M60 AVLB

The M60 AVLB is an armored vehicle based on the M60 Patton main
M60 AVLB (Armored Vehicle Launched
battle tank chassis used for the launching and retrieval of a 60 feet
Bridge)
(18 m) scissors-type bridge. The AVLB consists of three major
sections: the launcher, the vehicle hull, and the bridge.[1]

Contents
Design
Deployment
Replacement
Specification
M60A1 tank chassis
An M60A1 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge
Bridge (AVLB), deploying its scissors-type bridge.

Variants Type Armored vehicle-

Operators launched bridge

See also Place of origin United States

References Service history
External links In service 1967–present
Used by See operators
Wars Gulf War
Design Iraq War
The M60 AVLB is based on a M60 Patton tank chassis, but instead of Production history
the tank's gun turret, it is equipped with a bridge launcher integrated
Manufacturer 1967–1996: Detroit
into the chassis and mounted on top. When emplaced, the bridge is
Arsenal Tank Plant,
capable of supporting tracked and wheeled vehicles with a military
Chrysler Defence (now
load bearing capacity up to Class 70. The bridge can be retrieved from
General Dynamics Land
either end. The roadway width of the AVLB is 12 feet 6 inches
Systems)
(3.81 m). During deployments, bridge emplacement can be
1996 onwards: Anniston
accomplished in 2 minutes, and retrieval can be accomplished in 10
Army Depot
minutes under armor protection.[1]
Unit cost US$749,000
Produced M60: 1967
Deployment M60A1: 1987
As of 1996, the U.S. Marines had an inventory of 55 bridges and 37 Variants See variants
launchers.
Specifications
Weight Loaded: 56.6 short tons
Replacement (51.3 t)
The U.S. Army and Marine Corps are planning to replace the AVLB Length Overall: 9.44 metres
with the DRS Technologies Joint Assault Bridge (JAB), which is an (31 ft 0 in)
M1 Abrams tank chassis combined with an 18.3 metres (60 ft)-long
Width 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in)
scissor bridge. The M60-based AVLB was found to be slower and
Height 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in)
unable to keep pace with Abrams tanks and M2 Bradley armored Crew 2 (Commander and
vehicles, and its age was making it difficult to maintain and sustain driver)
with parts becoming obsolete. The JAB also has a faster deployment
time, with a set-up of three minutes compared to AVLB’s six-minute
Main None
set-up. First deliveries are planned in mid-2017, with low-rate initial armament
production expected to be reached in 2019.[2] Secondary None
armament

Specification Engine Continental (now General

Dynamics) AVDS-1790-
Manufacturer: Anniston Army Depot (ANAD) 2DR V12, air-cooled
Contractor: General Dynamics Land Systems Twin-turbo diesel engine
Division 750 horsepower
Power plant: AVDS-1790-2DA 12-cylinder (560 kW)
diesel engine
Power train: CD-850-6A 2 speeds forward, 1 Power/weight 13.2 hp/t
reverse Payload capacity 1× scissors-type folding
Introduction date: February 1987 bridge
Unit Replacement Cost: $749,000
Transmission CD-850-6A 2 speeds
forward, 1 reverse
M60A1 tank chassis
Suspension Torsion bar suspension
Weight, combat loaded: 56.6 tons (51.33 Ground clearance 457 mm (1 ft 6.0 in)
metric tons) Fuel capacity 1,419 litres (312 imp gal;
Ground clearance: 18 inches (0.457 meters)
375 US gal)
Length: 31 feet (9.44 meters)
Width: 12 feet (3.66 meters) Operational 290 miles (470 km)
Maximum speed (governed): 30 miles/hour range
(48.3 km/h) Speed 30 miles per hour
Cross country speed: 8–12 miles/hour (12–19 (48 km/h)
km/h)
Trench crossing: 8.5 feet (2.59 meters)
Range: 290 miles (464 kilometers)
Fuel capacity: 375 gallons (14.19 hectoliters)
Crew: 2 enlisted

Bridge

Length, extended: 63 feet (19.19 meters)

Length, folded: 32 feet (9.75 meters)
Bridge span: 60 feet (18.28 meters)
Width, overall: 13.1 feet (3.99 meters)
Width, roadway: 12.5 feet (3.81 meters)
Width, treadway: 5.75 feet (1.75 meters)
Height, unfolded: 3.1 feet (0.94 meters)
Weight: 14.65 tons (13.28 metric tons)

Variants
M60 AVLB – based on the baseline M60 MBTs chassis
M60A1 AVLB – upgraded version based on the M60A1 MBT
s chassis

Operators
 Israel: 10× M60 AVLB in service with Israeli Army[3]
Pakistan: M60A1 AVLB in service with thePakistan Army[4]
Singapore: 12× M60 AVLB in service with Singapore Army[3]
Spain: 15× M60 AVLB in service with Spanish Army[3]
United States: United States Army retired 2003; superseded by
M104 Wolverine[5] and 37 in service with theUnited States Marine
Corps[6]
Greece: 12
Exercise Reforger 1985, an M60
AVLB deploying its bridge on the
See also banks of Lahn River in Central
Germany.
List of U.S. military vehicles by model number
G-numbers (SNL G301)
M104 Wolverine
M3 Amphibious Rig

References
1. "Development and History of the M-60 tank: M728 CEV"(http://www.patton-mania.com/M60_Patton/m60_patton.htm
l). Patton Mania. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
2. Army, DRS Set To Integrate New Bridging System on T
anks (http://www.defensenews.com/articles/army-drs-set-to-in
tegrate-new-bridging-system-on-tanks)- Defensenews.com, 6 September 2016
3. "SIPRI arms transfer database"(http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register
.php). Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
4. "Pakistan Army" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130513205333/http://www .defence.pk/pakistan-army/). Archived
from the original (http://www.defence.pk/pakistan-army/)on 2013-05-13.
5. https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=28
6. https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m60a1-avlb.htm

External links
Global Security's page on the M60A1 A
VLB
Marine Corps description

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VLB&oldid=847662622"

This page was last edited on 26 June 2018, at 23:06(UTC).

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