Veicoli corazzati da recupero “A.R.V.”
Un veicolo corazzato da recupero (in inglese: armoured recovery vehicle, ARV o Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle, ARRV) è un veicolo corazzato per usi speciali, destinato per il recupero e la riparazione di mezzi corazzati sul campo di battaglia.
Storia
Primi modelli
Durante la prima guerra mondiale, alcuni carri armati Mark IV britannici furono dotati di gru per convertirli in "Salvage Tanks", ma vennero usati principalmente nei depositi di carri per il supporto e la riparazione di carri danneggiati,
Seconda guerra mondiale
I primi veri ARV vennero introdotti durante la seconda guerra mondiale, spesso per conversione di carri obsoleti o danneggiati, solitamente previa rimozione della torretta ed installazione di un verricello multiuso, oltre che di una serie di attrezzature meccaniche. Alcuni vennero prodotti appositamente in fabbrica usando scafi di carri esistenti, dotati di sovrastrutture per alloggiare equipaggiamenti e ricambi. Molti dei modelli più tardi di ARV avevano una gru a braccio o di una gru a portale, per consentire agli equipaggi di sollevare equipaggiamenti pesanti, come il motore dei carri danneggiati.
Dopoguerra
Dopo la seconda guerra mondiale, molti carri armati di diversi paesi avevano un corrispondente ARV, solitamente equipaggiati con una lama da bulldozer da usare per l'ancoraggio durante il traino o come stabilizzatore per i sollevamenti, una pompa per il trasferimento di carburante e, come ad esempio il Leopard 1 ARV tedesco, di motore di ricambio per la sostituzione sul campo.
Caratteristiche
Gli ARV sono normalmente basati sullo scafo di un carro armato da combattimento o in alcuni casi di un veicolo trasporto truppe o di un veicolo da combattimento della fanteria. Solitamente l'ARV è basato su un veicolo della stessa classe di quelli che è destinato a recuperare: un ARV basato su un carro è utilizzato per il soccorso a carri armati, uno basato su un trasporto truppe per il recupero di APC e IFV (non potendo trainare un mezzo più pesante).
A loro volta, alcuni carri pioniere sono basati su veicoli corazzati da recupero.
Esempi:
Canada
- Ram ARV (2ª guerra mondiale)
- AVGP Husky (1976–presente)
- Cecoslovacchia[modifica | modifica wikitesto]
- VT-34 ARV - su scafo T-34.
- VT-55A ARV - su scafo T-54/55.
- VT-72B ARV- su scafo T-72 (1987-1989).
- VPV - su scafo BVP-1, (1985-1989).
- Francia[modifica | modifica wikitesto]
- M32 - su scafo M4 Sherman (1944).
- M74 (1954–1975).
- AMX 30 D - su scafo AMX-30 (1973),
- Leclerc MARS - su scafo AMX-56 Leclerc.
Indonesia
- AMX-D
- Anoa ARV
- BREM-L
Impero giapponese
- Se-Ri - su scafo Type 97 Chi-Ha
- Type 70 - su scafo Type 61 Roku-ichi
- Type 78 - su scafo Type 74 Nana-yon
- Type 90 - su scafo Type 90 Kyū-maru
- Type 11 - su scafo Type 10 Hito-maru.
Germania
2ª Guerra Mondiale
- Bergepanzer III - su scafo Panzer III
- Bergepanzer IV - su scafo Panzer IV
- Bergepanther (SdKfz 179) - su scafo Panzer V Panther, 347 prodotti dal 1943 al 1945.
- Bergetiger - su scafo Panzer VI Tiger I
- Bergepanzer 38(t) - su scafo Hetzer, 170 prodotti dal 1944 al 1945.
- Bergepanzer T-34 - su scafo T-34 di preda bellica.
Moderni
- Bergepanzer M74 - su scafo Sherman, il primo ARV della Bundeswehr, 300 mezzi in servizio tra il 1956 ed il 1960.
- Bergepanzer 1 - su scafo M88, i primi di 125 mezzi entrarono in servizio nel 1962; nel 1985 furono rimotorizzati con propulsore diesel (in luogo di quello a benzina), ricevendo inoltre un verricello migliorato.
- Bergepanzer 2 - su scafo Leopard 1. Impiegato danlle forze armate canadesi fin dagli anni novanta come Taurus ARV.
- Bergepanzer 3 "Büffel" - su scafo Leopard 2.
- Bergepanzer Wisent - su scafo Bergepanzer 2, modificato e migliorato dal Flensburger Fahrzeugbau, ottimizzato per il supporto ai carri Leopard 1 e 2.
- Bergepanzer Wisent 2 - su scafo Leopard 2. Successore del Wisent.
Israele
- Trail Blazer (Gordon) - su scafo M4A1 Sherman HVSS, dotato di una grande gru a braccio e di vomeri anteriori e posteriori per la stabilizzazione durante il sollevamento, con 72 t di capacità di traino.
- Technical e Fitter - ARV basati su M113 dotati di gru.
- Nemera - moderno ARV su scafo Merkava. Sono stati realizzati diversi prototipi ma pochi sono stati distribuiti alle unità operative.
- Attualmente gli ARV standard delle IDF rimangono gli americani M88, affiancati dai bulldozer corazzati IDF Caterpillar D9.
Malesia
- WZT-4 Bumar-Łabędy di produzione polacca.
Messico
- M32 Chenca - su scafo M32B1 TRV Sherman, modernizzati nel 1998 dall'americana Napco International con motori diesel Detroit Diesel 8V-92-T.
Polonia
- CW-34 - su scafo T-34.
- WPT-34 - su scafo T-34, SU-85 e SU-100.
- WZT-1 - su scafo T-54/55.
- WZT-2 - su scafo T-55.
- WZT-3 - su scafo T-72M.
- WZT-4 - su scafo PT-91M, prodotto per la Malaysia.
- WPT-TOPAS - su scafo OT-62 TOPAS.
- WPT-MORS - su scafo MT-LB.
- KWZT Mamut - veicolo da recupero ruotato pesante su scafo Tatra 815–7Z0R9T 44 440 8×8.1R.
Serbia/Yugoslavia
- M-84ABI - ARV jugoslavo/serbo su scafo M-84.
- VIU-55 Munja.
Unione sovietica
L'acronimo russo BREM (cir. БРЭМ) sta per "бронированная ремонтно-эвакуационная машина", letteralmente "veicolo corazzato da riparazione e recupero".
- BTS-2 - su scafo T-54.
- BTS-4A - su scafo T-54.
- BREM-1 - su scafo T-72.
- BREM-2 - su scafo BMP-1.
- BREM-L - su scafo BMP-3.
- BREM-K - su scafo BTR-80.
- BREM-80U - su scafo T-80U.
Regno Unito
I britannici testarono i loro primi ARV all'inizio del 1942. Venne scelto come base il carro armato per fanteria Mk IV Churchill, ma vennero utilizzati anche scafi di carri incrociatore. Quando la Gran Bretagna iniziò a ricevere i carri medi americani come gli M3 e gli M4 Sherman, vennero convertiti questi carri in ARV al fine di standardizzare la logistica.
Seconda guerra mondiale
- Cavalier ARV
- Churchill ARV
- Crusader ARV
- Centaur ARV
- Cromwell ARV
- M3 Lee/Grant ARV - il Mark I è una conversione britannica, il Mark II era il M31 TRV americano in servizio britannico.
- Sherman III ARV I - su scafo Sherman III (M4A2), simile a Sherman V ARV Mark I e ARV Mark II
- Sherman ARV II - su scafo Sherman V con simulacro di cannone in torretta fissa, gru frontale da 7,5 t, vomero posteriore
- Sherman II ARV Mk III - M32B1 TRV americano in servizio britannico.
- BARV - beach armoured recovery vehicle, ARV progettato per operare nelle acque basse. Realizzato in vari modelli su sacfo M4A2 Sherman, Centurion e Leopard 1A5 ("Hippo").
Moderni
- Centurion ARV
- FV219 - su scafo A45 Infantry Support Tank
- FV 220 Conqueror ARV
- Chieftain FV4204 ARV/ARRV
- FV434 "Carrier, Maintenance, Full Tracked"
- M578
- Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (CRARRV)
- FV106 Samson - versione ARV della famiglia Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)
- FV513 Warrior Recovery Vehicle - versione ARV della famiglia Warrior.
Stati Uniti d’America
- M31 Tank Recovery Vehicle - su scafo M3 Lee.
- M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle - su scafo M4 Sherman, torretta rimpiazzata con sovrastruttura fissa, verricello da 27 t, gru brandeggiante a capriata da 5,5 m e mortaio da 81 mm nello scafo.
- M32B1 - M32 convertito da M4A1 (alcuni convertiti in trattore d'artiglieria M34).
- M32A1B1 - M32B1 su Sherman versione HVSS, con mortaio da 81 mm rimosso e gru migliorata.
- M32B2 - M32 convertito da M4A2.
- M32B3 - M32 convertito da M4A3.
- M32A1B3 - M32B3 portato allo standard M32A1B1.
- M32B4 - M32 convertito da M4A4.
- M74 Tank Recovery Vehicle - M32 potenziato per il supporto ai più pesanti carri post-bellici, su scafo M4A3 tipo HVSS. Molto simile al M74, con gru a portale, verricello principale, verricello ausiliario e verricello manuale di servizio, vomero frontale (impiegato per la stabilizzazione o come lama bulldozer).
- M74B1 - M74 su scafo M32B3.
- M578 - sullo scafo dell'obice semovente M110.
- M51 Heavy Recovery Vehicle - sullo scafo del carro armato pesante M103.
- M88 Recovery Vehicle - su scafo e componenti meccaniche di M48 Patton e M60 Patton.
ENGLISH
An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) is typically a powerful tank or armoured personnel carrier (APC) chassis modified for use during combat for towing or repair of battle-damaged, stuck, and/or inoperable armoured fighting vehicles, such as tanks and armoured personnel carriers (APCs). Most ARVs have motorized tracks, like a tank or bulldozer, enabling the ARV to operate on uneven ground. The term "Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle" (ARRV) is also used.
ARVs may have winches, jibs, cranes, and/or bulldozer blades to aid in tank recovery. Typically, any specialized lifting and recovery equipment replaces the turret and cannon found on a regular tank. ARVs may in some cases have electric generators, blowtorches, chainsaws and fuel pumps to help with recovery operations, or spare parts, to facilitate field repairs. Some ARVs have a spade component to anchor the vehicle when it is towing or lifting. Since most ARVs are based on tank or APC chassis, they have an armored crew cockpit and engine, which means that ARVs can be operated in combat conditions. Rarely, an ARV may be armed, such as some M32s, which have an 81 mm mortar for screening purposes, and the M88, which has a .50 cal heavy machine gun. One WWII Sherman-based ARV had a dummy gun installed where the turret would normally go.
Early ARVs in WWII were often repurposed tanks, with the turret and cannon removed and replaced with some type of winch. In the 2010s, ARVs are generally factory-built. Even so, ARVs often use a shared chassis that is used on an army's other fighting vehicles, as this facilitates repair and maintenance of the ARV (as parts from tanks using the same chassis can be used to repair the ARV).
Some ARVs are operated in tandem with armoured bulldozers. ARVs generally can only tow an equivalent-class vehicle or one that is lighter in weight. As such, an APC chassis-based ARV can only tow and recover an APC, but not a much heavier tank. While most ARVs are made from or based on APC or tank chassis, more rarely, an ARV may be based on an artillery tractor chassis. Some ARVs have specialized equipment that enables them to operate on beaches or in shallow water.
Development history
Early models
During World War I, some British Mark IV heavy tanks were fitted with jibs to produce "salvage tanks", but the majority of their work was at the tank parks in aid of moving, maintaining, and repairing damaged tanks.
Second World War
The first true ARVs were introduced in World War II, often by converting obsolete or damaged tanks, usually by removing the turret and installing a heavy-duty winch to free stuck vehicles, plus a variety of vehicle repair tools. Some were also purpose-built in factories, using an existing tank chassis with a hull superstructure to accommodate repair and recovery equipment. Many of the latter type of ARV had an A-frame or crane to allow the vehicle's crew to perform heavy lifting tasks, such as removing the engine from a disabled tank.
Postwar
After World War II, most countries' MBT models also had corresponding ARV variants. Many ARVs are also equipped with a bulldozer blade that can be used as an anchor when winching or as a stabiliser when lifting, a pump to transfer fuel to another vehicle, and more. Some can even carry a spare engine for field replacement, such as the German Leopard 1 ARV.
Characteristics and roles
ARVs are normally built on the chassis of a main battle tank (MBT), but some are also constructed on the basis of other armoured fighting vehicles, mostly armoured personnel carriers (APCs). ARVs are usually built on the basis of a vehicle in the same class as they are supposed to recover; a tank-based ARV is used to recover tanks, while an APC-based one recovers APCs (it does not have the power to tow a much heavier tank). ARVs with a crane can be used to lift and place concrete fortifications in place and help with other battlefield engineering.
Some combat engineering vehicles (CEVs) are based on ARVs.
List
The following is a list of ARVs by country, either designer/manufacturer or user.
Argentina TAM VCRT, based on Tanque Argentino Mediano.
Austria SB-20 Greif, based on SK-105 Kürassier.
Canada
- Ram ARV (WWII)
- AVGP Husky (1976–present)
- MTVR(-present)
- Bison MRV(-present)
- Leopard 2 ARV (-present).
Czechoslovakia
- VT-34 ARV, based on T-34 chassis
- JT-34 crane tank, based on T-34 chassis
- VT-55A ARV, based on T-55 Chassis
- VT-72B ARV, based on T-72 chassis - (1987 to 1989)
- VPV Brem-Tch, based on BVP-1 chassis (Czech build BMP) - (1985 to 1989).
France
- M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle, based on the Sherman tank (from 1944)
- M74 Tank Recovery Vehicle (1954–1975)
- AMX 30 D (from 1973), based on the AMX 30
- Char de dépannage DNG/DCL, based on the AMX-56 Leclerc.
Indonesia
- AMX-D
- Anoa ARV - Indonesian recovery/engineering vehicle based on Anoa APCs featuring a 12-ton telescopic crane, 6-ton winch, chainsaw, blow torch and an electric generator.
- M113A1-B-Rec - recovery vehicle with a heavy internal winch. Similar to M806. Supplied by Sabiex, Belgium.
- M113A1-B-MTC - Maintenance vehicle with hydraulic HIAB crane. Similar to the M579. Supplied by Sabiex, Belgium.
- BREM-L
- Bergepanzer 2
- Bergepanzer 3.
Japan
- Se-Ri Tank Recovery Vehicle - Type 97 Chi-Ha Tank chassis
- Type 70 Tank Recovery Vehicle - Type 61 Roku-ichi Tank chassis
- Type 78 Tank Recovery Vehicle - Type 74 Nana-yon Tank chassis
- Type 90 Tank Recovery Vehicle - Type 90 Kyū-maru Tank chassis
- Type 11 Tank Recovery Vehicle - Type 10 Hito-maru Tank chassis.
Germany
World War 2
- Bergepanzer III - PzKpfw III chassis
- Bergepanzer IV - PzKpfw IV chassis
- Bergepanther (Sd.Kfz. 179) - PzKpfw V Panther chassis 347 produced (1943 to 1945).
- Bergetiger - PzKpfw VI Tiger I chassis
- Bergepanzer 38(t) - Jagdpanzer 38 chassis, 170 produced (1944 to 1945).
- Bergepanzer T-34 - Captured T-34 chassis.
Modern
- Bergepanzer M74 (Sherman Chassis) - first TRV/ARV of the West German Bundeswehr, 300 used 1956-1960 (see M74 entry under United States).
- Bergepanzer 1 - M88 Chassis, the first of 125 entered service in 1962 and a 1985 modernization program replaced the gasoline engine with a diesel and improved the hoist.
- Bergepanzer 2 - Leopard 1 tank chassis. Used by the Canadian Forces since the 1990s as Taurus ARV.
- Bergepanzer 3 "Büffel" - Leopard 2 chassis
- Bergepanzer Wisent - Bergepanzer 2 chassis. Modified and upgraded by Flensburger Fahrzeugbau to support the demands of the future battlefield. Optimised to support the Leopard 1 and 2 main battle tanks.
- Bergepanzer Wisent 2 - Leopard 2 chassis. Successor of the Wisent. Build by Flensburger Fahrzeugbau.
Israel
- Trail Blazer (Gordon) (Sherman chassis) - An IDF recovery/engineering vehicle based on HVSS equipped M4A1s Sherman tanks, it featured a large single boom crane (as opposed to the A-Frame of the M32) and large spades at the front and rear of the vehicle to assist in lifting. It could also tow up to 72 tons.
- "Technical" and "Fitter" - ARVs based on the M-113 with crane attached
- Nemera - modern recovery vehicle based on Merkava tank chassis. Several prototypes have been built, but it never fielded in large number in the IDF.
- The current ARV in IDF use is the American-made M88 Recovery Vehicle, which is accompanied and assisted by an IDF Caterpillar D9 armoured bulldozer.
Malaysia - WZT-4 build by Polish Bumar-Łabędy.
Mexico
- M32 Chenca (Sherman chassis) - In 1998, Napco International of the USA upgraded M32B1 TRV M4 Sherman-chassis armoured recovery vehicles with Detroit Diesel 8V-92-T diesel engines (see M32 entry under United States).
Poland
- CW-34 (T-34 Chassis)
- WPT-34 (T-34, SU-85 and SU-100 Chassis)
- WZT-1 (T-54 and T-55 Chassis)
- WZT-2 (T-55 Chassis)
- WZT-3 (T-72M Chassis)
- WZT-4 (PT-91M Chassis) produced for Malaysia
- WPT-TOPAS (TOPAS Chassis)
- WPT-MORS (MTLB Chassis)
- KWZT "MAMMOTH" Heavy Wheeled Evacuation and Technical Rescue Vehicle (TATRA T 815 – 7Z0R9T 44 440 8x8.1R Chassis).
Serbia/Yugoslavia
- M-84ABI - The ARV based on Yugoslav/Serbian M-84 MBT.
- VIU-55 Munja.
Soviet Union/Russia
The Russian acronym BREM (cyr. БРЭМ) stands for "бронированная ремонтно-эвакуационная машина", literally "armoured repair and recovery vehicle".
- BTS-2 (T-54 Chassis)
- BTS-4A (T-44 Chassis)
- BREM-1 (T-72 Chassis)
- BREM-2 (BMP-1 Chassis)
- BREM-L (BMP-3 Chassis)
- BREM-K (BTR-80 Chassis)
- BREM-80U (T-80U Chassis)
- T-16 (Armata Chassis).
United Kingdom
The British tested their first ARV designs in early 1942. The decision at the time was to focus on the Churchill infantry tank as the basis, but cruiser tank based ARVs were also produced. When the UK received supplies of US medium tanks - first the M3, then M4 Sherman, conversions were made of these to operate alongside and so simplify support.
World War II
- Cavalier ARV
- Churchill ARV
- Crusader ARV
- Centaur Arv
- Cromwell ARV
- Grant ARV - two Marks, the first was a British conversion, the second was a US M31 TRV in British service
- Sherman III ARV I - Armoured Recovery Vehicle conversion of Sherman III (M4A2), similarly "Sherman V ARV Mark I" and "ARV Mark II"
- Sherman ARV II - conversion of Sherman V with dummy gun in fixed "turret", 7.5 ton jib at front, spade earth anchor at rear.
- Sherman II ARV Mk III was a M32B1 TRV (see US ARV).
Modern
- Centurion ARV
- FV219 - on A45 "Universal tank" chassis
- FV 220 Conqueror ARV
- Chieftain FV4204 ARV/ARRV
- FV434 "Carrier, Maintenance, Full Tracked"]]
- M578
- Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (CRARRV). The CRARRV has a large set of recovery and heavy repair tools including a man portable ultrathermic cutting system with an underwater cutting capability and a portable welding system.
- FV106 Samson - complement to the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) series of vehicles
- FV513 Warrior Recovery Vehicle - complement to the Warrior tracked armoured vehicles.
BARV (World War II to Modern)
The BARV is a British military support vehicle, the name coming from "Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle", for working in shallow water. BARVs were used to free operational vehicles that were stuck, and to clear the beach of inoperable vehicles or landing craft, to make way for other forces. Various models were based on the M4A2 Sherman, Centurion and Leopard 1A5 ("Hippo") tank chassis. Australia converted a M3A5 Grant to a BARV configuration. The first BARV was a Sherman M4A2 tank which had been waterproofed and had the turret replaced by a tall armoured superstructure. Around 60 were deployed on the invasion beaches during the Battle of Normandy. The crew included a diver whose job was to go underwater to attach towing chains to stuck vehicles.
Centurion tank.
United States
- M31 Tank Recovery Vehicle - based on M3 Lee chassis. (sometimes called a T2 tank retriever)
- M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle, or M32 TRV, based on the Sherman tank chassis with turret replaced by fixed superstructure, 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) winch and an 18 feet (5.5 m) long pivoting A-frame jib installed. An 81 mm mortar was also added into the hull, primarily for screening purposes.
- M32B1 - M32s converted from M4A1s (some converted to M34 artillery prime mover tractors).
- M32A1B1 - M32B1s with HVSS, later removing the 81 mm mortar and incorporating crane improvements.
- M32B2 - M32s converted from M4A2s.
- M32B3 - M32s converted from M4A3s.
- M32A1B3 - M32B3s brought up to M32A1B1 standard.
- M32B4 - M32s converted from M4A4s.
- M74 Armored Recovery Vehicle - Upgrade of the M32 to provide the same capability for heavier post-war tanks, converted from M4A3 HVSS tanks. In appearance, the M74 is very similar to the M32, fitted with an A-Frame crane, a main towing winch, an auxiliary winch, and a manual utility winch. The M74 also has a front-mounted spade that can be used as a support or as a dozer blade.
- M74B1 - Same as the M74, but converted from M32B3s.
- M578 Light Recovery Vehicle (LRV) - based on the M110 chassis.
- M51 Heavy Recovery Vehicle - based on the M103 heavy tank chassis.
- M88 Recovery Vehicle - based on the chassis and parts of the automotive component of the M48 Patton & M60 Patton.
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