LVTP-5

The LVTP-5 (landing vehicle, tracked, personnel 5) is a family of amphibious armored fighting vehicles used by the Philippine Marine Corps, the Republic of China Marine Corps, and, formerly, the United States Marine Corps. It was designed by the BorgWarner company and built by FMC (Food Machinery Corporation) along with a few other companies. It was first accepted into service in 1956. Some 1,124 basic units were produced, plus the specialist variants, and many saw action in the Vietnam War. It was succeeded by the Assault Amphibious Vehicle.

History

The LVTP-5 was an evolution of the ''LVT-1'' to ''LVT-4'' World War II-era landing vehicle tracked series, but was considerably larger and could carry 30-34 combat-armed troops. A smaller design based on the M59 APC was also produced as the ''LVT-6'', but only a few were built.

The LVTP-5 was replaced in service by the '' LVT-7'' family.

The most common type was the LVTP-5, an armored personnel carrier, with mine-sweeper, command, recovery and fire support variants, the latter mounted a 105 mm howitzer. An anti-aircraft version was prototyped, but never saw service.

As of the mid-2010s, the sole remaining state user of the LVTH-6 was the Philippines, who used four of them for their naval infantry force. As of 2013, Philippine LVTH-6s came in a "digital"-style camouflage pattern.

Variants

* LVTP-5 (landing vehicle tracked, personnel) - armored personnel carrier
* LVTC-5 (landing vehicle, tracked, command) - command vehicle
* LVTH-6 (landing vehicle, tracked, howitzer) - fire support variant armed with M49 105 mm howitzer. Two hundred and ten units built.
* LVTR-1 (landing vehicle, tracked, recovery) - recovery vehicle. Sixty-five units built.
* LVTE-1 (landing vehicle, tracked, engineer) - mine-sweeper. Forty-one units built.
* LVTAA-X1 (landing vehicle, tracked, anti aircraft) - anti-aircraft variant, to be fitted with the turret of the M42 Duster. Only prototype built.

Operators

;Current
*
** – 150 LVTP-5A1 in service as of 2023.

;Former
*
*
** – 50 purchased in 1975. Four remaining LVTH-6 were decommissioned and delisted from inventory in 2019.
*
*

Vehicles on display

Philippines

; LVTP-5
* LVTP-5 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Military Park Luuk, Sulu.
; LVTH-6

* LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Camp Bojeador, Burgos, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.
* LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Naval Station Jose Andrada, City of Manila
* LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Armed Forces of the Philippines Veterans Center. Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, National Capital Region.
* LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Philippine Navy Museum, Fort San Felipe, Cavite City, Cavite, Philippines
; LVTE-1
* LVTE-1 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Camp Bojeador, Burgos, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.

Taiwan

; LVTH-6
* LVTH-6 in the Museum of Republic of China Marine Corps.

United States

; LVTP-5
* An LVTP-5 formerly of the United States Marine Corps is on display at Georgia Veterans State Park.
* An LVTP-5 on display at the USS ''Alabama'' (BB-60) memorial in Mobile, Alabama.
* An LVTP-5 on display at Estrella Warbird Museum, Paso Robles, California.https://ewarbirds.org/h20/lvpt5.shtml

; LVTH-6
* An LVTH-6 formerly of the United States Marine Corps is on display at Mott’s Military Museum in Groveport, Ohio.

See also

* G-numbers

References

Further reading

*David Koller, ''LVTP5 Landing Vehicle Tracked Personnel 5'', 2016, Highgloss Publishing, .
* SNL G277
* Steven Zaloga, Terry Hadler, Michael Badrocke - ''Amtracs: US Amphibious Assault Vehicles'', 1999, Osprey Publishing (New Vanguard 30), .

External links

Federation of American Scientists

Amphibious armoured personnel carriers
Armored personnel carriers of the Philippines
Armored personnel carriers of the United States
Tracked amphibious vehicles
Military vehicles introduced in the 1950s

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