M88 Recovery Vehicle

The M88 is one of the largest all weather armored recovery vehicles currently in use by U.S. Armed Forces and Israel Defense Force, almost 10 tons heavier than the M1 Abrams main battle tank. There are currently three variants, the M88, M88A1 and M88A2 Hercules. The M88 series has seen action most noticeably in Vietnam, the Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and to a lesser extent during the Kosovo War where they were deployed to help recover heavy armored vehicles of the Allied ground units. The current M88A2 replacement cost is around $2,050,000.

Design
The design of this vehicle was based on the chassis and parts of the automotive component of the M48 Patton and M60 Patton tanks. The original M88 was introduced in 1961, M88A1 in 1977, with the current M88A2 introduced in 1997.

Development
Originally manufactured by Bowen McLaughlin York (later the BMY division of Harsco Corporation) in 1961, the company would later merge with FMC Corp. to form the United Defense Industries in 1994, which was in turn acquired by BAE Systems Land Systems in 2005. In February 2008 the company was awarded a $185 million contract modification from the U.S. Army to manufacture 90 Army-configured M88A2s, four Marine Corps-configured M88A2s and authorized spares list parts.

Role
The M88's primary role is to repair or replace damaged parts in fighting vehicles while under fire, as well as extricate vehicles that have become bogged down or entangled. The main winch on the M88A2 is capable of a 70 ton, single line recovery, and a 140 ton 2:1 recovery when used with the 140 ton pulley. The A-frame boom of the A2 can lift 35 tons when used in conjunction with the spade down. The spade can be used for light earth moving, and can be used to anchor the vehicle when using the main winch. The M88 employs an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) to provide auxiliary electrical and hydraulic power when the main engine is not in operation. It can also be used to slave start other vehicles, provide power for the hydraulic impact wrench, as well as the means to refuel or de-fuel vehicles as required. The M88 series of vehicles can refuel M1 tanks from its own fuel tanks, but this is a last resort due to the possibility of clogging the AGT-1500's fuel filters. The fuel pump draws fuel from the bottom of the fuel cell, and with it, all of the sediment that has accumulated with time.

Variants
M88 - 1961
M88A1 - 1977
M88A2 Hercules - 1991
While the original M88 and M88A1 are designated as a "Medium Recovery Vehicle", the M88A2 (original designation being M88A1E1) is designated as "Heavy Recovery Vehicles". They are all similar in many fundamental ways however, the later version is distinctly heavier (70 tonnes, compared to the original 56 tonnes) and uses a different engine (AVDS 1790-8CR with 1050 hp, compared to a Continental AVDS-1790-2DR, with 750 hp).

The M88A2 is slightly larger than its predecessors (8.6 x 3.7 x 3.2 m compared to 8.3 x 3.4 x 3.2 m) thus retains a lower top speed (40 km/h) and a significantly lower range (322 km compared to 450 km). There have also been improvements in braking and steering. Additionally, the M88A2 has armoured track skirts, which both previous models lack. The M88 is also lacking in Nuclear Biological and Chemical defences and a smoke screen generator, which the later M88A1 and M88A2 models are equipped with. Furthermore, the crew number has decreased from 5, to 3-4, to 3 through the series.

However, all variants retain the .50 Cal machine gun, 432 mm ground clearance, 2.6 m fording depth, 1.1 m wall climb and 2.6 m trench crossing capabilities. There has been no major deviation in battlefield role through the M88 series, the later models are merely able to lift heavier loads. The M88A1 was designed around the now obsolete M60 Patton tanks, so it was in light of the fact that two M88A1's were required to tow the new M1 Abrams tank that the decision was made to upgrade to the M88A2 in 1991.

Problems
One of the main issues afflicting the current M88A2 is the high rate of winch failures, which is mainly caused by continued winch operation after the cable has wrapped around the drum incorrectly, leading to damaged hub bearings. There is also concern with loss of traction when an M88A2 tows a heavy M1 Abrams on a slope in wet, muddy conditions. The M88A2 was extensively tested at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland and on August 10, 1998 was officially approved for the towing of 70-ton combat vehicles such as the M1 Abrams.