Variants of the M113 armored personnel carrier


A huge number of M113 Armored Personnel Carrier variants have been created, ranging from infantry carriers to nuclear missile carriers. The M113 armored personnel carrier has become one of the most prolific armored vehicles of the second half of the 20th century, and continues to serve with armies around the world in many roles.

Military operators

Afghanistan

In 2005, Afghanistan received 15 second-hand M577A2 command and control vehicles from the United States.

Argentina

In 1967, the Argentine Army received from USA 250 M113A1 APC, 10 M577A1 command and control vehicles and 12 M548A1 cargo carriers. In 1992, they received from USA 200 M113A2 APC, 25 M106A1 mortar carrier, 10 M577A1 command and control vehicles and 16 M548A1 cargo carriers. Some variants are modified by the Army's Comando de Arsenales.
Some Australian AFVs have the suffix "AS", often appended by a model number.
Generally speaking, Australian models are modified from the original models, in the case of the M113A1 series this included the AN/VIC-1 communications harness, large dust filters for the passenger compartment ventilation blower, heavy steel track manufactured by ADI, provision for 600 kg of belly armor, the Cadillac-Gage T-50 turret mounting twin.30 Brownings or a.30/.50 Brownings machine guns for APC/LRV versions, a traverse bar to prevent the crew commander traversing the turret to the rear over the troop compartment roof hatch with the guns depressed low. For some reason, besides the M577A1 command vehicle, all of versions of the M113A1 had the passenger compartment heaters removed. In the late 1980s, the fleet was issued with German BM8005 image intensifying night vision driving periscopes, which, with the aid of an adaptor, could be fitted to replace the driver's central periscope for night driving. In the early 90s, the fleet was issued with VINSON family cipher equipment, typically a single KY-57 per vehicle. This allowed the command net to be enciphered, but the admin net would normally work en clair.
The MRV replaced the FSV in Australian service.
BMF from Belgium has built the M113A1 with some modifications under license as the M113A1-B, The Belgian army received 525 vehicles from 1982.
Under the Armoured Personnel Carrier Life Extension program, 341 Canadian M113A2 series vehicles were upgraded: 183 were stretched by 50 cm and fitted with 6 road wheels. The remaining 158 vehicles were upgraded to M113A3 standards, retaining 5 road wheels. Modifications include more powerful 400HP Allison diesel engines, upgraded suspension, bolt-on steel armour plates, steel cage armour, and improved armament consisting of either a Cadillac-Gage 1 metre turret or a Nanuk Remotely Controlled Weapon Station. After upgrade, the family of vehicles became known by the acronym LAV-T in Canadian army parlance.
Under the APCLE program, there were a number of variants created, these include:
Models Removed from Service
Build 1989 - 1993 by E. Falck Schmidt in Odense, and implemented 1992, the M113A2 is armed with a 25 mm Oerlikon-Contraves machine-cannon ranging up to 1,500 m and a German 7.62 mm machine-gun mounted co-axially. The 25 mm Oerlikon-gun has a firing-rate of approx. 600 rounds a minute. The guns are mounted in an Italian Oto Melara turret. The M113A2 has a thermal sight produced by Zeiss. It is used in armoured infantry companies - each company having 2 M113A2s. 50 units were ordered.
The main differences between the A1 and A2 versions is that the latter has a more powerful turbo-charged engine, improved suspension and an improved cooling- and heating-system.
When implemented at the IFOR/SFOR forces in the former Yugoslavia, 6 M113A2s were retrofitted with "add-on armour". The body is protected with the FMC armoured plates, "spall liner" and "belly armour", the fuel-tanks are filled with "safety foam balls" and the turret with a Danish kit consisting of ceramic and armoured plates developed by E. Falck Schmidt and Roulund in Odense. The M113A2 can resist fire from weapons up to 14.5 mm at a range down to 100 m.
The M113A2 was nicknamed "Wildcat" in the first stages of the project, but due to copyright-problems, it was never officially adopted. The project was worth 357 mil. DKr.
With the Defence Agreement 2005 - 2009 made in 2004, it was decided that the M113A2 would no longer be a part of the Danish Army's inventory. A few have been rebuilt as fire fighting vehicles to supersede the ageing M113A1 fire fighting vehicles.

Germany

In German service, the M113 and M113A1 were known respectively as the M113G and M113A1G, while the M577 and M577A1 command post vehicles were known as the M577G and M577A1G. Most M113A1Gs were later upgraded to A2 standard and got the new designator M113A2 GE. Those vehicles that were fitted with external fuel tanks and the new SEM-80/90 radioset are known as M113A2 EFT GE A0. Under the NDV-2 program, some vehicles had been fitted with a new MTU engine, new steering and brake systems etc. German M113s often have a bank of eight 76mm smoke grenade dischargers at the front of the vehicle, and are armed with Rheinmetall MG3s instead of the more common M2.50 caliber machine gun. The German Army uses the type not only as APC but in many different specialized roles as well:
Jordan received 150 M577 Command Post vehicles as a gift from the United States in February 2018.

Lebanon

288 M113s have been rebuilt and upgraded as a part of Project 5026, and all vehicles have received new rubber band tracks, exterior fuel tanks, new intercom, new interior and command and control systems. In addition, the upgraded M113s come in three versions mainly based on the level of protection:
Furthermore, a fourth variant, the M113F4, has been developed, but it was ultimately set aside in favor of FFG's ACSV, which is based on the PMMC G5.
List of Norwegian M113 variants:

Portugal

The Portuguese Army operates 150 in the A1 and A2 variants of the basic M113 armored personnel carrier. Besides the M113 APC, the Portuguese Army operates 107 mm mortar carriers, 81mm Mortar carriers, self-propelled surface-to-air missile systems, TOW anti-tank guided missile tank destroyers, ambulance, command and communications variants of M113.
In 1974, FMC used the M113's drivetrain as a platform for a tracked log skidder.
The skidders use the same 6V53 Detroit Diesel engine and steering gearbox as the M113, but utilized a more heavily built undercarriage and a 4-speed Clark powershift transmission. The skidder either came as a cable arch model, with a tilting tray to set the logs on. Or as a Clam-Bunk forwarder, with a Prentice grapple mounted on the roof of the cab. Dealers also modified the base tractor to handle various forestry and utility jobs.
Because of their mobility and light weight, these skidders are often used in steep and swampy terrain, and the most common alternate use is to fit them with water tanks and use them to fight forest fires.
In 1988, FMC sold the manufacturing rights of the skidder to Kootenay Tractor, their main dealer in British Columbia, Canada, who is selling them under the KMC brandname.
Newer skidder models use Cummins diesel engines, and offer the option of hydrostatic drive alongside the mechanical steering.