M113 APC: Ubiquitous Armored Personnel Carrier In Vietnam to Ukraine

[Ascout]

We had a contemporary 20mm cannon already for the M114 scout track. We didn't have to take anything out of storage. The questions we need to ask is what is the role of the vehicle, what is the logistic support for the 20mm, crew training, ammo storage, engine power, etc. All are tradeoffs. My personal view is that for mech platoons we should go with five M113s: Four for the rifle squads with Caliber 50s, and one with a turret with a short barrel 75mm for direct fire support for the platoon which is where the platoon leader/platoon HQ would be. This vehicle was already being used by the Australian Army, so it would have been relatively easy to incorporate into our logistic and maintenance system.

The 20mm then in use, by default from an arms trade deal that included Spain, was the Hispano-Suiza model that consisted of some 300 parts & was not something more reliable like an Oerlikon. it was not loved.

 

[Cedric]

The 20mm then in use, by default from an arms trade deal that included Spain, was the Hispano-Suiza model that consisted of some 300 parts & was not something more reliable like an Oerlikon. it was not loved.

I never had any experience with it, though a few in my unit had and a few did like it. But, you just reinforced keeping the caliber .50.

 

[The Night Rider]

Threw a track on one of these on a muddy tank Trail at Graf at my first Duty station.

Not fun to replace. Especially because we had to do it right there in the mud.

Right before I left Germany the Battalion decided to replace the tracks on several vehicles and I'm not sure why but they decided that a Howitzer from another battery was going to get all new track and my section was going to take the track off of our howitzer and take the discarded tracks from the other battery's howitzer and cobble together two good tracks out of that.

That was without any doubt in my mind one of the most difficult jobs I ever had.

 

[OldGrunt]

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Threw a track on one of these on a muddy tank Trail at Graf at my first Duty station.

Not fun to replace. Especially because we had to do it right there in the mud.

Right before I left Germany the Battalion decided to replace the tracks on several vehicles and I'm not sure why but they decided that a Howitzer from another battery was going to get all new track and my section was going to take the track off of our howitzer and take the discarded tracks from the other battery's howitzer and cobble together two good tracks out of that.

That was without any doubt in my mind one of the most difficult jobs I ever had.

Changing out track puts hair on your chest!