ARV (armored repair and evacuation vehicles) are designed for the evacuation (including directly from the battlefield) of damaged, stuck or faulty combat vehicles, as well as for their repair.
Even during the First World War, the British equipped some tanks with special equipment, so that they could perform repair and evacuation functions. But full-fledged ARV appeared during the Second World War. The first of them were built in a semi-artisanal way, often in the field, by reworking damaged or obsolete tanks. The turrets were removed from such machines and a powerful winch and/or crane boom were installed instead.
Such improvised «tow trucks» were quickly replaced by serial ARV built in factories. However, the base for them was still obsolete tanks, as well as (albeit less often) APC and IFV. Modern ARV carry a whole range of various engineering equipment, except winches and cranes, including bulldozer dumps, pumps for pumping fuel, etc. Weapons, usually machine guns, can be installed on them for self-defense.
In this article we offer you to get acquainted with twenty samples of serial armored repair and evacuation vehicles created from the time of the Second World War to the present day.
If the background of the photos interferes with reading the reference information of the photos, you can hover your mouse over the text — this will darken the background of the caption
Bergepanzerwagen «Panther», or Bergepanther, Germany. ARV based on the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther tank, produced since 1943. Weight 43 tons, engine 600 hp, crew 3-5 people. 300 vehicles were built
Sherman BARV, United Kingdom. «Beach» BARV (Beach Armored Recovery Vehicle), created on the basis of the American M4 tank to support the amphibious operation in Normandy. The crew included a diver whose task was to attach cables to equipment stuck underwater
M74, USA. ARV based on the M4A3 tank, in operation since 1952. The vehicle was armed with 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns for the self-defense. It was used by the armies of the USA (including in West Germany), Israel and Spain
M51 Heavy Recovery Vehicle, USA. Heavy ARV based on the M103 tank. In production since 1954, about 180 units were built. Weight 54.4 tons, engine 765 hp, crew 4 people
Centurion ARV MkII, United Kingdom. ARV on the chassis of the Centurion tank. In serial production since 1956. Weight 48.4 tons, engine 650 hp, crew 4 people. Armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun
VT-34, Czechoslovakia. ARV based on the Soviet T-34–85 tank. In serial production since 1958, 300 units were built. Weight 31 tons, engine 368 hp. Armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun
M88, USA. The photo shows the German Army ARV in the Military History Museum in Dresden, in Germany the M88 is known as the Bergepanzer 1. The machine was created on the chassis and modules of the M48 and M60 tanks, in operation since 1961. Weight (in different versions) from 50.8 to 70 tons. Crew of 3 people
BTS-4, USSR. Armored tow vehicle based on the T-44 tank, designed to evacuate armored vehicles from the battlefield (various modifications were built on the chassis of the T-54, T-55, T-55A tanks). In production since 1965. Weight 31.4 tons, engine 520 hp
Bergepanzer 2, West Germany. ARV based on the Leopard 1 tank. In serial production since 1966, 444 units were built. Weight (in various modifications) 39.8-54 tons, engine 830-960 hp. The vehicle was armed with two 7.62 mm machine guns
VT-55A, Czechoslovakia. ARV on the chassis of the T-55 tank, produced since 1969. About 1830 units were built. Weight 35 tons, engine 572 hp
Trail Blazer ARV, Israel. Several of these vehicles were rebuilt from American M4A1 tanks in the late 60s — early 70s. Engine 460 hp
MTP-3, USSR. An armored technical assistance vehicle created on the basis of the SU-122–54 self-propelled gun. In operation since 1973. Weight 32 tons, engine 520 hp
AMX-30D, France. ARV on the chassis of the AMX-30 tank, in serial production since 1973. Weight 36 tons, engine 720 hp
BRAM-1, USSR. The ARV is on the chassis of the T-72 tank, in operation since 1975. Weight 41 tons, engine 840 hp Armament — 12.7 mm machine gun
FV4204 ARRV, United Kingdom. ARV on the chassis of the Chieftain Mark 5 tank. Weight 55.6 tons, engine 750 hp Armament — 7.62 mm machine gun
VT-72B, Czechoslovakia. ARV on the chassis of the T-72 tank, produced since 1989. About 100 vehicles were built. Weight 45.8 tons, engine 780 hp. The vehicle was armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun
Bergepanzer 3 Büffel, Germany. ARV on the chassis of the Leopard 2 tank. In production since 1992, about 250 machines were built, another 150 sets of equipment have been delivered to South Korea for ARV on the chassis of the K1 tank. Weight 54.3 tons, engine 1500 hp. For self-defense, the ARV is armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun
K1 ARV, South Korea. The machine is mounted on the chassis of the K1 tank using the equipment of the German Bergepanzer 3 ARV. In production since 1993. Weight 51 tons, engine 1200 hp. Armament — 12.7 mm machine gun
WZT-3M, Poland. ARV based on the PT-91 tank (part of the vehicles was also rebuilt from similar WZT-3 machines created on the chassis of the T-72M tank). In operation since 1999, 29 units were built for Poland and 556 for India (including 204 units built in India under license). Weight 42 tons, engine 850 hp
VIU-55 «Muњa» («Lightning»), Serbia. ARV on the chassis of the T-55 tank, in production since 2004. Weight 32 tons, engine 572 hp, crew 4 people, 6 places for infantry. Armed with three 7.62 mm machine guns and a 30 mm automatic grenade launcher
ARV (armored repair and evacuation vehicles) are designed for the evacuation (including directly from the battlefield) of damaged, stuck or faulty combat vehicles, as well as for their repair.
Even during the First World War, the British equipped some tanks with special equipment, so that they could perform repair and evacuation functions. But full-fledged ARV appeared during the Second World War. The first of them were built in a semi-artisanal way, often in the field, by reworking damaged or obsolete tanks. The turrets were removed from such machines and a powerful winch and/or crane boom were installed instead.
Such improvised «tow trucks» were quickly replaced by serial ARV built in factories. However, the base for them was still obsolete tanks, as well as (albeit less often) APC and IFV. Modern ARV carry a whole range of various engineering equipment, except winches and cranes, including bulldozer dumps, pumps for pumping fuel, etc. Weapons, usually machine guns, can be installed on them for self-defense.
In this article we offer you to get acquainted with twenty samples of serial armored repair and evacuation vehicles created from the time of the Second World War to the present day.
If the background of the photos interferes with reading the reference information of the photos, you can hover your mouse over the text — this will darken the background of the caption
Bergepanzerwagen «Panther», or Bergepanther, Germany. ARV based on the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther tank, produced since 1943. Weight 43 tons, engine 600 hp, crew 3-5 people. 300 vehicles were built
Sherman BARV, United Kingdom. «Beach» BARV (Beach Armored Recovery Vehicle), created on the basis of the American M4 tank to support the amphibious operation in Normandy. The crew included a diver whose task was to attach cables to equipment stuck underwater
M74, USA. ARV based on the M4A3 tank, in operation since 1952. The vehicle was armed with 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns for the self-defense. It was used by the armies of the USA (including in West Germany), Israel and Spain
M51 Heavy Recovery Vehicle, USA. Heavy ARV based on the M103 tank. In production since 1954, about 180 units were built. Weight 54.4 tons, engine 765 hp, crew 4 people
Centurion ARV MkII, United Kingdom. ARV on the chassis of the Centurion tank. In serial production since 1956. Weight 48.4 tons, engine 650 hp, crew 4 people. Armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun
VT-34, Czechoslovakia. ARV based on the Soviet T-34–85 tank. In serial production since 1958, 300 units were built. Weight 31 tons, engine 368 hp. Armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun
M88, USA. The photo shows the German Army ARV in the Military History Museum in Dresden, in Germany the M88 is known as the Bergepanzer 1. The machine was created on the chassis and modules of the M48 and M60 tanks, in operation since 1961. Weight (in different versions) from 50.8 to 70 tons. Crew of 3 people
BTS-4, USSR. Armored tow vehicle based on the T-44 tank, designed to evacuate armored vehicles from the battlefield (various modifications were built on the chassis of the T-54, T-55, T-55A tanks). In production since 1965. Weight 31.4 tons, engine 520 hp
Bergepanzer 2, West Germany. ARV based on the Leopard 1 tank. In serial production since 1966, 444 units were built. Weight (in various modifications) 39.8-54 tons, engine 830-960 hp. The vehicle was armed with two 7.62 mm machine guns
VT-55A, Czechoslovakia. ARV on the chassis of the T-55 tank, produced since 1969. About 1830 units were built. Weight 35 tons, engine 572 hp
Trail Blazer ARV, Israel. Several of these vehicles were rebuilt from American M4A1 tanks in the late 60s — early 70s. Engine 460 hp
MTP-3, USSR. An armored technical assistance vehicle created on the basis of the SU-122–54 self-propelled gun. In operation since 1973. Weight 32 tons, engine 520 hp
AMX-30D, France. ARV on the chassis of the AMX-30 tank, in serial production since 1973. Weight 36 tons, engine 720 hp
BRAM-1, USSR. The ARV is on the chassis of the T-72 tank, in operation since 1975. Weight 41 tons, engine 840 hp Armament — 12.7 mm machine gun
FV4204 ARRV, United Kingdom. ARV on the chassis of the Chieftain Mark 5 tank. Weight 55.6 tons, engine 750 hp Armament — 7.62 mm machine gun
VT-72B, Czechoslovakia. ARV on the chassis of the T-72 tank, produced since 1989. About 100 vehicles were built. Weight 45.8 tons, engine 780 hp. The vehicle was armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun
Bergepanzer 3 Büffel, Germany. ARV on the chassis of the Leopard 2 tank. In production since 1992, about 250 machines were built, another 150 sets of equipment have been delivered to South Korea for ARV on the chassis of the K1 tank. Weight 54.3 tons, engine 1500 hp. For self-defense, the ARV is armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun
K1 ARV, South Korea. The machine is mounted on the chassis of the K1 tank using the equipment of the German Bergepanzer 3 ARV. In production since 1993. Weight 51 tons, engine 1200 hp. Armament — 12.7 mm machine gun
WZT-3M, Poland. ARV based on the PT-91 tank (part of the vehicles was also rebuilt from similar WZT-3 machines created on the chassis of the T-72M tank). In operation since 1999, 29 units were built for Poland and 556 for India (including 204 units built in India under license). Weight 42 tons, engine 850 hp
VIU-55 «Muњa» («Lightning»), Serbia. ARV on the chassis of the T-55 tank, in production since 2004. Weight 32 tons, engine 572 hp, crew 4 people, 6 places for infantry. Armed with three 7.62 mm machine guns and a 30 mm automatic grenade launcher
