Abrams ARV (vyprošťovací tank)

Development


Development was started in 1987 due to the introduction of a new tank M1A1 ABRAMS into the US military. At that time, the US military did not have a means capable of a tank M1A1 ABRAMS weighing over 60 tons of tow. Existing type of rescue equipment M88A1 had too weak equipment for such a load. In 1988, a prototype ABRAMS ARV was produced for military testing. The vehicle was purposefully manufactured with the appropriate power of winches and crane boom with respect to the weight parameters of the tank M1A1 ABRAMS. However, the US Department of Defense supported the modernization of the type M88A1 to the type M88A1E1 [url = http : //forum.valka.cz] Hercules[/url] and in 1997 the ABRAMS ARV project was temporarily suspended. There is only one prototype of this machine, which occasionally appears at various arms exhibitions around the world, where General Dynamics offers it to potential customers.



Determination

The ABRAMS ARV rescue tank is intended for technical support of armored units in field conditions, for rescuing stuck or damaged equipment, or for performing tasks of engineering security, landscaping in the area of the units, earthworks, setting up passages in explosive and non-explosive barriers.



Description


ABRAMS ARV is based on the machine bottom of the tank M1A1 ABRAMS. The chassis consists of seven wheels on each side of the body. The drive wheel is at the rear, the tensioner wheel at the front. The rotating tower with armament was replaced by an extensive transport space, which counts the space for a three-member crew and for another four members of the towed tank crew. The crew consists of a commander, driver-mechanics and mechanics. The thickness of the hull armor is 30 mm and provides the crew with protection against 7.62 mm projectiles and shrapnel from grenades.


A hydraulically operated dozer blade is installed in the front part of the body, designed to stabilize the vehicle when rescuing stuck equipment or to perform earthworks. The entire right part of the body to the engine compartment is space for the crew. A crane boom is installed on the left side of the body along the entire length of the vehicle. The rear of the body is filled with engine space. The driver has his station in the middle of the crew compartment behind the sloping front armor, his view from the vehicle is ensured by three periscopes. In the ceiling of the crew compartment is installed command tower with a mounted 12.7 mm M2HB machine gun, designed to protect the vehicle from enemy manpower and against low-flying targets. Hexagonal smoke grenade launchers are installed on both sides of the hull. The firing diameter of the vehicle is 1500 pieces of 12.7 mm machine gun ammunition and 24 pieces of smoke grenades. The vehicle is also equipped with a filter ventilation device against WMD, a fire protection system and a driver's night vision AN/VVS-2 for night driving.



Special vehicle equipment:


- a crane jib with a load capacity of 35 tonnes, a unloading length of 7.6 m and a working range of 270 degrees,
- a main winch with a pulling force of 700 kN (70 t), which can be increased up to 1 400 kN (140 t) with a rope length of 97 m by means of a pulley system,
- an auxiliary winch with a pulling force of 400 kN (40 t), which can be increased up to 900 kN (90 t) with a rope length of 189 m by means of a pulley system,
- hydraulic dozer blade with a capacity of 350 m3/h, width 3,500 mm
- an auxiliary engine with an output of 224 kW, designed to drive the hydraulic equipment of the vehicle,
- welding and cutting kit,
- auxiliary fuel pump for pumping fuel from damaged equipment,
- set of drawbars,
- a set of rescue equipment and aids,
- engineering tools



Sources:
Ing. Miloš Soukup Modern Military Technology Tanks 5th part, published by Military System Line s.r.o as the first edition in 1999, ISBN 80-902669-1-6.
www.jedsite.info
www.janes.com