AIFV

Last updated
AIFV
Royal Netherlands Army (KL) FMC YPR-765 PRI with 25 mm Oerlikon Cannon.jpg
Dutch YPR-765 with Oerlikon KBA 25mm
Type Infantry fighting vehicle
Place of origin United States
Service history
Used by Operators
Wars 1989 Philippine coup d'état attempt
Yugoslav Wars
War in Afghanistan
Syrian Civil War
Battle of Marawi
Sinai insurgency
Russo-Ukrainian War
Production history
Variants Variants
Specifications
Mass13.6 metric tons (combat load)
Length5.26 m
Width2.82 m
Height2.62 m (to turret roof)
Crew3+7

Armor Aluminum hull with spaced laminate steel appliqué armor on the front and sides
Main
armament
25 mm KBA-B02 cannon (180 rounds ready; 144 in reserve)
Secondary
armament
7.62×51mm NATO machine gun (230 rounds ready; 1,610 in reserve)
Engine Detroit Diesel Allison 6V-53T
267 hp (195 kW) at 2800 rpm
Power/weight19.29 hp/t
TransmissionTX100-1A
SuspensionTorsion bar in tube
Operational
range
490 km (300 mi)
Maximum speed 61 km/h (38 mph)

The AIFV (Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle) is a US tracked light armored vehicle that serves as an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) in the armies of several countries. It is a development of the M113A1 armored personnel carrier.

Contents

History

In 1967, funded by the US Army, the FMC corporation produced two prototype vehicles designated as XM765 – these were based on their experiences with the earlier XM701 vehicle, developed for the MICV-65 program. The XM765 was based on the M113A1, upgraded with an enclosed turret and firing ports, so that the infantry could fight from within the vehicle. The army evaluated the vehicle, but decided that they wanted a better protected and more mobile vehicle, [1] selecting instead the M2 Bradley.

FMC continued development as a private venture, resulting in the product improved (PI) M113A1 in 1970. The PI M113A1 had the driver and engine at the front, with an enclosed weapon station in the center of the hull and the commander seated at the rear. This arrangement meant that the commander had a very poor forward view. FMC went back to the drawing board and came up with a new design, which had the driver on the front left of the hull and the commander seated behind him. To the right of the commander was a one-man turret. The vehicle would later be designated the AIFV (armored infantry fighting vehicle).[ citation needed ]

Export

While the US was uninterested in the design, a number of other governments were interested in the vehicle, which was simpler, lighter, and cheaper than the Bradley.

Netherlands

Early Dutch YPR-765 PRI variant armed with a turreted Oerlikon KBA 25 mm cannon and infrared searchlight. Dutch YPR-765 PRI (Pantser Rups Infanterie) Infantry Fighting Vehicle Early.jpg
Early Dutch YPR-765 PRI variant armed with a turreted Oerlikon KBA 25 mm cannon and infrared searchlight.

After a series of demonstrations and the delivery of four evaluation vehicles in 1974, the Netherlands government placed an order for 880 of the vehicles in 1975, which were designated YPR-765 when they entered service. Some changes were made at the request of the Dutch government, including shifting the weapon station to the right side and moving the commander behind the driver. The Netherlands ordered 2,079, of which 815 were produced locally under license. Under the YPR-2000 program, virtually all Dutch vehicles were upgraded to YPR-765A1 standard and are easily identified by the 3-tone NATO camouflage pattern[ clarification needed ]. During the war in Afghanistan, several vehicles were fitted with additional armor.[ citation needed ]

Philippines

The Philippines also received 45 vehicles in 1979, these were intended to take 25mm cannons, although some were later modified to fit 12.7mm machine guns.[ citation needed ]

Belgium

In 1979, Belgium placed an order for 514 AIFV-B (to be produced locally) along with 525 M113A-B (similar to the M113A2). The first vehicles were delivered in 1982.[ citation needed ]

Turkey

Turkey selected the AIFV in 1989, after a competition involving the Alvis Vickers Warrior IFV, Krauss-Maffei PUMA and United Defense LP Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The total value of the contract for 1,698 vehicles was US$ 1.076 billion. The first 285 hulls were produced in Belgium, the remaining vehicles were produced entirely in Turkey. A little way into the production run, with 200 vehicles completed, the Turkish AIFV specification was updated to include a more powerful powerpack developing 300 horsepower, an Allison X-200-4 transmission and hydrostatic steering from the M113A3. During the production run, a number of changes were made to the armament of the vehicle, including different turret packages, and powerpacks.[ citation needed ]

Description (per Dutch variant)

Dutch YPR-765 IFV in Afghanistan with Oerlikon KBA 25mm Dutch YPR-765 IFV cropped.jpg
Dutch YPR-765 IFV in Afghanistan with Oerlikon KBA 25mm

The hull of the vehicle is made of welded aluminium, with steel laminate spaced armor bolted onto the side and front. The voids of the armor are filled with polyurethane foam, which gives the vehicle extra buoyancy when travelling in the water. Original production AIFVs can swim without deploying flotation curtains, using only a large front-mounted trim vane; they are propelled in the water by their tracks.[ citation needed ]

The engine sits on the front right of the hull, behind a hatch that can be used to remove the complete powerpack. The powerpack is similar to the M113A1, except for a larger radiator capacity and turbocharger. The transmission is also fitted with heavy duty components from the M548 tracked cargo carrier. Immediately to the left of the engine is the driver, above whom is a hatch that opens to the right. The driver has four M27 day periscopes. The driver's center periscope can be replaced by a passive infrared periscope for night driving. The commander sits immediately behind the driver, and has a cupola that can be completely traversed. The cupola has five periscopes, four of which are M17 day periscopes, the fifth has 1x to 6x variable magnification.[ citation needed ]

The turret is fitted on the right side of the hull behind the engine. The turret, which has electro-hydraulic traverse, can elevate from -10 to +50° and can traverse and elevate at a speed of 60°/sec. The turret mounts an Oerlikon KBA 25 mm B02 cannon with a dual ammunition feed and 180 rounds of ready use ammo, with another 144 rounds stored in the hull. Mounted to the left of this gun is a 7.62 mm FN MAG machine gun, which has 230 rounds of ready ammo, with a further 1,610 in the hull. There is a six-barrel smoke discharger mounted at the front, just above the large trim vane.[ citation needed ]

The troop compartment is at the rear of the hull; a large power operated ramp allows access through the rear of the vehicle, a door is also provided in the ramp. Additionally a single piece hatch covers the top of the troop compartment. The compartment contains seven troops in the Dutch variant, with six sitting back to back facing outwards and a single passenger sitting between the command and the turret facing backwards. There are two firing ports in each side of the hull and a single firing port in the rear. The side firing ports are provided with M17 periscopes, the rear one is fitted with an M27 periscope.[ citation needed ]

Variants

Belgian service variants

Dutch variants

Dutch variants: [2] (the pantser-rups designation means armored-tracked)

YPR-765 PRCO-B command vehicle. Een YPR 765 pantser rups commando-B (PRCO-B), bewapend met een 25 mm Oerlikon snelvuurkanon in een toren (Enclosed Weapon System).jpg
YPR-765 PRCO-B command vehicle.
The YPR-765 PRRDR equipped with a battlefield surveillance radar. FMC YPR-765 pantser rups radar (PRRDR) van 41 Pantserinfanteriebataljon.jpg
The YPR-765 PRRDR equipped with a battlefield surveillance radar.
Royal Netherlands Army YPR-765 PRAT tank destroyer. Dutch YPR-765 prat Tank Destroyer.jpg
Royal Netherlands Army YPR-765 PRAT tank destroyer.
The YPR-806 PRBRG armoured recovery vehicle. Dutch YPR-806 prbrg Armoured Recovery Vehicle.jpg
The YPR-806 PRBRG armoured recovery vehicle.

Philippine service variants

The Philippine Army uses a mixed variant of earlier AIFVs similar to the Dutch YPR-765, and later variants from Turkey based on the ACV-300.

Philippine Army AIFV-25 PA YPR-765.jpg
Philippine Army AIFV-25

South Korean variants

Turkey

Service variants

  • ACV-AAPC (advanced armored personnel carrier) — with a one-man turret with a 12.7 mm machine gun and a 7.62 mm machine gun; 13 troops carried.
  • ACV-AIFV (advanced infantry fighting vehicle) — fitted with a stabilized 25 mm one-man Sharpshooter Turret and has the capacity of carrying 11 personnel.
    • AIFV with FMC EWS (assembled by DAF Special Products) turret with a 25 mm Oerlikon Contraves 25 mm cannon and a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun
    • AIFV with Giat Dragar turret with a 25 mm M811 cannon and a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun.
  • ACV-ATV — Armored Tow Vehicle. Fitted with a Norwegian one-man turret with two BGM-71 TOW missiles in a ready to launch position, and four troops carried.
  • ACV-AMV — Armored Mortar Vehicle. Fitted with an 81 mm mortar and a 7.62 mm machine gun.

Turkish private variants

  • 120mm AMV — A private venture, armed with a TDA 120 mm recoiling mortar in the rear of the vehicle. Not in service.
  • ACV with HMTS — armed with four Hellfire missiles in the ready to fire position.
  • ACV-300 — Fitted with a 300 hp (220 kW) powerpack similar to the M113A3.
  • ACV-350 — Fitted with a 350 hp (260 kW) powerpack.
  • ACV-S — A stretched version of the AIFV with an additional road wheel and extra armor giving resistance to 14.5 mm AP projectiles, with an upgraded 350 or 400 hp (300 kW) powerpack. Weight is 18,000 kg. A variety of turrets are available, including 12.7 mm, 25 mm (FNSS Sharpshooter Turret) and 30 mm as well as an Eryx missile launcher and 120 mm mortar turret.

UAE variants

Note: all are ACV-350 and fitted with air conditioning and an over-pressure NBC system.

Operators

Map of AIFV operators in blue AIFV operators(updated).png
Map of AIFV operators in blue

Current operators

ACV-15 of the Malaysian Army. ACV-300 Adnan.jpg
ACV-15 of the Malaysian Army.

Former operators

See also

Related Research Articles

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Bibliography