Due to the specifics of their work, some types of armed forces need special equipment that differs from other existing models. In particular, the marines need specialized amphibious armored vehicles for landings. One of the most famous examples of such equipment currently in operation is the American AAV7A1 amphibious assault vehicle. This technique has been in service for over 40 years and still retains its place in the US ILC. In addition, such vehicles are actively used by some foreign armies.
The development of a promising amphibious landing vehicle began in the late sixties. At this time, the Marine Corps continued to use the LVTP5 amphibious amphibious armored personnel carriers, which no longer fully met existing requirements. To replace obsolete equipment, it was decided to develop a new sample of a similar purpose, but with improved characteristics. Several defense companies presented their versions of the project to the Pentagon. Among the developers was the FMC Corporation, whose project was soon approved.
AAV7A1 with additional protection in Iraq, 2004. Photo by USMC
In 1972, the newest amphibian was put into service under the designation LVTP7 (Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Personnel-7 - "Landing vehicle, tracked, for soldiers, model 7"). Soon, the Marine Corps began to receive serial equipment and begin to master it. In the first version of the project, the main features of the appearance of the car were formed, some of which have not changed until now. Nevertheless, over the past decades, LVTP7 has gone through several upgrades, including quite large ones. It is noteworthy that after one of the first major updates, the car even changed its name.
After the first decade of operation, in 1982, FMC received an order for a deep modernization of the existing amphibious amphibious assault. By this time, the military had compiled a list of required modifications, which were planned to be eliminated with the further development of technology. It was assumed that the elimination of the existing shortcomings would allow the updated equipment to be kept in service for a long time. The modernization project stipulated the replacement of the power plant units, the refinement of the weapons complex and other changes to the original version of the landing vehicle. Initially, the modernization project was designated LVTP7A1.
After the completion of all modernization work, in 1984, the amphibian received a new designation. Now the official name of the vehicle has become AAV7 (Assault Amphibious Vehicle-7 - "Amphibious assault vehicle, 7th") or AAV7A1. In addition, over time, the armored personnel carrier received the unofficial name "amphibious tractor" or abbreviated "amtrack". Despite the rather long renaming of the equipment, in some materials in relation to the modernized version of the amphibian AAV7A1, the designation of the base vehicle LVTP7 is still used.
LVTP7 comes ashore. Photo Militaryfactory.com
The modernization of the first half of the eighties made some changes in the design of individual units of the machine, but some of the ideas and solutions remained without modifications. As a result, it was possible to maintain high standardization, which simplified the production of new equipment and the modernization of existing machines. Despite the similarity of the design, the armored vehicles of the two types have some differences that allow you to determine a specific model at a glance. So, the frontal part of the LVTP7 had two characteristic round recesses for the installation of lighting equipment, while on the AAV7 the headlights were placed in rectangular recesses. In addition, the newer car received a wave-reflecting shield, hinged to the lower front plate.
Even in the first LVTP7 project, an armored hull design was proposed, which did not undergo major changes in the future, although some modifications were used. The armored hulls of the vehicles were made of aluminum sheets of various thicknesses. In the frontal part of the car, there were sheets up to 45 mm thick, in the sides and stern - 30 or 35 mm. When developing the armored hull, the need to overcome water obstacles by swimming with a payload on board was taken into account, which is why a fairly large structure with an acceptable buoyancy margin, which has a recognizable shape, appeared.
LVTP7 on the water. Photo Militaryfactory.com
The LVTP7 / AAV7 armored personnel carrier has a wedge-shaped frontal part of the hull with a large inclined bottom plate, which improves performance on the water. The front half of the upper part of the hull retains a large width, which is associated with the installation of hatches and a turret, and the aft half has the upper sheets of the sides inclined inward. The stern leaf is installed with a slight backward tilt. The body layout has been determined according to different machine requirements. In the front part, with a shift to the starboard side, there is an engine-transmission compartment, to the left of which there is a control compartment with seats for the driver and commander. Behind them is a manned compartment with a shooter's workplace and an airborne compartment for soldiers or cargo.
The very first version of the amphibious armored personnel carrier was equipped with a Cummins VT400 diesel engine. In the AAV7A1 project, it was replaced with a 400 hp Cummins VTA-525 product. The latest modernization options use a 525-horsepower VTAC 525 903 diesel engine. The HS-400-3A1 transmission from FMC is used. With the help of the latter, torque is transmitted to the front drive wheels.
The undercarriage is built on the basis of six road wheels with torsion bar suspension and additional springs on each side. The front and rear pairs of rollers are additionally equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers. In the front of the hull there are drive wheels, in the stern - guides. A carrier roller is located between the third and fourth track rollers. In the course of later modernizations, the suspension of the car underwent some modifications, but the general principles remained the same.
AAV7A1 climbs ashore. Photo by USMC
To move through the water, which is one of the main tasks of the project, the AAV7A1 machine has a set of special tools. On the frontal part of the body there is a wave-reflecting shield, which is laid on the bottom sheet in the transport position. This device was not included in the basic design. In the stern, above the tracks, there are two water jet propellers. For control on the water, it was previously proposed to use drives that ensure the rotation of the water cannons around the vertical axis. Like other units of the machine, water jet propellers have been modified and improved several times in the course of the development of technology. In particular, instead of turning the entire water cannon, over time, control was introduced using movable covers that regulate the direction of water throw.
For self-defense and fire support of the disembarking assault, the crew of the LVTP7 amphibian had to use a small turret with a large-caliber machine gun. The tower was placed on the roof of the hull, directly at the starboard side. Hydraulic drives were used to aim the weapon. During the modernization of the eighties, hydraulics were replaced by electric motors for fire safety reasons. In addition, the weapon was strengthened: a 40-mm Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher was added to the M2HB machine gun. An interesting feature of the new weapons was the placement of a machine gun and a grenade launcher not on a single installation, but on two separate swinging blocks. The weapon is controlled by the gunner located in the tower. When using a machine gun and a grenade launcher, the ammunition load consists of 1200 rounds and 864 grenades.
Armored personnel carriers in the hold of the universal amphibious assault ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47), 2005 Photo by US Navy
The crew of the AAV7A1 amphibious armored personnel carrier consists of three people: the driver, the commander and the gunner. The control post with the driver's workplace is located in the front of the body, to the left of the engine compartment. Directly behind it is the commanding place. The gunner is placed in the turret on the starboard side. The driver's and commander's seats are equipped with small turrets with hatch covers curved outward. To prevent contact with other machine units and accidents, the covers are folded back and to the right. Thanks to this, the open driver's hatch cover does not interfere with the commander. The gunner's hatch is located in the turret roof. The driver has several viewing devices, the commander also has a periscope.
The main task of the armored vehicle is the transportation of troops or cargo. A large troop compartment is provided for their placement in the aft part of the hull. Along the sides of the compartment, as well as on the longitudinal axis of the machine, there are three rows of seats of a fairly simple design. Benches with soft surfaces are used. Some of the seats were stationary, others could recline to the sides. The size of the troop compartment allows you to transport up to 25 soldiers with weapons. If necessary, the central bench can be dismantled, after which the armored personnel carrier is capable of transporting relatively large loads with a total weight of up to 4.5 tons.
The main means of embarkation and disembarkation is the drop-down ramp, which actually represents the entire stern leaf. The ramp size 1, 8x1, 7 m is lowered with the help of appropriate mechanisms and allows the landing party to dismount with relative comfort. There is a door in the left half of the ramp, which can also be used for disembarkation. In the roof of the troop compartment there are two long hatches that complement the main ramp.
Exercise landing in Djibouti, 2010. Photo by USMC
The AAV7A1 amphibious assault vehicle has a length of 7.44 m, a width of 3.27 m and a height of 3.26 m. The combat weight can vary between 23-29 tons, depending on the payload and the use of additional equipment. A relatively powerful engine allows the armored personnel carrier to reach speeds of up to 65 km / h on land. Water cannons accelerate the car on the water up to 10-13 km / h. If the jet propulsion unit is damaged, movement can be carried out by rewinding the tracks, but this leads to a significant reduction in the maximum speed.
On the basis of the original project of the AAV7A1 amphibious armored vehicle, by the mid-eighties, several basic modifications were created that remain in service to this day. The most massive was the AAVP7A1 (P - Personal), designed to deliver soldiers to the landing site. Such machines received a full-fledged troop compartment with places for the marines.
An officer in the AAVC7A1 command vehicle (C - Command) was supposed to control the combat work of the units on the AAVP7A1. The commander's vehicle differed from the base vehicle by the absence of a turret with weapons and the layout of the troop compartment. The entire aft part of the hull was allocated for the placement of communications equipment and workplaces of their operators. In addition to its own crew of three, AAVC7A1 was supposed to carry five radio operators, two commanders and three of their assistants. For several decades of service, the command equipment has been repeatedly modernized with the replacement of radio equipment.
AAV7A1 with EAAK kit (yellow panels) at sea. Photo by US Navy
To solve auxiliary tasks, the AAVR7A1 (R - Recovery) repair machine was created. Like the commander's armored personnel carrier, this sample did not receive a turret, instead of which a small dome with observation devices was mounted. A slewing ring with a crane jib was placed on the roof behind this dome. Inside the troop compartment were placed various tools and devices necessary for repairing equipment in the field, as well as boxes for spare parts.
A number of linear armored personnel carriers were later converted to carriers of the Mk 154 MCLC mine clearance system. The modernization involved the installation of a launch rail and an ammunition box. Inside the troop compartment, a volumetric box was mounted for storing an elongated charge, and in the upper part of the hull, at the level of the hatches, there was a swinging launcher for a solid propellant engine responsible for ejecting demining means. The rest of the design, weapons, etc. engineering vehicle matched the basic armored personnel carrier.
According to some reports, back in the late seventies, one of the serial LVTP7 machines was used as a carrier for an experimental laser anti-aircraft system, but after the completion of the tests, the unusual prototype was disarmed and returned to service in its original quality.
Amphibious LVTP7 of the Argentine Armed Forces. Photo Wikimedia Commons
For several decades, the United States industry managed to build more than 1,500 LVTP7 / AAV7A1 machines of all modifications. The vast majority of this equipment (over 1,300 units) went to serve in the United States Marine Corps. The remaining amphibians were sold to friendly states. Thus, 21 LVTP7 vehicles were handed over to Argentina. Subsequently, the equipment was modernized by the forces of the operating country. More than fifty cars of several modifications were ordered by Brazil and Taiwan. Fewer vehicles were purchased by Indonesia, Italy, Spain, Thailand and Venezuela. Also noteworthy is the KAAV7A1 armored personnel carriers operated by South Korea. They were built as part of a project to modernize the base AAV7A1 by BAE Systems and Samsung Techwin. Currently, the South Korean army is armed with more than 160 such vehicles.
For more than four decades of service, AAV7A1 armored personnel carriers managed to take part in several armed conflicts. The first case of combat use of LVTP7 dates back to early April 1982, when two dozen amphibians took part in the landing of Argentine troops on the Falkland Islands. These forces reportedly suffered no casualties and returned to the mainland until the end of hostilities. Soon, a number of US ILC LVTP7 went to Lebanon to work with the international peacekeeping force, which lasted for about two years. In October 1983, armored vehicles were used in Operation Urgent Fury, during which they carried out a landing on the coast of Grenada.
A truly serious and massive operation of amphibious landing vehicles in combat conditions began in 1991. During the war with Iraq, the American Marines made the most active use of their equipment. In 1992-93, AAV7A1 again took part in battles, this time in Somalia, as part of the UNITAF coalition. The last major conflict at the moment with the use of amphibious armored vehicles was the 2003 war in Iraq.
Italian AAV7A1 in training. Photo Wikimedia Commons
At the end of the eighties, it was decided to create additional armor for existing vehicles, necessary to increase the survivability of equipment in combat conditions. In 1993, the ILC received the first EAAK kits (Enhanced Applique Armor Kits), which included a set of additional protection elements for installation on an existing armored hull. Elements of the new kit were attached to the frontal and side plates, on the roof, as well as on the crew hatches. Later, new options for hinged booking were created.
It should be noted that the latest invasion of Iraq clearly showed the prospects of the available technology. During the battles in various regions of the country, it was found that the characteristics of the AAV7A1 no longer fully meet the requirements of the time. As a result of several battles, the armored personnel carrier was sharply criticized, the main reason for which was the insufficient level of protection. For example, it was especially emphasized that in this parameter, the equipment of the Marine Corps is noticeably inferior to the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, which are in service with the ground forces. The existing shortcomings led to certain losses of equipment. During the battle for Nasiriyah (March 23-29, 2003), the ILC lost eight AAV7A1 vehicles from enemy fire. In the summer of 2005, one of the amphibians was blown up by an improvised explosive device, killing 14 paratroopers. The available means of additional protection made it possible to increase the survivability of the equipment, but in some cases their characteristics were not enough.
In the 2000s, the US industry was engaged in the AAV RAM / RS (AAV Reliability, Availability, Maintainability / Rebuild to Standard) project, the purpose of which was to rework the existing design with an increase in the main characteristics. So, the original chassis was replaced by modified units borrowed from the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. In addition, the equipment received a VTAC 525 903 engine, thanks to which the power density was significantly increased. In parallel, some other onboard systems were modernized. It was assumed that the modernization of the AAV RAM / RS will allow the existing equipment to be retained in the army until a full replacement in the form of an AAAV / EFV amphibious vehicle appears, which was planned for 2013. Nevertheless, the promising project was eventually closed, which is why the AAV7A1 RAM remained the only vehicle of its class in the ILC.
One of the armored vehicles lost during the Battle of Nasiriyah, March 2003. Photo by USMC
In mid-2013, plans were approved for the further future of the existing technology. In accordance with them, in 2016, the renewal of serial combat armored personnel carriers according to a new project was to begin. Of the 1,064 armored vehicles available in the troops, about 40% will have to undergo repair, restoration and modernization. First of all, the improvements will consist in the installation of additional booking, which is a further development of the EAAK system. It is proposed to install 49 ceramic panels of ballistic protection with a total weight of 4.5 tons, as well as 57-mm aluminum armor plates on the bottom. External fuel tanks should receive additional protection, and seats will appear in the troop compartment, absorbing some of the explosion energy. After installing them, the car will be able to transport 18 soldiers with weapons.
The modernization project also proposes the use of a 675 hp engine. and the corresponding transmission. The chassis will include reinforced torsion bars and new additional shock absorbers, which will make the body 76 mm higher. It is planned to modernize the water jet propellers, aimed at increasing maneuverability. According to the results of the renewal of the power plant and the chassis, the AAV7A1 should improve its mobility, even taking into account the noticeable increase in combat weight. In addition, the level of ballistic and mine protection will significantly increase.
According to existing calculations, the modernization of one amphibious armored personnel carrier will cost the military department $ 1.62 million, but the estimate may be revised in the future. In 2016, it is planned to carry out the modernization of several machines, which will become prototypes for testing. The checks will be completed before the end of the year, after which the issue of the deployment of serial modernization will be decided. It is planned to completely renew 40% of the vehicle fleet by 2023.
The AAVR7A1 repair vehicle emerges from the hold of the landing ship. Photo by US Navy
The current plans of the Pentagon include the modernization of more than 400 amphibious armored vehicles AAV7A1, while the remaining 600 pieces of equipment will remain in the current state. It is assumed that the implementation of these plans will keep the landing potential of the Marine Corps at the required level, as well as increase the safety of crews and troops in various situations. In this form, the equipment will be operated at least until 2030. At the end of the twenties, the United States plans to create a promising amphibious assault vehicle, which will later replace the existing technology. The latter is being developed as part of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle or AVC ("Amphibious Combat Vehicle") program.
As follows from the published data, as the construction and delivery of the promising AVC armored vehicle, the AAV7A1 armored personnel carriers, which have not undergone modernization according to the latest project, will be gradually decommissioned. In the future, the replacement of equipment, updated in 2017-23, will be carried out. By the end of the thirties, the last AAV7A1 will be disabled and sent for disposal. New AVCs will take their place. Replacing the existing equipment with the newly developed one will allow the ILC to get new armored vehicles, the initially available required characteristics.
To date, one of the main amphibious assault landing vehicles of the United States Marine Corps in the form of the AAV7A1 armored personnel carrier retains its place in the army and continues to be used for transporting and landing personnel or cargo. It is noteworthy that next year marks 45 years since the beginning of the operation of these armored vehicles. In accordance with current plans, the last cars of this type, which have yet to undergo the next modernization, will be decommissioned no earlier than 2030-35. Thus, the LVTP7 / AAV7A1 amphibious assault vehicle in the future will have every chance of becoming one of the "champions" in terms of service life.
