Lighter, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo, 'LARC XV'

Lighter, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo, 'LARC XV'. . , With the creation of the sixty ton BARC and the five ton carrying LARC, an interim range amphibious vehicle was needed. The BARC, with its massive capacity and long operating time was seen as not needing a close counterpart, but the lighter LARC Vs were seen as having a demand for a slightly larger supporting class to speed up ship to inland cargo hauling. To meet this desire for a long range, medium capacity cargo carrier, Frauhauf Corporation designed and produced the 'Lighter, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo, Fifteen Ton', or 'LARC XV,' in 1960.

Like the LARC V, the LARC XV was an aluminum hulled, four wheeled craft designed to be loaded with palletized or crated cargo from supply ships off shore from the desired delivery point. The XV was capable of hauling the recently introduced MILVAN metal cargo containers, speeding up the delivery process by containing all supplies within a single block. The collapsible canvas side walls of the LARC V were used to aid unloading procedures early on, but metal side walls were later installed for heavier loads.

In addition, the hull was hinged to allow the bow to be lowered and a ramp deployed, making unloading even easier. The rear mounted driver's station required the crewman to stand when a MILVAN crate was loaded in order to see forward, resulting in a unique Plexiglas bubble top for the servicemen to get a clear light of sight. The LARC XV served on active Regular Army duty well into the 1980s. Eventually phased out of service, some examples linger on in the civilian world as salvage craft, supply vessels, and tour amphibians.