The M113 Family of Vehicles

The M113 Family of Vehicles. . , Until 1960, infantry Soldiers were transported overland to the battlefield primarily through their own foot power, or by unarmored soft-skinned wheeled vehicles. Early tracked and armored personnel carriers did appear in World War II, but proved to be too large, too slow in combat conditions or were not fully enclosed., The M113A1 Armored Personnel Carrier emerged in 1960 as the Army's newest vehicle for mechanized infantry. Consisting of an aluminum hull, rather than steel, it was designed to be light, amphibious, transportable by air, and offered armored protection for up to a squad of eleven infantrymen., Over sixty years of service, and conflicts from the Vietnam War through the Global War on Terror, the M113 platform has spawned twenty-four model variants. Some of these include the ambulance, air defense system, smoke generator carrier, command post vehicle, flamethrower vehicle, mortar carrier, loader/transporter, guided missile carrier, and an opposing forces substitute vehicle., As the M113 family of vehicles are phased out through the 2020s, the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) will continue the legacy and become the Army's next generation platform to meet the continuing challenges of the twenty-first century.