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Article: M113 APC: four decades of service and still showing potential.(Professional Forum)(armored personnel carrier)
- Article from:
- Infantry Magazine
- Article date:
- July 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 U.S. Army Infantry School. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The first version of the M113 armored personnel carrier (APC) was introduced in 1960. Operated by a driver and track commander (TC), it was designed to transport a squad of 11 infantrymen across a hostile battlefield. To maximize strategic and tactical mobility, the M113 was made to be air-transportable, air-droppable, and swimmable, thereby enabling it to be employed in a wide range of combat scenarios.
In 1964 the original 209 horsepower (HP) gasoline engine was replaced by a more fuel-efficient 212 HP diesel package, which increased cruising range by 50 percent. Since diesel fuel is less flammable than gasoline, this change also improved crew survivability. ...