The M578 light recovery vehicle (G309) was an American

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

-era armored recovery vehicle. The M578 utilized the same

chassis A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of a manufactured object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart ...

as the M107 self-propelled gun and M110 self-propelled howitzer. The M578 provided maintenance support to mechanized infantry and artillery units. Its primary mission was to recover damaged light armored vehicles from the battlefield using its crane boom.

History

In 1956 the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

commissioned the Pacific Car & Foundry Company to design an undercarriage for a new series of

self-propelled artillery Self-propelled artillery (also called locomotive artillery) is artillery equipped with its own propulsion system to move toward its firing position. Within the terminology are the self-propelled gun, self-propelled howitzer, self-propelled mo ...

systems that would be lighter, air transportable, and provide a common chassis for multiple vehicles. This would then become the M107 self-propelled gun and M110 self-propelled gun with the Army expanding the program in 1957 to include a field ambulance (T119) and an armored light recovery vehicle (T120) with the T119 being dropped from the program during the prototype phase. The T120 went through testing starting in 1959, now being designated the T120E1 and was accepted for service after completing testing with production of the vehicle starting in late 1962 by FMC Corp. and would continue in production till the end of the 1960s. In 1975 production resumed under Bowen-McLaughlin-York (later United Defense Industries) with an additional 448 vehicles for the US Army between 1975 and 1977 at a cost of US$189,000 per vehicle, followed by export orders to other countries. In 1981 production would be discontinued permanently.

Vehicle Operation

The cab could rotate 360°, and had a 30,000 lb (13,600 kg) capacity winch which ran through a crane on the cab. Another winch, 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) capacity, was mounted on the front of the cab. Access to the cab was through a door on each side and by double doors in the rear, while the crane operator and rigger both had vision cupolas in the cab roof.

Operators

Argentine Army The Argentine Army () is the Army, land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of Argentina. Under the Argentine Constitution, the president of Argentina is the commander-in-chief of the Armed For ...

At least 1 test vehicl

*: Austrian Federal Army, Austrian Army - 22 vehicles sold from Netherlands to Austria in 1996, now out of service. *: Royal Bahraini Army - 2 vehicles sold from Netherlands to Bahrain in 1996. *:

Bolivian Army The Bolivian Army () is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of Bolivia. Figures on the size and composition of the Bolivian army vary considerably, with little official data available. It is estimated that the army has between 26,000 and 6 ...

Botswana Ground Force The Botswana Ground Forces is the army of the country of Botswana, and the land component of the Botswana Defence Force. History The Botswana Defence Force was raised in April 1977 by an Act of Parliament called the 'BDF Act NO 13 of 1977. At i ...

Brazilian Army The Brazilian Army (; EB) is the branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible, externally, for defending the country in eminently terrestrial operations and, internally, for guaranteeing law, order and the constitutional branches, subordina ...

- At least 17 vehicles in inventory, unclear if all the vehicles are still in service as of June 2022. *:

Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...

- At least 50 vehicles had been in service and remained in inventory as of early 2008, which have since been retired from service. *:

Chilean Army The Chilean Army () is the land arm of the Chilean Armed Forces. This 80,000-person army (9,200 of which are conscripts) is organized into six divisions, an army aviation brigade and a special operations brigade. In recent years, and after sever ...

- 3 vehicles purchased in 1970, the vehicles have since been retired from service. *:

Royal Danish Army The Royal Danish Army (; ; ) is the land-based branch of the Danish Armed Forces, together with the Danish Home Guard. For the last decade, the Royal Danish Army has undergone a massive transformation of structures, equipment and training methods ...

- 24 vehicles purchased during 1966–1970, no longer in service. *:

Egyptian Army The Egyptian Army (), officially the Egyptian Ground Forces (), is the land warfare branch (and largest service branch) of the Egyptian Armed Forces. Until the declaration of the Republic and the abolishment of the monarchy on 18 June 1953, it w ...

- At least 45 vehicles in inventory, unclear if all the vehicles are still in service as of June 2022. *:

Hellenic Army The Hellenic Army (, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the army, land force of Greece. The term Names of the Greeks, '' Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the largest of the three branches ...

- At least 113 vehicles in inventory, unclear if all the vehicles are still in service as of June 2022. *: Iranian army *:

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...

*: Royal Jordanian Land Force *: Lebanese Armed Forces - At least 4 vehicles were provided as US aid during the early 1980s. *:

Royal Moroccan Army The Royal Moroccan Army ( ''Al-Quwwat al-Bariyah al-Malakiyah al-Maghribiyah'', ''tasrdast tagldant'') is the branch of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Royal Moroccan Army is about 215,000 t ...

- At least 86 vehicles in inventory, unclear if all the vehicles are still in service as of June 2022. *: Army of Peru *:

Royal Netherlands Army The Royal Netherlands Army (, KL) is the Ground warfare, land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised making the Dutch standing a ...

- A total of 25 vehicles were purchased during three orders of 8 vehicles (1965), 12 vehicles (1966) and 5 vehicles (unknown), with all vehicles leaving service and being sold by the end of 1996. *:

Norwegian Army The Norwegian Army () is the land warfare service branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Army is the oldest of the Norwegian service branches, established as a modern military organization under the command of the King of Norway in 1628. The ...

Philippine Army The Philippine Army (PA) () is the main, oldest and largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), responsible for ground warfare. , it had an estimated strength of 143,100 soldiers The service branch was established on December ...

Portuguese Army The Portuguese Army () is the land component of the Portuguese Armed Forces, Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its ...

- 29 vehicles in service (21 vehicles in service since 1995, 8 vehicles since 1997). *: Saudi Arabian Army - At least 90 vehicles in inventory, unclear if all the vehicles are still in service as of June 2022. *:

Spanish Army The Spanish Army () is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest Standing army, active armies – dating back to the late 15th century. The Spanish Army has existed ...

Turkish Army The Turkish Land Forces () is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for Army, land-based military operations. The army was formed on November 8, 1920, after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Significant campaigns since the ...

Royal Thai Army The Royal Thai Army or RTA (; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. History Origin The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's sovereignty. The army was formed in 187 ...

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

- At least 448 vehicles were in service with the Army but the exact amount from the first production series is unclear as the information is still currently redacted as of June 2022. *:

Army of the Republic of Vietnam The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; ) composed the ground forces of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. Its predecessor was the ground forc ...

People's Army of Vietnam The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), officially the Vietnam People's Army (VPA; , , ), also recognized as the Vietnamese Army (), the People's Army () or colloquially the Troops ( ), is the national Military, military force of the Vietnam, S ...

*: Yemen Army

References

* TM 9-2320-238 dated 1963-1964 * TM 9-2350-238 dated 1963-1962

External links

AFV Database
{{Commons category, M578 Light Recovery Vehicle Armoured recovery vehicles of the United States Tracked armoured recovery vehicles Military vehicles introduced in the 1960s

History

Vehicle Operation

Operators

See also

References

External links