| M578 LRV | |
|---|---|
M578 working on a M551 Sheridan. |
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| Type | Armored recovery vehicle |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Israel, USA, UK |
| Wars | Vietnam war |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | FMC Corp.
Bowen-McLaughlin-York |
| Produced | 1962 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 54,000 lbs (24,000 kg) |
| Length | 18 ft 3.8 in (5.583 m) |
| Width | 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m) |
| Height | 8 ft 7.5 in (2.629 m) |
| Crew | 3 men:
Crane operator in cab right front Rigger in cab left front Driver in hull left front |
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| Main armament |
.50-caliber M2HB machine gun |
| Engine | General Motors 8V71T; 8 cylinder, 2 cycle, vee, supercharged diesel 345 hp @ 2,300 rpm |
| Operational range |
450 miles (724 km) |
| Speed | 37 mph (60 km/h) |
M578 Light Recovery Vehicle (G309) was a US Cold War era armored recovery vehicle. The M578 utilized the same chassis as M107 Self-Propelled Gun and M110 Self-Propelled Howitzer. The M578 provided maintenance support to mechanized infantry and artillery units. It primary mission was to recover damaged light armored vehicles from the battlefield using its crane boom.
Contents |
The cab can rotate 360°, and a 30,000lb (13,600kg) capacity winch[1] was run through a crane on the cab. Another winch, 60,000lb (27,000kg) capacity[1], was mounted on the front of the cab. Access to the cab was through a door on each side and by double doors in the rear, and the crane operator and rigger both had vision cupolas in the cab roof.