Photo gallery of a M113 KrKw,
A huge number of M113 Armored Personnel Carrier variants have been created, ranging from infantry carriers to nuclear missile carriers. The M113 armored personnel carrier has become one of the most prolific armored vehicles of the second half of the 20th century, and continues to serve with armies around the world in many roles.
Version KrKw (Krankenkraftwagen) : Ambulance.
Command variant, the roof over the rear troop compartment is higher. The vehicle also carries additional radios and a generator. A variant of this is the M1068 standard integrated command post system carrier, equipped with the newest U.S. Army automated command and control system
Localisation
Batey ha-Osef Museum
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M113A3 Walk Around
Photographer
Don Busack
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Unknow
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67
Beobachtungspanzer M-113 Optronic Walk Around
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Unknow
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Unknow
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The Box That Moved the World
The M113 is the definitive armored personnel carrier. Introduced in 1960, it revolutionized mechanized infantry by providing a lightweight, amphibious, and air-transportable “box on tracks” that could carry a full squad of soldiers safely to the front lines. While it was never intended to fight as a tank, its simplicity and adaptability led to over 80,000 units being produced in dozens of variants. From the jungles of Vietnam to the deserts of Iraq, the M113 has served in more than 50 countries and remains in active service today, 65 years after its debut.
Attribute
Technical Specification (M113A3)
Role
Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)
Crew
2 (Commander/Gunner, Driver) + 11 Infantry
Hull Material
5083 Aluminum Alloy (Aircraft-grade)
Engine
Detroit Diesel 6V53T, 275 hp (A3 variant)
Maximum Speed
64 km/h (40 mph) on land / 5.8 km/h in water
Main Armament
1 × .50 caliber M2HB machine gun
Combat Weight
12.3 tonnes
Amphibious?
Yes (Propelled by tracks)
Design Engineering: Aluminum Innovation
The Aluminum Hull: To keep the vehicle light enough for air-drops and amphibious use, the M113 was the first mass-produced armored vehicle to use aluminum armor. While it provides the same protection as steel for less weight, it is vulnerable to heavy machine guns and RPGs, leading to the nickname “Aluminum Coffin” among some crews.
The “T-Bar” Steering: Unlike the steering wheels found in some APCs, the M113 uses a simple T-bar lateral control system. Pulling a lever brakes one track, causing the vehicle to turn—a system so intuitive it allowed for rapid training of conscript drivers.
Swimming Capability: The M113 is naturally buoyant. In the water, it is propelled entirely by the movement of its tracks. While slow and possessing a low “freeboard” (the amount of vehicle above water), it allowed infantry to cross rivers without waiting for engineers to build a bridge.
Rear Power Ramp: One of its most influential features was the large hydraulic rear ramp. This allowed an entire squad to deploy or “de-bus” in seconds, staying protected by the vehicle’s hull until the last possible moment.
Operational History: A Thousand Faces
The Vietnam ACAV: Marines and Soldiers in Vietnam modified their M113s into “Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicles” (ACAV), adding gun shields and extra machine guns to turn the “taxi” into a makeshift fighting vehicle for jungle ambushes.
The Variant King: The M113 chassis has been used for everything: the M106 mortar carrier, the M163 VADS anti-aircraft gun, the M577 command post (with a high roof), and even the M901 ITV (Improved TOW Vehicle) anti-tank launcher.
Survival in 2026: In the current Russo-Ukrainian War, hundreds of M113s have been donated to Ukraine. Despite their age, they are praised for their mobility in the deep “Rasputitsa” mud, where heavier wheeled vehicles get stuck.
The Successor: While the US Army is replacing the M113 with the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV), the new vehicle is essentially a turretless Bradley that borrows many of the M113’s “battle taxi” concepts.
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