M578 Armored Recovery Vehicle

M578 Armored Recovery Vehicle. . The M578 was introduced to support the self-propelled howitzers available to the army in the 1960s. The M107, M109, and M110 (and all armored personnel carriers) were lighter than main battle tanks (MBT) by 20 or more tons. This weight difference meant that the army could use an existing automotive platform (in this case, that of the M107/M110) to handle the lighter armored recovery vehicle (ARV) needs. The production of the M578 saved American taxpayers millions of dollars because the larger and more expensive ARVs used for MBTs (the M88) were no longer needed to move lighter equipment. The M578 could lift up to 13.38 tons with its crane and pull up to 26.57 tons with its winch. The oxygen and acetylene bottles carried on the front of the turret could be used to cut through metal such as damaged track. The crew could also weld armor patches onto combat vehicles in need of repair., Vehicle Specifications , Armament: 1 x .50 caliber machinegun , Crew: 3 , Weight: 53,572 lbs , Speed: 34 mph , Maximum effective weapons range: 2,000 m , Maximum armor thickness: Less than 1 in , Production: Over 283 , Year entering service: 1962