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. As such, an APC chassis-based ARV can only tow and recover an APC, but not a much heavier tank. ARVs generally can only tow an equivalent-class vehicle or one that is lighter in weight. Some ARVs are operated in tandem with armoured bulldozers. 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 (since the same parts can be used on the ARV and the vehicles it supports). In the 2010s, ARVs are generally factory-built. One WWII M4 Sherman-based ARV had a dummy gun installed where the turret would normally go.Įarly ARVs in WWII were often repurposed tanks, with the turret and armament removed and replaced with some type of winch. 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. Since most ARVs are based on tank or APC chassis, they have an armoured crew cockpit and engine, which means that ARVs can be operated in combat conditions.

Some ARVs have a spade component to anchor the vehicle when it is towing or lifting. 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. Typically, any specialized lifting and recovery equipment replaces the turret and cannon found on a battle tank. The term 'Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle' (ARRV) is also used.ĪRVs may have winches, jibs, cranes, and/or bulldozer blades to aid in tank recovery. Most ARVs have motorized tracks, like a tank or bulldozer, enabling the ARV to operate on uneven ground. JSTOR ( January 2013) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)Ī US Marine Corps M88A2 Hercules in 2014, lifting an M1 Abrams engine with its crane.Īn armoured recovery vehicle ( ARV) is typically a powerful tank or armoured personnel carrier (APC) chassis modified for use during combat for military vehicle recovery (towing) or repair of battle-damaged, stuck, and/or inoperable armoured fighting vehicles, such as tanks and armoured personnel carriers.Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.įind sources: 'Armoured recovery vehicle' – news Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.

Modern german heavy tanks