Basic Information

Name

M113A3 American Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)

Designation

M113A3

Alternate Designation

—

Equipment Type

—

Manufacturer

—

Date of Introduction

1987

Description

The A3 generation of the M113 family of vehicles is a major, comprehensive upgrade for the entire range of M113 variants. The intent of this upgrade was to increase the overall performance of the US Army's M113 fleet, which was the workhorse of its armored forces in the 1980s (over 20 000 M113s and their variants were in US service then). While previous M113 models were considered to have adequate firepower for an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), their protection was considered lacking, and their mobility attributes outdated. With 209 hp and a top speed of 64 km/h, the earlier M113A2 would lag behind the 72 km/h M1 Abrams MBT and M2 Bradley IFV. Fully replacing the M113 family of vehicles with Bradley variants had already proven technically, logistically, and fiscally impossible, which necessitated upgrading the M113s instead of replacing them. The decision to proceed with this upgrade was made in 1984. Collectively known as the RISE upgrade (Reliability Improvements for Selected Equipment), the vehicle that would become the M113A3 was planned to be fitted with spall liners, a more powerful engine, and transmission, new controls in the driver's station, external fuel cells, shock-absorbent seats, new brakes, and provisions for appliqué armor. Starting in 1987, all new-built M113s were made to 'A3 standard, and all upgrades have been to 'A3 since 1989.

Ground Specifications

Crew 2

Engine V-6 Diesel (275 hp)

Armor Aluminum Alloy

Active Protection None

Range 480.0 km

Variants

M113 Original gasoline version.

M113A1 Diesel production model.

M113A1 Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) Armor around the commander’s position & 2 extra M-60 MGs.

M113A2 Improved engine cooling, better rear fuel cells, & new suspension system.

M113A2 ARV Armored Recovery Vehicle with a 1361 kg auxiliary crane.

Stretched M113A2 Prototype with an extra road wheel.

M113A3 Bigger engine, yoke steering, Kevlar spall liner, applique liner, external fuel cells.

M113A3 M/R Maintenance/Recovery vehicle with 9000 kg winch & 1360 kg crane.

M58 Wolf Smoker Generator Carrier Vehicle dedicated to produce smoke.

M106 M113 with M30 (107-mm) mortar in back with 88-93 rounds.

M125 M113 with M29 (81-mm) mortar in back with 114 rounds.

M163 M113A1 with turret with M61A1 Vulcan 20-mm 6-barrel Gatling cannon.

M548 Unarmored cargo carrier.

M577 Command post carrier with built-up rear area & telescopic antenna.

M577A3 M113A3 engine with extended hull & 6 road wheels.

M901 Improved TOW Vehicle with an Emerson ITV turret with 2 TOW tubes with an additional 10 missiles.

M981 Fire Support Vehicle (FSV) with laser designator & improved commo gear.

M1059 Lynx M113A2 with M157 smoke generator system.

M1064A3 M113A3 with Soltan (120-mm) mortar with 60 rounds.

M1068A3 Modified M113 into the Standard Integrated Command Post (SICP).

M113 Ambulance Various versions available.

M113 with Dozer Blade M113s with trim vane removed to be fitted with a bulldozer kit.

M113 HAZMAT Stretched M113A3 for spills.

System

Alternative Designations M113A3 APC. The M113 Series APC has many different Variants

Date of Introduction 1987

Proliferation 80,000 (all variants) Albania [N/A] Afghanistan [173] (M113A2) Argentina [408] Australia [598 + 119 in storage] Bahrain [110] (M113A2) Belgium [N/A] Benin [12] Bolivia [60] Bosnia-Herzegovina [80 (M113A2) Brazil [584] Cambodia [N/A] Canada [235] (M113A2/M113A3(+)) Chile [252] (M113A1/A2) [N/A] M113C/R Democratic Republic of the Congo [N/A] Denmark [433] (M113G3 (172 in storage, awaiting disposal) Ecuador [15] Egypt [2,600] (M113A1/M113A2) Germany [816] Greece [1,685] (M113A1/M113A2) Guatemala [10] (M113 APC (+5 in storage) Iran [200] (M113A1) Iraq [1,026+] (M113A1/A2/A3) Israel [6,131] (M113A1/A2 Zelda) Italy [396] (M113A1/M113A2) Jordan [1,391] (M113A1/A2) Kuwait [230] (M113A2) Lebanon [1,164] (M113A1/M113A2) Libya [35] (M113A1) Lithuania [26] (M577V2) Morocco [400] (M113A1) Norway [500] Pakistan [1,100] (M113A1) Peru [120] (M113A1B3) Philippines [80] Portugal [214] (M113A1/A2) Saudi Arabia [1,650] Singapore [750] (M113A1/2) Somalia [N/A] South Korea [420] Spain [1,313] Sudan [36] Switzerland [N/A] (being scrapped) Taiwan [650] (M113) [225] (CM21 [M113 APC w/20-mm cannon]) Thailand [430] (M113A1/A2/A3) Tunisia [40] (M113A1/A2) Turkey [2,813] (M113A1/M113A2) Ukraine [N/A] Uruguay [24] USA [3,943] (M113A2/A3) Vietnam [200] Yemen [76] (M113/M113A1)

Description Tracked APC with rear ramp (door also) for 11 soldiers to dismount. Soldiers must expose themselves through the roof of the vehicle to fire their weapons. No firing ports.

Manufacturer INA

In Service 1987-Present

Crew 2 (driver, commander)

Passengers 11 ea

Payload 10 tonnes (in addition to the vehicle's own weight)

Note #1 The M113 and its variants are the most widely produced and utilized APC of the Western World.

Dimesions

Length 5.29 m

Width 2.68 m

Height 2.52 m

Weight 12.3 tons

Ground Pressure 0.6 kg/cm²

Automotive

Engine Name General Motors 6V53T Diesel

Engine Type V6 Diesel Engine

Engine Power 275 hp

Transmission Allison X-200-4 or X-200-4A automatic transmission

Fuel Capacity 360 Liters

Maximum Range 480 km

Speed (Max Road) 72 km/h

Speed (Max Off-Road) 35 km/h

Speed (Average cross-country) INA

Speed (Max Swim) 5.0 km/h

Ground pressure 0.55 kg/cm2

Gradient 60 %

Side Slope 30 %

Vertical Step 0.6 m

Trench 1.7 m

Fording Depths (m) Amphibious

Gearbox Automatic gearbox, upgraded from the M113A2

External Fuel Cells Yes

Shock-Absorbent Seats Yes

Suspension Torsion bar suspension

Note On water it is propelled by spinning its tracks

Communications

Primary Varies depending on model and country

Note The Radio equipment is a upgrade over the M113A2

Main Weapon System

Note #1 At the middle-front-center of the roof is the commander's cupola, which has a skate mount for a machine gun, and 5 vision block periscopes

Note #2 The M113A3's skate mount can be fitted with a variety of different weapons, including a 7.62 mm M240 machine gun, a 12.7 mm M2HB heavy machine gun, or a 40 mm Mk.19 automatic grenade launcher.

System

Name 1 x M2 HB Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun

Type 12.7 mm

Proliferation Over 3 Million

Length 1,654 mm

Barrel Length 1,143 mm

Weight, Gun Only 38 kg

Weight, Gun with Tripod 58 kg

Max Rate of Fire (M2HB Version) 450-600 rds/min

Max Rate of Fire (AN/M2 Version) 750-850 rds/min

Max Rate of Fire (AN/M3 Version) 1,200-1,300 rds/min

Action Short recoil-operated

Effective Range 1,800-2,000 m

Ammunition

Type Rifle

Caliber 12.7 mm

Cartridge 0.50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO)

Muzzle Velocity 450-1,300 m/s

Basic Load 2,000 ea

Fire Control

FCS Name INA

Computerized FCS No

Night Vision image intensification night vision equipment as standard features

Protection

Armor Type 5083 aluminum alloy

Armor, Frontal Arc 44 mm thick

Armor, Sides, Rear and Roof 38 mm thick

Armor, Belly 28 mm thick

Applique Armor Yes, not only on the bottom of the APC, but throughout the hull

Spall Liners Yes

Explosive Reactive Armor Available

Active Protection System No

Self-entrenching Blade Available

NBC Protection System Yes

Smoke Equipment No

Survivability Equipment Anti-mine armor on bottom

Bar Armor Cage Avaialble

Note Up to 40% of vehicle components are manufactured from light alloys

Image Sources

Notes https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:M113_Iraq_1st_Armored_Division.jpg; https://free3d.com/3d-model/armoured-personnel-carrier-m113a3-3779.html; https://blueprintbox.com/details.php?image_id=43842;