Armoured personnel carrier: Encyclopedia II - Armoured personnel carrier - Technology

Armoured personnel carrier - Technology

Most armoured personnel carriers use a diesel engine comparable to that used in a large truck or in a typical city bus (APCs are often known to troops as 'Battle Taxis' or 'Battle Buses'). The M113 for instance used the same engine as the standard General Motors urban bus. A single M113 moving at top speed generates as much noise as a General Motors urban bus moving at top speed. However, the typical armoured personnel carrier can carry only six to ten soldiers while a typical urban bus can carry thirty to fifty seated passengers, and hundreds when standing passengers are included.

Most APCs are amphibious. Usually tracked APCs are powered by their tracks in the water, and wheeled APCs have propellors or water jets. Preparations for amphibious operations usually comprises checking the integrity of the hull and folding down a trim wane in front. Swimming required fairly still waters, and good entry and exit points. Speed in water is typically 3-6 km/h.

Armour on APCs are usually simple steel or aluminium armour, sufficient for protection against small arms fire and most shell fragments. Just about any type of anti-tank weapon can defeat the armour of an APC.

The usual armament for an APC is a 12.7 (.50) or 14.5 mm heavy machine gun. This is mounted on top of the vehicle, either on a simple pintle mount, sometimes with a gun shield, or a small turret. Sometimes an automatic grenade launcher is used instead.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Technology", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki