LVTP-5

LVTP-5
An LVTP-5 on display at the USS Alabama (BB-60) memorial in Mobile, Alabama. The front of the vehicle is facing right in this picture.
Type	Armored personnel carrier
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1956–present
Used by	See Operators
Wars	Vietnam War 1989 Philippine coup attempt
Specifications
Mass	37.4 t
Length	9.04 m (29 ft 8 in)
Width	3.57 m (11 ft 9 in)
Height	2.92 m (9 ft 7 in)
Crew	3+34 passengers
Armor	6-16 mm
Main armament	.30 caliber MG/105mm howitzer(LVTP-6)
Engine	Continental LV-1790-1 V-12 gasoline 704 hp (525 kW)
Power/weight	19 hp/tonne
Suspension	Torsilastic
Operational range	306 km (190 mi) road, 92 km (57 mi) water
Maximum speed	48 km/h (30 mph), in water 11 km/h (6.8 mph)

The LVTP-5 (landing vehicle, tracked, personnel 5) is a family of amphibious armored fighting vehicles used by the Philippine Marine Corps, the Republic of China Marine Corps, and, formerly, the United States Marine Corps. It was designed by the BorgWarner company and built by FMC (Food Machinery Corporation) along with a few other companies. It was first accepted into service in 1956. Some 1,124 basic units were produced, plus the specialist variants, and many saw action in the Vietnam War. It was succeeded by the Assault Amphibious Vehicle.

History

The LVTP-5 was an evolution of the LVT-1 to LVT-4 World War II-era landing vehicle tracked series, but was considerably larger and could carry 30-34 combat-armed troops. A smaller design based on the M59 APC was also produced as the LVT-6, but only a few were built.

The LVTP-5 was replaced in service by the LVT-7 family.

The most common type was the LVTP-5, an armored personnel carrier, with mine-sweeper, command, recovery and fire support variants, the latter mounted a 105 mm howitzer. An anti-aircraft version was prototyped, but never saw service.

As of the mid-2010s, the sole remaining state user of the LVTH-6 was the Philippines, who used four of them for their naval infantry force. ^{[1] [2]} As of 2013, Philippine LVTH-6s came in a "digital"-style camouflage pattern. ^[1]

Variants

• LVTP-5 (landing vehicle tracked, personnel) - armored personnel carrier
• LVTC-5 (landing vehicle, tracked, command) - command vehicle
• LVTH-6 (landing vehicle, tracked, howitzer) - fire support variant armed with M49 105 mm howitzer. Two hundred and ten units built.
• LVTR-1 (landing vehicle, tracked, recovery) - recovery vehicle. Sixty-five units built.
• LVTE-1 (landing vehicle, tracked, engineer) - mine-sweeper. Forty-one units built.
• LVTAA-X1 (landing vehicle, tracked, anti aircraft) - anti-aircraft variant, to be fitted with the turret of the M42 Duster. Only prototype built.

Operators

USMC LVTP-5s during a training exercise in 1968.

An LVTP-5 on display at Georgia Veterans State Park.

LVTH-6 in the Museum of Republic of China Marine Corps.

LVTH-6 rear view.

Current

•   Taiwan
  •   Republic of China Marine Corps – 150 LVTP-5A1 in service as of 2023. ^[3]

Former

•   Chile
•   Philippines
  •   Philippine Marine Corps – 50 purchased in 1975. ^[1] Four remaining LVTH-6 were decommissioned and delisted from inventory in 2019. ^[4]
•   United States ^[5]
• South Vietnam ^[6]

Vehicles on display

Philippines

LVTP-5

• LVTP-5 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Military Park Luuk, Sulu. ^{[7] [8]}

LVTH-6

LVTjf0091 03

• LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Camp Bojeador, Burgos, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. ^{[9] [10]}
• LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Naval Station Jose Andrada, City of Manila ^[11]
• LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Armed Forces of the Philippines Veterans Center. Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, National Capital Region.
• LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Philippine Navy Museum, Fort San Felipe, Cavite City, Cavite, Philippines

LVTE-1

• LVTE-1 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Camp Bojeador, Burgos, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. ^{[12] [10]}

Taiwan

LVTH-6

• LVTH-6 in the Museum of Republic of China Marine Corps.

United States

LVTP-5

• An LVTP-5 formerly of the United States Marine Corps is on display at Georgia Veterans State Park.
• An LVTP-5 on display at the USS Alabama (BB-60) memorial in Mobile, Alabama.
• An LVTP-5 on display at Estrella Warbird Museum, Paso Robles, California. ^[13]

LVTH-6

• An LVTH-6 formerly of the United States Marine Corps is on display at Mott’s Military Museum in Groveport, Ohio.

See also

• G-numbers

References

1. "LVTP-5 (1956)". Tanks Encyclopedia. 2016. Archived from the original on 2017-08-02.
2. "Philippine Marine Corps". www.globalsecurity.org.
3. IISS (2023). The Military Balance 2023. International Institute for Strategic Studies. p. 293.
4. IISS (2023). The Military Balance 2023. International Institute for Strategic Studies. p. 285.
5. Adams, Scott R. (March 1999). "A CASE STUDY OF THE ADVANCED AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT VEHICLE (AAAV) PROGRAM FROM A PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE" (PDF). www.apps.dtic.mil. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
6. Dunham, George R (1990). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Bitter End, 1973–1975 (Marine Corps Vietnam Operational Historical Series). History and Museums Division Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. pp. 19–20. ISBN   9780160264559.
7. "Marine Birthday Issue 2022" (PDF). www.marinecorps.mil.ph. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
8. "In war-weary Sulu, park honors soldiers". INQUIRER.net.
9. "The Military Park Cape Bojeador. established by the 4th Marine Brigade, Philippine Marine Corps, in Camp Cape Bojeador in Burgos, Ilocos Norte is now open to the public and has gained 21,624 visitors for the past few weeks after its soft opening on 30 January 2024". Tribune.net.ph.
10. Mugas, John Michael (2023-01-23). "Philippine Marine Corps eyes putting up detachment unit in Laoag City". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2024-04-09.^{[ failed verification ]}
11. Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT) Naval Station Jose Andrada -Manila, 2017-05-28, retrieved 2024-04-09^{[ better source needed ]}
12. "The Military Park Cape Bojeador. established by the 4th Marine Brigade, Philippine Marine Corps, in Camp Cape Bojeador in Burgos, Ilocos Norte is now open to the public and has gained 21,624 visitors for the past few weeks after its soft opening on 30 January 2024". Tribune.net.ph.
13. "LVPT-5 Landing Vehicle". www.ewarbirds.org. Retrieved 2025-08-25.

Further reading

• David Koller, LVTP5 Landing Vehicle Tracked Personnel 5, 2016, Highgloss Publishing, ISBN   9783033052598.
• SNL G277
• Steven Zaloga, Terry Hadler, Michael Badrocke - Amtracs: US Amphibious Assault Vehicles, 1999, Osprey Publishing (New Vanguard 30), ISBN   1-85532-850-X.

External links

• Federation of American Scientists
• LVTP5 Museum page
• American Fighting Vehicle database