M60 Series Tank (Patton Series) 
The M60 series tank succeeded the M47 and M48 Series. The improved design provided an increased operational range and mobility, requiried a minimum of refueling and servicing, and incorporated an improved main armament. A Continental V-12 750 hp. air cooled diesel engine powers the vehicle. Power is transmitted to a final drive through a cross drive transmission, which is a combined transmission, differential, steering, and braking unit. The hull of this vehicle is a one piece steel casting and is divided into two compartments, the crew in the front, and the engine at the rear. 

The M60 Patton main battle tank is now primarily found in US Reserve and National Guard units, but served as the primary US main battle tank for two decades prior to the introduction of the M1. Developed from the M48 Patton series, the M60 was fitted with a 105mm main gun and manned by a four-man crew. Criticized for its high profile and limited cross-country mobility, this durable tank proved reliable and underwent many updates over its service life. Rarely has one vehicle type labored as the principle main battle tank for as long as the stalwart M60. The interior layout, based on the excellent designof the M26/46/47/M48, provided ample room for updates and improvements, extending the vehicle's service life for over four decades. 

In the early 1950s, reports from British intelligence indicated the Soviets had developed a new heavily armored medium tank, the T-54. This new tank was armed with a 100mm gun, superior to the American M48 medium tank, which used an old 90mm main weapon developed in WWII. In response, the US developed a strategy to bring the M48 up a level to compete with the new Soviet tank -- the M60. Initially produced in 1960, over 15,000 M60s were built by Chrysler and first saw service in 1961. Production ended in 1983, but 5,400 older models were converted to the M60A3 variant ending in 1990. This tank saw action with the Israeli forces during the Yom Kippur War in both the Sinai and the Golan Heights. 

Besides its main gun, the M60 series tanks are equipped with a 7.62mm M240 coaxial machine gun and 12.7mm M85 antiaircraft gun. Power is provided by a Continental AVDS-1790-2C 750 hp V-12 engine and an Allison CD-850-6/6A powershift crossdrive transmission. The first M-60s retained a turret similar to the M-48, but had a revised hull with better ballistic protection. The M60 tank hull was designed with a unique rounded boat shape, made from five cast pieces that combine to provide excellent ballistic protection for the four crew and equipment packed inside. 

The army ordered the M60 into production in 1959 and the first M60s entered service with U.S. Army units during the fall of 1960. Most of the initial production vehicles were sent to Europe to offset the Russian T-54, then coming into widespread service with Warsaw pact armies. While it was an improvement over the M48, especially in armament (having a 105 mm gun, a much roomier M19 Commander Cupola and new road wheels), the M60 was regarded as somewhat of a stop gap measure. It has 750 hp. with a maximum speed of 30 mph and maximum range of 350 miles. 

Used in Vietnam and Desert Storm, it proved itself to be a dependable vehicle in all areas of operation.


M47 Patton 
Named for Gen. George S. Patton, the M47 went into production in April, 1951. Technical problems prevented fielding of the M47 until the following year. The M47 tank was the U.S. armed forces' first all new tank after World War II. Designed for offensive combat operations, it provided mobile firepower and crew protection for the four man crew. It is powered by an air-cooled V-12, 750 hp. gasoline engine. This and the other vehicles you see today use a torsion bar suspension system consisting of transverse torsion bars in the bottom of the hull, wheel arms, and road wheels. The vehicle hull is constructed of armored plate and cast armor sections welded together and reinforced. A transverse bulkhead separates the crew compartment in the front from the engine compartment at the rear. The turret is a one piece cast structure using a 90mm main gun, and the armor is from 2 to 4 inches thick. Designed in the early 1950's, it saw use in foreign wars but not with the US armed forces in any conflict. 

The lineage of the M-60 Patton tank began with the introduction of the Pershing M26-E3 prototype at the end of WWII. The M-26 Pershing was a test bed for a new design incorporating sloped armor and torsion bar suspension. These formed the basis for the M-46, which used the same basic hull with improvements. 

With the outbreak of the Korean War, a decision was made to utilize existing vehicle designs and to phase in additional changes as new items could be produced, without moving too far from the existing M-46Al design. The M47 was essentially an M46 fitted with the turret from the T42 tank prototype, and was intended to be an interim design until the 90mm gun tank M48 could be produced. While the experimental T-42 hull had been made up of flat plates, the M-46 hull was better ballistically, at least in front. The superior cast turret armed with a 90mm gun was originally designed for the experimental T42 heavy tank that did not enter service. The T-42 turret was put into production, the M-46 hull and chassis was modified, and the two were joined. 

This "interim" vehicle was initially called the M-46E1, and soon re-designated the M-47. Compared to the M46, the M-47 included better ballistic protection fire control and layout. Some of the holdovers from the Sherman family were the 5-member crew and inclusion of a bow machine gun. The first fully new tank design after the Second World War was the M-48, which provided a bridge between the Pershing and the M-60. 

The M-47 is easily identified by the sharply tapered turret with small gun shield and particularly by the long narrow turret bulge ending in a stowage box. The turret was slightly elliptical with a long bustle or rear turret bulge which acted as a counterweight to the gun, and housed the radio and a ventilator. 

The M47 was the last American tank with a five-man crew. The tank was not fitted with any NBC, night fighting or computerized fire control systems. The M-47 was powered by a Continental AV-1790-5B, 12 cylinders, 820 HP, gasoline propelled engine. With a full tank of 882 liters, the M-47 could only run approximately 128km. The drive sprocket on the M47 was higher than M46's, and made the top of the track run flat. 

The main gun was the M36 90mm gun with an M12 optical rangefinder fitted. The main armament 90 mm gun was fitted with a bore evacuator but no muzzle brake. The "eyes" of the gunner's stereoscopic rangefinder protruded from the top sides of the turret. The 90mm gun M36 had a cylindrical blast deflector and a bore evacuator. The secondary armament consisted of a .30cal Browning as bow machine gun and the .50cal Browning M2 on a pintle mount on the turret roof. 

On 09 November 1950, the US Army adopted a new tank designation system, based on the caliber of the vehicle's main gun rather than the vehicle's weight. The M47, which would previously have been a medium tank, became a 90mm gun tank. 

First produced in 1951 at the Detroit Arsenal, the M47 entered US service in 1952 but did not see any action in the Korean War. In US service the M47 was quickly replaced by the M48 which began entering service in 1953. A total of 8,576 [8,676?] M47 were produced. During the Korean War, the Chrysler plant was modified to build the new battle tank, the M47 Patton. In all, Chrysler built 3,443 M47 Patton tanks between 1952 and 1954. Always considered an interim design, as the M-48 tanks became available, the M-47's were replaced. 

The M47 remained in service internationally for some time, and was mainly used to equip NATO partners against the Warsaw Pact forces. The M-47's being available in quantity, they were the first armored vehicles furnished to West Germany. The M47 was widely used by European NATO countries forming the first modern tank forces in Belgium, France, and Austria. Other nations later received them. They included China (Taiwan), Greece, Iran, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Turkey and Yugoslavia. 

An upgrade program for the M47 was started in the late 1960s and resulted in the M47M, which used the engine and fire control system from the 105mm gun tank M60A1. The Continental's AVDS-1790-2A supercharged diesel engine, had the exhaust vented through rear louvres, which replaced the mufflers on the M47's rear fenders. The crew was reduced from five to four [the assistant driver was eliminated] to make room for more 90mm ammunition. The small track tension idler wheel was deleted, and the rear road wheel was moved 3.8" (9.7cm) to the rear to compensate for the loss of the track tensioning wheel. Over 800 M47Ms were produced by Bowen-McLaughlin-York, Inc., and by a tank factory built in Iran for M47M production. 

Spain and Portugal were equipped with the M47 until the 1980’s. Spain rebuilt those in service to E1 and E2 standards with a more powerful AVDS 1790 diesel engine and the E2 even with a 105mm main gun. Other users of the M47 included Greece, Turkey and the Republic of Korea as well as Jordan, Iran and the former Yugoslavia. Iran used the M47M version with a new diesel engine and fire control system but the old 90mm gun. This version was also in use with Pakistani forces.

M48 Patton
Developed from the M47 "General Patton" tank, the M48 was the mainstay of the US Army and Marines in Vietnam. Some 11,703 M48s were built between 1952 and 1959. Originally they had 90mm guns, but upon moficiation to the M48A5 standard they were given the British 105mm. The M48 was withdrawn from American service in favor of the M60, a further development of the M48, but the M48 Patton remains in service in a number of armies around the world. 

The original M-48A1 had very small range (70 milles) and that was the reason for the development of M-48A2 version with a new gasoline engine and a 90mm gun. The M48-A2C featured a gasoline engine which was very prone to fire. This model  was replaced in 1968 by the M48-A3 powered by a diesel unit. In the 1970's development of the AVDS 1790 2C/2D series of engines, rated at 750 Horsepower, were utilized in the M60A3, Retrofited AMX-30 Tank, Modernized Centurion Tank, M88A1, Retrofited M47, and Modernized M48A5 Tank. In the 1980's the AVDS 1790 Red Seal Engines, rated at 750 Horsepower were used on the Upgraded M48A5 and the Upgraded M60A3 Tanks. In the 1990'S, the AVDS Gold Medallion Engine, producing 750 Horsepower was produced and used in the upgraded M48A5 Tank. 

After the Yom Kippur war in 1973 the United States transfered a large number of M-60s to Israel for replacing the large combat losses. This devepopment created a shortage in US Army tank units and soon it was decided that a number of M-48s would be remanufactured in order to reach the M-60A1 level capabilities. The new version was the M-48A5 equipped with a new M68 105mm gun, new track system and a 12,7mm with a 7,62mm M-60 machine guns. Almost 2,000 M-48A1/2/3s were converted to the A5 version and despite the fact that the armor protection had no match with the M-60s, the A5 had the same armament and engine. 

The M48A5E1 h was a upgraded M48A5, with full resolution digital fire, a laser range finder, and an improved day/night sight assembly. 

The M48 vehicle is separated into three compartments: the driver's compartment, the fighting compartment where the Gunner, Loader, and Tank Commander [TC] fought, and the engine compartment. Above the main gun was a 1 million candle-power Xenon searchlight. This light had both a white light and an infrared mode. It was boresighted with the main gun and gunsights so that it could be used to illuminate a target at night. 

The M48 was designed for combat in Europe against Soviet tanks.  When first deployed, the M48-A3 had for the 1960s a state-of-the-art fire control system. At the time computers were mechanical, and range to the target was provided by a stereoscopic range finder, which functioned similarly to a 35mm camera. An end-box on each side of the turret exterior held a prism-type mirror. Turning a hand-crank on the range finder would pivot these mirrors until the double-image in the range finder merged.   As the distance between the mirrors is exactly  known, a little trigonometry provided the range (in meters) to the target. This information was displayed on a range indicator, and also fed to the ballistic computer by a rotating shaft. The ballistic computer was a collection of gears and cams--nothing was solid-state--which had a handle so that the gunner could select the type of ammunition that was to be fired. Each round had a different muzzle velocity, and therefore the computer had a different cam for each type. The computer would take the range data, merge it with the velocity data, and via a set of rotating shafts, supply this information to the gun's super-elevation mechanism, resulting in the gun being elevated above the gunners line of sight sufficiently for the round to overcome the downward pull of gravity on its way to the target. The gunner's sight however remained locked onto the target. 

A good crew in Europe was able to put the first round on target 90% of the time, but this required excellent teamwork and communication on the part of the entire crew. In peacetime qualification, it was possible to stop from a speed of 20 mph, acquire the target, and get off a first round kill at 2,000 yards in seven seconds. This precision fire control system was almost irrelevant in Vietnam where typical engagement ranges could be measured more reasonably in feet than in  yards.  So in Vietnam it was common to take the gunner out of the  turret and put him on the back deck with an M16 or M79 for close-in protection.  This also afforded him some protection from mines, and indeed the tank commander and loader often rode on the turret roof or the hatch lips when mines were expected.   The TC laid the main gun by eye, and fired using the commander's override control or a lanyard to the manual trigger on the main gun. Most M48's in Vietnam had the commander's .50 cal. mounted on top of the cupola on a simple pintle mount.   This location gave a better field of fire, was faster to reload, and less prone to jamming than when the M2 was placed on its side inside the armored cupola. But the TC was terribly exposed to fire when firing the M2. 

Rocket Propelled Grenades were a constant threat in Vietnam, and M48 tanks countered this threat by mounting Pierced Steel Plank, chain link fence, and spare track blocks on the fenders to prematurely detonate incoming RPG's.  The bustle rack was extended with welded steel, and  the turret sides buttressed with extra .50 cal. ammo, C-ration cases, and the crew's duffel bags. The cases of C-rations strapped to the infantry rail on the turret, like the PSP and track blocks, acted as a stand-off shield. If an enemy anti-tank rocket struck the C-rations, it would explode prematurely. Since anti-tank rounds require a certain stand-off distance to function effectively, the C-rations dissipated the force of the explosion away from the armor.   It was also the only place to store the rations, since space in the vehicle was at a premium and occupied mostly by ammunition. 

Canister and HE were the primary main gun ammunition types used in Vietnam. Beehive was effective, but usually in short supply. WP was useful, but dangerous to carry since it ignited if split open by a mine or RPG strike, so crews tended to expend it as soon as possible. HEAT briefly was popular after NVA tanks were engaged at Bien Het, but HE was usually preferred against bunkers. 

Variants
M48A5K South Korean variant with 105mm, improved FC system, and considered more capable than early M60s. 
M48A5E Spanish variant with 105mm, laser rangefinder. 
M48A5T1 is a Turkish upgrade, similar to M48A5, the T2 variant includes a thermal sight. 
CM11 Taiwan variant with a modified M48H turrets mated to M60 hulls. An advanced fire control system includes a ballistics computer and stabilized sights with thermal imaging [similar to the US M1 Abrams tank] slaved to the 105mm gun, providing improved target tracking on the move. 
CM12 Taiwan variant mates the CM11 turret to existing M48A3 hulls. 
AVLB variant used by Israel and Taiwan. 
M67 flamethrower featured a shorter, thicker barrel than the normal 90mm armed version. 



M103 Heavy Tank 
The M103, the Heavy Tank variant of the M48 series, was designed to counter to the Soviet's JS III heavy tanks, which outclassed all other US tanks during the immediate period following World War II. At nearly 65 tons, it was by far the heaviest tank placed in service by the US Army prior to the advent of the M1 Abrams. 

The strong family resemblance to the M48 was based on the components common to both vehicles. The suspension was similar to that of the M48, though modified to carry the increased weight. The M103 had one additional road wheel on each side, though unlike the M48 most of the M103's torsion arms had shock absorbers. Six return rollers were fitted, and the final-drives had much larger exposed gear-boxes. 

While the M103 hull was similar in shape to the M48, it was longer and wider, and had thicker armor with better ballistic shape in the forward hull. The engine deck was unlike that of the M48. The turret was totally different, with a large bustle to enable the 120mm gun to recoil. The ballistic shape was excellent from the front, but poor from the rear. The machine gun mount was used to allow the gun to be trained, elevated, and fired from within the vehicle. 

The M103A1 differed slightly from the M103, having improved fire-control devices that resulted in minor changes in the turret shape. 

The M103A2 was the Heavy Tank variant of the M60 series. It had the large bulged rear engine deck, typical of the diesel engined M48 and M60. It saw service, with a few being around into the 1970's. 


M60A1 Patton 
The M60A1 was the principal production model from 1963 to 1980) with the British-designed L7 105mm rifled gun with thermal sleeve and fume extractor (63 rounds). Other than the new turret design, little was done to the basic M60 chassis excepting minor changes in hull fittings. The new variant, under the designation M60A1, was able to be placed in production relatively quickly, and without serious problems. The first M60A1s were issued to regular army units during the spring of 1962, less than 2 years after the first M60s. Following introduction of the M60A1 into American service, it was supplied to U.S. allies, including Austria, Iran, Israel, Jordan and Italy. 

The M-60A1 had a redesigned wedge-shaped turret with better ballistic protection, and a new mount for the M68 105mm main gun. Early vehicles had no gun stabilization system, but later this was retrofitted, and by the mid-70s most were so equipped. This vehicle became the mainstay of the US Army's tank force through the 1960s and into the early 70s. The M68 105mm gun in the M60 tank is a modified British L7 weapon, utilizing an American vertical sliding breech block. This same weapon was also used in the M1 Abrams tank, before it was swapped for a new 120mm gun in the M1A1/A2. Weighing 58 tons (52,617 kg) and with a crew of four -- commander, gunner, loader, and driver -- the M60A1 has as its main armament a 105mm gun. The M60 turret is organized in typical American fashion, with the gunner on the right, the commander directly behind him, and the loader on the left and rear of the 105mm gun. The turret interior is roomy in comparison to most other main battle tanks of the 1960s era. 

The ultimate development of the M-60A1 was the M-60A1 RISE Passive (RISE= Reliability Improved Selected Equipment). These were rebuilt M-60a1s, with added passive "starlight" imagers for the driver, gunner and commander. Other improvements included the AVDS-1790-2C RISE engine which helped to boost engine power. Also added were a battery of smoke dischargers on either side of the turret, much in the fashion of the Chieftain tank. Some models were retrofitted locally, and the control cable ran up the side of the turret, protected by small strips of thin armor plate, and then entered the turret near the searchlight mount. Those rebuilt at higher echelon depots had holes for the cables bored directly through the armor on the side. These vehicles were quickly supplied to frontline units overseas, such as in Germany, being deployed by early 1979. One batch of vehicles were shipped with a significant flaw in the bolts holding the torsion bar housing to the hull. These vehicles went to 3rd AD and needed additional work afterwards to repair. 

Going into Desert Shield, the Marines' main battle tank was the M6OA1, an improvement, several generations removed, of the M48 tank of the Korean and Vietnam wars. Retrofitted with applique armor, it is considered roughly equal to, if lesser-gunned than the best tank in the Iraqi inventory, the much-vaunted Soviet T-72. During Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force fielded 210 M60A1s to support the Saudi-Marine effort into Kuwait City. 

The Marine Corps fielded the M1A1 Common Tank to replace the aging M60A1 Rise/Passive tank. The M60 has reached the end of its service life and lacks the capability to survive and to defeat the threats expected to be encountered on the modern battlefield.

M60A2 Patton 
Production of the M60A2 began in 1974. It featured a 152mm Shillelagh gun/missile system (with 13 missiles and 33 rounds). This new tank with a smaller turret was developed in the 1960s, but was not contracted until 1971, when the Army agreed to purchase 526 rebuilt vehicles with the new turret. This became the M-60A2 (the "A-deuce"). Armed with a revolutionary 152mm gun-launcher system, the A2 was also equipped with one of the first laser rangefinders ever fielded. 

The gun-launcher could fire conventional ammunition with a fully combustible charge, or the Shillelagh laser guided missile. Shillelagh was designed to be the main armament for armored combat vehicles. The Shillelagh was a direct fire missile which was launched from a combination gun-launcher and was effective against tanks and fortifications. Its 152mm gun-launcher could fire either missiles or conventional ammunition. The missile was about 45 inches long, about six inches in diameter, weighed 60 pounds. This surface-to-surface missile system was designed to be carried on tanks and light armored assault vehicles. After being fired the missile could be guided to the target by a command system mounted on the launch vehicle. The gunner has direct command over guiding the missile to the target. 

The missile was equipped with an octal shaped charge. The "shaped charge" was introduced to warfare as an anti-tank device in World War II after its discovery in the late 1930s. The Ballistic Research Laboratory, an ARL predecessor organization, made several important contributions to the development of shaped-charge technology. BRL scientists delineated the penetration mechanics of the stretching, high-velocity jet of metal that is formed by the warhead, thus making it possible to design relatively light, inexpensive weapons to defend against tanks. Guided missiles, such as Shillelagh, TOW, Dragon, and Hellfire, exploited the high penetration capability of such warheads with accurate fire at long range. Further contributions included the demonstration of tandem shaped-charge warheads and the application of advanced liner material technology that increased jet velocity and ductility and provided enhanced lethality within existing weapon system envelopes. 

Sarcastically referred to as the "Starship" by its crews due to its complexity, the M60A2 was an overall disappointment. During testing, numerous problems with the new turret arose, and production did not commence until 1973, and actually ceased in 1975. Eventually the new turrets were scrapped. Phase-out of the SHILLELAGH/M60A2 system from active Army units was completed in 1981. The "A-deuce" was essentially a failure, but provided valuable technical research in preparation for the M-1s.

M60A3 Patton Tank Thermal Sight (TTS) 
The M60A3 with Tank Thermal Sight (TTS), incorporates hybrid solid-state ballistic computer, laser rangefinder, and turret stabilization system. The tank combat full-tracked, 105mm gun M60A3 (TTS) is an improved version of its predecessor, with the addition of an improved fire control system, thermal sight device, top loading air filters, and a laser range finder. The tank combat full-tracked, 105mm gun (TTS), (M60A3), has the capability to engage the full spectrum of enemy ground targets with a variety of accurate, point and area fire weapons, incorporated with a shoot-on-the-move capability. 

The M60A3 main battle tank is used as the principal assault weapon of tank battalions during all types of combat operations, conducted under any conditions, from low-intensity conflict to general nuclear and nonnuclear situations, as part of an offensive combined arms team. The M60A3 ise employed as the decisive element of army forces to defeat an enemy force using fire and maneuver. In the role of defense, it ise used as a part of a combined arms team to prevent, resist, repulse, or destroy an enemy attack. The M60A3 (TTS) replaced the m48 series of tanks, and the M60A1 tank. 

This vehicle took the interim developments in the Rise Passive version, and added a laser rangefinder, new ballistic computer, a tank thermal sight (TTS), and a thermal sleeve to the main gun (to help prevent "gun droop"). The first A3s began to deploy in Germany in mid-1979. The laser rangefinder added significant capability to the M-60, and many of these are still in service, with many in foreign service. The Tank Thermal Sight was a significant advance, and tankers who have operated a3s and M1a1s almost universally state that the TTS on the M-60a3 was the best thermal imager ever fielded. It was not used on the M1 series due to cost and its large size.

M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV)
The M728 is a Combat Engineer Vehicle used by engineering units for construction of defensive positions and demolition of enemy fortifications. It is designed to provide maximum ballistic protection for the crew. The vehicle is heavily armed, being a basic M60A1 tank, modified to provide a mobile and maneuverable weapon or combat support of ground troops and vehicles. It is equipped with a hydraulically operated dozer blade mounted to the front of the hull. A winch and boom are mounted to the turret for lifting, carrying and winching. The vehicle is used for breaching, obstacle removal, transportation of demolition teams, and pioneering operation. This has the same 152mm gun as the M551 Sheridan. A crew of four operates this vehicle, with the power train and chassis being the same as the M60A3. It saw combat service in Vietnam and Desert Storm. 

DESCRIPTION: The M728 CEV is a full-tracked armored vehicle which consists of a basic M60A1 tank with a hydraulically operated debris blade, a 165mm turret mounted demolition gun, a retractable boom and a winch. The demolition gun may be elevated or depressed for use at various ranges up to 925 meters and is coaxial mounted with a 7.62mm machine gun. A .50 caliber machine gun is cupola mounted. 

A mine clearing rake was specially designed and fabricated to be a "tool" for the CEV in Desert Storm. The full width rake allows the CEV to clear minefields in non-cohesive, granular soils. The Mine Clearing Rake is a V-shaped tined plough that performs countermine activities by lifting buried mines with its tines and pushing them to the side as it moves. Attached to a M728 CEV or M60 tank via a Dozer Kit, the Mine Clearing Rake also utilizes an aluminum skid shoe, which protrudes from the front of the tines and allows the rake to maintain a consistent plowing. It clears a path measuring 180 inches wide, accommodating heavy tanks and other armored vehicles. The devices operations are limited to soft sandy soil. Additional features are that it weighs 4000 pounds, and is easily assembled and installed. 

STATUS: The CEV was placed in service in 1965 with a total of 291 vehicles. Currently improvements for the operations readiness are being implemented. These improvements will ensure that the CEV remains a valuable asset until replacement vehicles are fielded. During Operation Desert Storm the CEV proved unable to manoeuvre with the heavy force due to the inability of the M60 chassis and power train to keep pace with the MIA1. They also had difficulties associated with maintaining an obsolete, low-density piece of eqpt. Many manoeuvre units simply left the CEV behind rather than slow their manoeuvre. Such was the case with the Mine Rake mounted on the CEV. Commanders planned for their use as a part of the deliberate breaching operation, but left them behind once they began the pursuit and exploitation phase of the operation. Commanders were unanimous in their opinion that the engineerr force needs M1 chassis' for heavy breaching and gap crossing equipment. 

EMPLOYMENT CONCEPT: The CEV provides Engineers in the forward combat area with a versatile, armor-protected means of performing mobility tasks under hostile fire. Tasks include reduction of roadblocks and obstacles; filling craters, ditches and short dry gaps; limited construction of combat trails; construction of obstacles; and clearing of rubble and debris. 

BASIS OF ISSUE: The CEV is issued two per Engineer Company in the Heavy Division, two per Engineer Company in Corps (Mechanized), three per Engineer Company in Armor/Infantry Separate Brigades and three per Engineer Company in the Armored Cavalry Regiment. 

TRAINING/PERSONNEL: The U.S. Army Engineer Center provides training during Advanced Individual Training for the Track Vehicle Crewman (MOS 12F), Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Advanced Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Engineer Officer Basic Course and Engineer Officer Advanced Course. At the unit level, training will be conducted on the actual piece of equipment as on-the-job training. Training Extension Course lessons are also available for refresher training at the unit level. 


