traversing-and-elevating (T&E) mechanism attached to the tripod . When firing semi-automatically, Hathcock hit man-size targets beyond 1,800 metres (2,000 yd)—twice the range of the standard-caliber sniper rifle of the time (a .30-06 Winchester Model 70 ). Hathcock set the record for
2430-448: A new slotted flash suppressor that reduces muzzle flash by 95 percent, fixed headspace and timing, a modified bolt, and a manual trigger block safety. When a standard M2 had a barrel change, the headspace and timing had to be manually set. Improper adjustment could damage the weapon and cause serious injury to the user. Fixed headspace and timing reduces risk, and the carrying handle allows the barrel to be switched in seconds. In June 2011,
2565-404: A range of 250 yd (230 m). Winchester improved the .50 caliber round to have similar performance. Ultimately, the muzzle velocity was 2,750 ft/s (840 m/s). Efforts by Browning and Fred T. Moore resulted in the water-cooled, .50 caliber M1921 Browning machine gun and an aircraft version. These guns were used experimentally from 1921 until 1937. They had lightweight barrels and
2700-594: A rate of fire of approximately 800 rounds per minute and was used singly or in groups of up to eight guns for aircraft ranging from the P-47 Thunderbolt to the B-25 Mitchell bomber, which in the last J-version of the Mitchell could have up to fourteen M2s firing forward for ground attack missions – eight in a solid metal-structure nose, four more mounted in a pair of conformal twin-gunned gun pods on
2835-635: 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
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#17327726766572970-678: 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 ,
3105-514: A variety of ships and watercraft including the soft mount and fixed type versions. The fixed types fire from a solenoid trigger and come in left- or right-hand feed variants for use on the Mk 56 Mod 0 dual mount and other mounts. Huaqing Machinery has made a clone of the M2HB known as the CS/LM6, which was released publicly in 2010 at foreign weapons expo conventions. It was made with a picatinny rail on
3240-561: 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 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
3375-897: A vehicle weapon and for aircraft armament by the United States since the 1930s. It was heavily used during World War II , the Korean War , the Vietnam War , the Falklands War , the Soviet–Afghan War , the Gulf War , the Iraq War , and the War in Afghanistan . It is the primary heavy machine gun of NATO countries and has been used by many other countries as well. U.S. forces have used the M2 longer than any other firearm except
3510-540: Is "an armoured combat vehicle which is designed and equipped to transport a combat infantry squad and which, as a rule, is armed with an integral or organic weapon of less than 20 millimetres calibre." Compared to infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), which are also used to carry infantry into battle, APCs have less armament and are not designed to provide direct fire support in battle. Infantry units that travel in APCs are known as mechanized infantry . Some militaries also make
3645-470: 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:
3780-420: Is either wheeled or tracked , or occasionally a combination of the two, as in a half-track . Wheeled vehicles are typically faster on road and less expensive, however have higher ground pressure which decreases mobility offroad and makes them more likely to become stuck in soft terrains such as mud, snow or sand. Tracked vehicles typically have lower ground pressure and more maneuverability off-road. Due to
3915-693: 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
4050-511: 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,
4185-468: The .45 ACP M1911 pistol , which was also designed by John Browning. The M2HB (heavy barrel) is manufactured in the U.S. by General Dynamics , Ohio Ordnance Works, U.S. Ordnance , and FN Herstal for sale to the U.S. government and other nations via Foreign Military Sales . Machine guns were heavily used in World War I, and weapons of larger than rifle caliber began appearing on both sides of
M113 armored personnel carrier - Misplaced Pages Continue
4320-522: The 2010 raid on Complexo do Alemão . Armored personnel carrier An armoured personnel carrier ( APC ) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I , APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. According to the definition in the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe , an APC
4455-560: 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 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
4590-608: The BTR-90 , which as a whole were produced in large numbers. Czechoslovakia and Poland together developed the universal amphibious OT-64 SKOT . The BMP series is termed as infantry fighting vehicles , but it has a designed role of carrying troops to the battlefield. The BMP-1 , 2 , and 3 all possess the ability to transport troops. By convention, armoured personnel carriers are not intended to take part in direct-fire battle, but are armed for self-defence and armoured to provide protection from shrapnel and small arms fire. An APC
4725-669: The Geneva Conventions , "mobile medical units of the Medical Service may in no circumstances be attacked, but shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict". Although article 22 allows them to carry defensive weaponry, they are typically unarmed. Under Article 39, the emblem of the medical service "shall be displayed ... on all equipment employed in the Medical Service." As such, armoured ambulances are marked with International Committee of
4860-455: The KPV , PKT and NSV machine guns are common options. In "open top" mounts the gunner sticks out of the vehicle and operates a gun on a pintle or ring mount. Ring mounts allow the gun to traverse 360 degrees, a pintle mount has a limited field of fire. It can be preferable to an enclosed gunner because it allows a greater field of view and communication using shouts and hand signals. However,
4995-467: The M4 Sherman , M7 Priest , M8 Greyhound , or M10 tank destroyer variously used by British, Canadian, Australian, South African, and New Zealand units. Nevertheless, the heavy Browning's effectiveness was praised by many British and Commonwealth soldiers in infantry, armored, and ordnance branches. Many commanders thought that the .50 Browning was the best weapon in its class, certainly the best of
5130-556: 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 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
5265-773: 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
5400-591: The Western Front of World War I. In the later stage of the war, Allied tanks could break through enemy trenches , but the infantry following—who were needed to consolidate the territory acquired—still faced small arms and artillery fire. Without infantry support, the tanks were isolated and more easily destroyed. In response, the British experimented with carrying machine-gun crews in the Mark V* tank , but it
5535-705: 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
M113 armored personnel carrier - Misplaced Pages Continue
5670-424: 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
5805-409: The .30-06. Winchester initially added a rim to the cartridge because the company wanted to use the cartridge in an anti-tank rifle, but Pershing insisted the cartridge be rimless. The first .50-caliber machine gun underwent trials on 15 October 1918. It fired at less than 500 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity was only 2,300 ft/s (700 m/s). Cartridge improvements were promised. The gun
5940-473: The .50 BMG cartridge, which offers longer range, greater accuracy, and immense stopping power . The closed bolt firing cycle made the M2 usable as a synchronized machine gun on aircraft before and during World War II, as on the early versions of the Curtiss P-40 fighter. The M2 is a scaled-up version of John Browning's M1917 .30 caliber machine gun . The M2 has varying cyclic rates of fire, depending on
6075-489: 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 the hulls of sunken ships were soon fitted to the carriers, affording better protection. However, it
6210-851: 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
6345-613: The American weapons, including the M1 Garand and M1 Carbine . In North Africa, after Commonwealth units began to obtain sufficient parts, manuals, gauges, and ammunition for the new weapon, the .50 Browning was increasingly used, eventually replacing the 15 mm Besa, but in Italy it was often deleted from top turret mountings because the mount exposed the operator to low branches and enemy fire. All LRDGs , and some SAS units used
6480-487: The Army began conversion of M2HB machine guns to M2A1s. The M2A1 was named one of the greatest Army inventions of 2011. As of 30 November 2012, 8,300 built or converted M2A1s had been fielded by the U.S. Army; the program will upgrade the Army's entire M2 inventory of more than 54,000 guns. The U.S. Marine Corps plans to upgrade all of their ground-mounted M2s to M2A1 standard from 2016 to 2018. The first phase of conversions
6615-470: The Browning was used with standard ball, armor-piercing (AP), armor-piercing incendiary (API), and armor-piercing incendiary tracer (APIT) rounds. All .50 ammunition designated "armor-piercing" was required to completely perforate 0.875 inches (22.2 mm) of hardened steel armor plate at a distance of 100 yards (91 m) and 0.75 inches (19 mm) at 547 yards (500 m). The API and APIT rounds left
6750-487: The French VAB . Armoured personnel carriers are designed primarily for transport and are lightly armed. They may be unarmed, or armed with some combination of light , general-purpose , heavy machine guns, or automatic grenade launchers . In Western nations, APCs are frequently armed with the .50 calibre M2 Browning machine gun , 7.62mm FN MAG , or 40mm Mk 19 grenade launcher . In former Eastern bloc nations,
6885-490: 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
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#17327726766577020-668: 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
7155-549: The Israeli IDF Namer has as much armour as Merkava main battle tank . Armour is usually composed of steel or aluminium . They will also use ballistic glass . Many APCs are equipped with CBRN protection, which is intended to provide protection from weapons of mass destruction like poison gas and radioactive/nuclear weapons. Generally APCs will be lighter and less armoured than tanks or IFVs, often being open topped and featuring doors and windows, as seen in
7290-530: 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
7425-478: 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
7560-404: 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 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
7695-471: 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
7830-453: 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 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
7965-457: 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
8100-608: The M1921A1 and M1921E2). With support from the Navy, Colt started manufacturing the M2 in 1933. FN Herstal (Fabrique Nationale) has manufactured the M2 machine gun since the 1930s. General Dynamics, U.S. Ordnance and Ohio Ordnance Works Inc. are other current manufacturers. A variant without a water jacket, but with a thicker-walled, air-cooled barrel was designated the M2 HB ( HB for Heavy Barrel ). The added mass and surface area of
8235-509: The M2 Browning, i.e. they would fire continuously at suspected points of ambush while moving through areas still containing enemy forces. One vehicle would fire exclusively to the right, the following vehicle to the left, the next one to the right, and so on in order to cover both flanks of the advancing convoy. Besides vehicle-mounted weapons, the heavy weapons companies in a World War II U.S. Army infantry battalion or regiment were each issued one M2 Browning with tripod (ground) mount. Mounted on
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#17327726766578370-477: The M2 in a ground role, exposing him to return fire. Units in the field often modified the mountings on their vehicles, especially tanks and tank destroyers, to provide more operator protection in the anti-vehicular and anti-personnel role. The weapon was particularly hated by the Germans, whose attacks and ambushes against otherwise helpless stalled motor convoys were frequently broken up by .50 caliber machine gun fire. Vehicles would frequently "recon by fire" with
8505-439: The M2 serves as an infantry crew-served heavy machine gun, as a remote-controlled external coaxial gun on Merkava main battle tanks , as the main weapon on the Samson RCWS , and as a secondary weapon on Israeli Sea Corps gunboats and missile boats . Nigerian troops have extensively deployed the 50 caliber Browning, mounted on Otokar Cobra APCs, Panhard VBL M11s and Landcruiser gun-trucks in counterinsurgency operations in
8640-399: The M2 was the only adjustable headspace weapon in the U.S. inventory. With rising reports of injuries from improperly headspaced weapons, the U.S. military held a competition for a quick change barrel conversion kit with fixed timing and headspace in 1997. Three companies offered kits and Saco Defense won the competition. However, funding was lost before the design could be fully evaluated and
8775-400: 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
8910-404: The M903 SLAP (Saboted Light Armor Penetrator) round can perforate 1.34 inches (34 mm) of FHA (face-hardened steel plate) at 500 metres (550 yd), 0.91 inches (23 mm) at 1,200 metres (1,300 yd), and 0.75 inches (19 mm) at 1,500 metres (1,600 yd). This is achieved by using a 0.30-inch-diameter (7.6 mm) tungsten penetrator. The SLAP-T adds a tracer charge to the base of
9045-408: The Niger Delta, N.E Nigeria, the Jos Plateau, and in Mali. The M2 machine gun has also been used as a long-range sniper rifle when equipped with a high-powered telescopic sight . Soldiers during the Korean War used scoped M2s in the role of a sniper rifle, but the practice was most notably used by US Marine Corps sniper Carlos Hathcock during the Vietnam War. Using an Unertl telescopic sight and
9180-453: The Red Cross ( ICRC ) recognized symbols . The infantry fighting vehicle is a derivative of the APC. Various classes of infantry fighting vehicles may be deployed alongside tanks and APCs, in armoured and mechanized forces. The fundamental difference between an APC and IFV is the role they are designed for. The CFE treaty stipulates an infantry fighting vehicle is an APC with a cannon in excess of 20 mm, and with this additional firepower
9315-416: 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
9450-437: The ability to be fired from an electrically operated remote-mount solenoid trigger when installed as a fixed gun. Cooled by the aircraft's slip-stream, the air-cooled 12.7 mm AN/M2 was fitted with a substantially lighter 36-inch (91 cm) length barrel, reducing the weight of the complete unit to 61 pounds (28 kg), which also had the effect of increasing the rate of fire. The full official designation for this weapon
9585-601: The action fully. The adapter is very distinctive, attaching to the muzzle with three rods extending back to the base. The BFA can often be seen on M2s during peacetime operations. The M2 .50 Browning machine gun has been used for various roles: At the outbreak of the Second World War, the United States had versions of the M2 in service as fixed aircraft guns, anti-aircraft defensive guns (on aircraft, ships, or boats), infantry (tripod-mounted) guns, and as dual purpose anti-aircraft and anti-vehicular weapons on vehicles. The .50 AN/M2 light-barrel aircraft Browning used in planes had
9720-519: The aircraft (AN/M2) version of the gun, while beam/waist-mounted and turret-mounted Brownings were used later in the war in such aircraft as the Short Sunderland and Lancaster bomber . After World War II, the .50 Browning continued to see action in Korea and other theaters, in aircraft, tripod (ground), ground AA (hip-ring), and vehicle mounts. One of its most notable actions in a ground role
9855-723: The ammunition fed only from the left side. Service trials raised doubts about whether the guns would be suitable for aircraft or for anti-aircraft use. A heavy barrel M1921 was considered for ground vehicles. John M. Browning died in 1926. Between 1927 and 1932, S.H. Green studied the design problems of the M1921 and the needs of the armed services. The result was a single receiver design that could be turned into seven types of .50 caliber machine guns by using different jackets, barrels, and other components. The new receiver allowed right or left side feed. In 1933, Colt manufactured several prototype Browning machine guns (including what would be known as
9990-464: The ammunition. This ammunition was type classified in 1993. When firing blanks, a large blank-firing adapter (BFA) of a special type must be used to allow the recoil-operated action to cycle. This functions on the principle of a recoil booster , to increase the recoil force acting on the short recoil action. This is the exact antithesis of a muzzle brake . Without this adaptor, the reduced-charge blank cartridge would develop too little recoil to cycle
10125-529: The bolt release can be unlocked into the up position resulting in single-shot firing (the gunner must press the bolt latch release to send the bolt forward). Unlike virtually all other modern machine guns, it has no safety (although a sliding safety switch has recently been fielded to USMC armorers for installation on their weapons and is standard-issue for the U.S. Army for all M2s). Troops in the field have been known to add an improvised safety measure against accidental firing by slipping an expended shell casing under
10260-407: The bolt release in the center. The spade handles are gripped and the butterfly trigger is depressed with one or both thumbs. Recently, new rear buffer assemblies have used squeeze triggers mounted to the handgrips, doing away with the butterfly triggers. When the bolt release is locked down by the bolt latch release lock on the buffer tube sleeve, the gun functions in fully automatic mode. Conversely,
10395-408: The bore within a few thousand rounds, necessitating replacement. In addition to full automatic, the M2HB can be selected to fire single shots, fire slowly at less than 40 rounds per minute, or fire rapidly for more than 40 rounds per minute. Slow and rapid firing modes use 5–7 round bursts with different lengths of pause between bursts. The M2 has an effective range of 1,830 metres (2,000 yd) and
10530-472: The butterfly trigger. The upgraded M2A1 has a manual trigger block safety. Because the M2 was designed to operate in many configurations, it can be adapted to feed from the left or right side of the weapon by exchanging the belt-holding pawls, and the front and rear cartridge stops (three-piece set to include link stripper), then reversing the bolt switch. The operator must also convert the top-cover belt feed slide assembly from left to right-hand feed as well as
10665-410: The cartridge in the chamber. The round can be too tight in the chamber and the gun would not fire, or be too loose in the chamber, resulting in a stoppage or ruptured cartridge. The other dimension that could not be held closely enough was when the firing pin would fall. The solution to these problems was adjustable timing and headspace ("Timing" is the adjustment of the gun so that firing takes place when
10800-545: The conflict. The larger rounds were needed to pierce the armor that was being introduced to the battlefield, both on the ground and in the air. Germany introduced the Junkers J.I aircraft, whose armor could render ineffective aircraft machine guns that used conventional rifle ammunition such as the .30-06. Consequently, the American Expeditionary Force 's commander General John J. Pershing asked for
10935-447: 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 the arrival of the army's conventional forces in 1965. The vehicles continued to operate in
11070-579: The end of World War II. The M2 Heavy Barrel, M48 Turret Type was developed for the commander's cupola on the M48 Patton tank. The cupola mount on the M48A2 and M48A3 was thoroughly disliked by most tankers, as it proved unreliable in service. An externally mounted M2 was later adopted for the commander's position on the M1 Abrams tanks. Three subvariants were also developed for use by the U.S. Navy on
11205-459: The engine block or fuel tanks of a German Bf 109 fighter attacking at low altitude, or perforate the hull plates and fuel tanks of a German half-track or light armored car . It could even penetrate the sides and rear of the Panzer I , Panzer II , Panzer III , and Panzer IV tanks. While the dual-purpose mounting was undeniably useful, it did normally require the operator to stand when using
11340-578: The fact that the individual M2HB's rate of fire (450–550 rounds per minute) was low for an effective anti-aircraft weapon. Towards the end of the war, as Luftwaffe attacks became less frequent, the quad .50 (nicknamed the Meat Chopper or Krautmower ) was increasingly used in an anti-personnel role, similarly to the earlier-introduced (1940) and more powerful—but much more difficult to keep well-fed with ammunition when in action—German 20 mm Flakvierling . Snipers firing from trees were engaged by
11475-814: 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
11610-507: The gunner is poorly protected and at risk of injury in the event of vehicle rollover. During the Vietnam War , M113 gunners often suffered heavy casualties. Enclosed vehicles are equipped with turrets that allow the crew to operate the weapons system while protected by the vehicle's armour. The Soviet BTR-60 has an enclosed turret mounted with a KPV heavy machine gun with a PKT coaxial machine gun. The U.S. Assault Amphibious Vehicle, Personnel ( AAVP7 's) machine guns (an M2, .50 caliber MG and
11745-505: The heavy barrel compensated somewhat for the loss of water-cooling, while reducing bulk and weight: the M2 weighs 121 lb (55 kg) with a water jacket, but the M2 HB weighs 84 lb (38 kg). Due to the long procedure for changing the barrel, an improved system was developed called QCB (quick change barrel). The lightweight "Army/Navy" prefixed AN/M2 "light-barrel" version of the Browning M2 weighing 60 pounds (27 kg)
11880-603: 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
12015-501: The integrity of the hull and folding down a trim vane in front. Water traverse speed varies greatly between vehicles and is much less than ground speed. The maximum swim speed of the M113 is 3.6 mph (5.8 km/h), about 10% its road speed, and the AAVP-7 can swim at 8.2 mph (13.2 km/h). Armoured personnel carriers are typically designed to protect against small arms and artillery fire. Some designs have more protection;
12150-548: The introduction is Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, with others as described below. The development of the M1921 water-cooled machine gun which led to the M2, meant that the initial M2s were, in fact, water-cooled. These weapons were designated Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, Water-Cooled, Flexible. There was no fixed water-cooled version. Improved air-cooled heavy barrel versions came in three subtypes. The basic infantry model, Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, Flexible,
12285-443: The limited service life of their treads , and the wear they cause on roads, tracked vehicles are typically transported over long distances by rail or trucks . Many APCs are amphibious , meaning they are able to traverse bodies of water. To move in water they will often have propellers or water jets , be propelled by their tracks, or driving on the river bed. Preparing the APC to operate amphibiously usually comprises checking
12420-464: The longest confirmed kill at 2,250 metres (2,460 yd), a record which stood until 2002, when it was broken in Afghanistan by Canadian Army sniper Arron Perry . Licensed historic production: Current production (2023): The basic M2 was deployed in U.S. service in a number of subvariants, all with separate complete designations as per the US Army system. The basic designation as mentioned in
12555-436: The lower cockpit sides, and two more if the forward dorsal turret's pair of M2 guns were also aimed straight forward. The later A-26 bested this with up to a maximum of 16/18 machine guns, 8 in the nose, four more per wing in flush-mount pods, plus 2 guns in the dorsal turret. In the dual-purpose vehicle mount, the M2HB proved extremely effective in U.S. service: the Browning's .50 caliber AP and API rounds could easily penetrate
12690-403: The model. The M2HB air-cooled ground gun has a cyclical rate of 450–575 rounds per minute. The early M2 water-cooled AA guns had a cyclical rate of around 450–600 rpm. The AN/M2 aircraft gun has a cyclic rate of 750–850 rpm; this increases to 1,200 rpm for AN/M3 aircraft guns. These maximum rates of fire are generally not achieved in use, as sustained fire at that rate will wear out
12825-558: The program ended. In 2007, the military found money to start a new competition. Saco Defense had since been acquired by General Dynamics , which won the competition. On 15 October 2010, the M2A1 heavy machine gun was type classified by the U.S. Army. Formerly known as the M2E2, the M2A1 incorporates improvements to the design including a quick change barrel (QCB) with a removable carrying handle,
12960-481: The quad gunner at trunk level; the weapon would cut down and destroy the entire tree, and the sniper with it. The M45 Quadmount was still in use during the Vietnam War. The Commonwealth use of the M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun (known as the .5 Browning in British and Commonwealth service) began in World War II, though from 1942 it was standard armament on US-built AFVs provided under lend-lease such as
13095-407: The receiver in order to have quick installation of various optics. The original M2HB tripod and parts can be used on the CS/LM6. When the M2 was first being designed, John Browning faced two design challenges. With the machine tools available at that time, the dimensions that established the location of the bolt face and the depth of the chamber could not be held tightly enough to control the fit of
13230-418: The recoiling parts are in the correct position for firing; "headspace" is the distance between the face of the bolt and the base of the cartridge case, fully seated in the chamber); the operator had to screw the barrel into the barrel extension, moving the barrel toward the bolt face to reach the proper headspace with simple gauges to allow the operator to adjust to the proper dimensions. By the late 20th century,
13365-471: 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 a circular turret for the .50-caliber M2 machine gun in
13500-455: The roof or sides of the vehicle. Many feature a remote weapon system . Usually four-wheel drive, these IMVs are distinct from 8-, 6-, and 4-wheeled APCs (such as the VAB ), being closer in appearance to civilian armoured money and gold transporters . M2 Browning machine gun The M2 machine gun or Browning .50 caliber machine gun (informally, " Ma Deuce ") is a heavy machine gun that
13635-479: 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, 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
13770-712: 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
13905-596: 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
14040-432: The spring and plunger in the feed arm. This will take a well-trained individual less than two minutes to perform. The charging assembly may be changed from left to right-hand charge. A right-hand charging handle spring, lock wire, and a little "know-how" are all that is required to accomplish this. The M2 can be battle-ready and easily interchanged if it is preemptively fitted with a retracting slide assembly on both sides of
14175-700: 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
14310-400: 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 the M113 into a fighting vehicle, but
14445-402: The uparmoured M1114 HMMWV is a clear example of this. The addition of armour provides protection to passengers. M1114s have been largely replaced by purpose-built Mine Resistant Ambush Protected ( MRAP ) vehicles. IMVs generally feature a v-shaped underbelly designed to deflect mine blasts outwards, with additional crew protection features such as four-point seat belts, and seats suspended from
14580-633: 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
14715-413: 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
14850-630: The various " Kangaroos " converted from M7 Priest self-propelled guns and from Churchill , M3 Stuart and Ram tanks . During the Cold War , more specialized APCs were developed. The United States introduced a series of them, including successors to the wartime Landing Vehicle Tracked . The most numerous was the M113 armored personnel carrier , of which more than 80,000 were produced. Western nations have since retired most M113s, replacing them with newer APCs, many of these wheeled. A cold war example of
14985-535: The vehicle is more involved in combat, providing fire support to dismounted infantry. "Infantry mobility vehicle" (IMV) is a new name for the old concept of an armoured car, with an emphasis on mine resistance. They are primarily used to protect passengers in unconventional warfare . The South African Casspir was first built in the late 1970s. In the 21st century, they gained favour in the post-Cold-War geopolitical climate. Identical to earlier High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) in design and function,
15120-615: 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
15255-696: 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
15390-474: The weapon system. This eliminates the need to have the weapon removed from service to accomplish this task. At some point during World War II, the Frankford Arsenal developed a squeeze bore version of the M2HB which reduced the bullet size from .50 to .30 caliber. There are several different types of ammunition used in the M2HB and AN aircraft guns. From World War II through the Vietnam War ,
15525-468: The weapon. Since Finland was already producing 12.7 mm ammunition, the Finnish variant was rechambered to 12.7 mm (.50 BMG). The Finnish variant was designated VKT 12,70 LKk/42 and was produced by Finland. The M2 machine gun was widely used during World War II, and in later postwar conflicts, as a remote or flexible aircraft gun. For fixed (offensive) or flexible (defensive) guns used in aircraft,
15660-483: 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
15795-452: Was "Browning Machine Gun, Aircraft, Cal. .50, AN/M2" (Fixed) or (Flexible). The 12.7 mm AN/M2 was used on many aircraft during WWII , as it served as the main aircraft armament in the US military. Most US fighter aircraft were armed with four, six or eight AN/M2 MGs mounted in the wings. Some examples being the Curtiss P-40 , Republic P-47 Thunderbolt , and North American P-51 Mustang for
15930-491: Was also developed, and became the standard .50-caliber aviation machine gun of the World War II–era for American military aircraft of nearly every type, readily replacing Browning's own air-cooled .30 caliber machine gun design in nearly all American aircraft installations. The Browning M2 is an air-cooled , belt-fed machine gun. The M2 fires from a closed bolt , operated on the short recoil principle. The M2 fires
16065-818: Was completed in March 2017, with 3,600 M2A1s planned to be fielded by the Marines in total. The Israel Defense Forces adopted the M2-HQCB (the commercial version of the M2A1) in 2012 as a replacement to the M2HB. One derivative of the M2 Browning is the Mitrailleuse d´Avion Browning - F.N. Calibre 13,2 mm , more commonly known as the FN Browning M.1939. The FN Browning M.1939 was a heavily modified M2 Browning for aircraft use designed by FN Herstal for export. Their aim
16200-413: Was designed for this gun. It was of a high explosive type and was designed to take down a small aircraft with a single hit. Tests showed that it was very effective against both cloth and aluminum skinned aircraft. Due to the aforementioned improvements, the gun received interest from numerous nations when it entered the export market in 1939. Due to the start of World War 2 and the invasion of Belgium it
16335-558: Was designed near the end of World War I by John Browning . While similar to Browning's M1919 Browning machine gun , which was chambered for the .30-06 cartridge, the M2 uses Browning's larger and more powerful .50 BMG (12.7 mm) cartridge. The design has had many designations; the official U.S. military designation for the infantry type is Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, Flexible . It has been used against infantry, light armored vehicles, watercraft, light fortifications, and low-flying aircraft. The gun has been used extensively as
16470-566: 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 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
16605-409: 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 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,
16740-468: Was exported to only Romania and Sweden . Sweden was able to buy the majority of the weapons along with the blueprints to produce the weapon on their own without paying for a license. In Sweden, the weapon received the designation Automatkanon m/39, short Akan m/39, meaning Autocannon m/39 and was later produced by Ericsson as the Akan m/39A. Sweden also gave the blueprints to Finland so they could produce
16875-528: Was found that the conditions inside the tanks rendered the men unfit for combat. During World War II, half-tracks like the American M3 and German Sd.Kfz. 251 played a role similar to post-war APCs. British Commonwealth forces relied on the full-tracked Universal Carrier . Over the course of the war, APCs evolved from simple armoured cars with transport capacity to purpose-built vehicles. Obsolete armoured vehicles were also repurposed as APCs, such as
17010-445: 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 the predecessor to the standardized armored cavalry assault vehicle (or ACAV) variant and were issued to all ARVN mechanized units during
17145-436: Was heavy, difficult to control, fired too slowly for the anti-personnel role, and was not powerful enough against armor. While the .50-caliber was being developed, some 13.2×92mmSR Mauser 1918 T-Gewehr anti-tank rifles and its ammunition were captured. The 13.2 mm German rounds had a muzzle velocity of 2,700 ft/s (820 m/s), an 800 gr (52 g) bullet, and could penetrate armor 1 in (25 mm) thick at
17280-516: Was in a fierce battle with a nine-man Special Air Service team at the Battle of Mirbat in Oman in July 1972, where the heavy Browning and its API ammunition was used to help repulse an assault by 250 Yemeni Adoo guerrillas, though the more famous weapon from the battle is a 25 pounder gun . The Scots Guards used the weapon in the 1982 Falklands War . A .50 caliber Browning was installed along with
17415-520: Was killed during the firefight and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor . The M45 Quadmount was a mounting of four .50 M2HB guns with a single gunner situated behind an armored housing. This was used by U.S. anti-air battalions, fitted either on a towed trailer or mounted on a half-track carrier. With 200 rounds per gun in a powered tracking mount, the guns proved very effective against low-flying aircraft. The use of four guns adequately compensated for
17550-470: Was not widely used in the Pacific campaign for several reasons, including the weight of the gun, the nature of infantry jungle combat, and because road intersections were usually easily outflanked. However, it was used by fast-moving motorized forces in the Philippines to destroy Japanese blocking units on the advance to Manila. The quad mount .50 was also used to destroy Japanese emplacements. The M2HB
17685-487: 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
17820-531: 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
17955-406: Was to make a light, reliable heavy machine gun with the same damage output as a 20 mm autocannon. To achieve this, they raised the firing rate to 1080 rpm and gave it a more powerful cartridge in the form of the 13.2×99mm Hotchkiss . This cartridge was a popular Eurasian analog of .50 BMG developed independently in 1920s with a 13.2 mm bullet (.52 in) and more propellant. A new projectile
18090-425: 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, 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
18225-507: Was used in Korea and Vietnam, and later in both Operation Desert Storm , the Afghan theater of Operation Enduring Freedom and in Iraq . In 2003, U.S. Army SFC Paul Ray Smith used his M2HB mounted on an M113 armored personnel carrier to kill 20 to 50 enemies who were attacking a U.S. outpost, preventing an aid station from being overrun and allowing wounded soldiers to be evacuated, SFC Smith
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