M60 AVLB
The M60 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB) is an armored vehicle based on the M60 Patton main battle tank's hull and used for the launching and retrieval of a 60-foot (18 m) scissors-type bridge. The AVLB consists of three major sections: the launcher, the vehicle hull, and the bridge. The M60 AVLB or Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge was introduced in 1963. This combat engineer vehicle was developed by the US Army Engineer Research & Development Laboratories under contract with General Dynamics to replace the previous M48 AVLB. It was designed to launch bridge for tanks and other wheeled combat vehicles across trenches and water obstacles in combat conditions. A total of 400 armored bridge launchers and bridges were built. 125 M60 AVLBs of all variants were constructed.
| M60 AVLB (Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge) | |
|---|---|
M60A1 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB), Operation Enduring Freedom, Camp Coyote, Kuwait, 6 Feb 2003. | |
| Type | Armored vehicle-launched bridge |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1963–present |
| Used by | See operators |
| Wars | Cold War Vietnam War Yom Kippur War 1982 Lebanon War Gulf War Iraq War 2006 Lebanon War War in Afghanistan 2014 Israel-Gaza Conflict Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present) |
| Production history | |
| Designer | US Army Engineer Research & Development Laboratories |
| Manufacturer | Anniston Army Depot |
| Unit cost | US$749,000 (M60A1 1987) (equivalent to $1.66 million in 2022) |
| Produced | M60 AVLB: 1963-1967 M60A1 AVLB: 1987-1996 |
| No. built | 125 (all variants) |
| Variants | See variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | M60 AVLB Combat Loaded: 53.1 short tons (48.2 t) M60A1 AVLB Combat Loaded: 53.3 short tons (48.4 t) with MLC60 bridge: 67.9 short tons (61.6 t) |
| Length | Overall: 9.44 metres (31 ft 0 in) |
| Width | 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in) |
| Height | 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) |
| Crew | 2 enlisted |
| Armor | M60 AVLB Upper Hull Glacis: 3.67 in (93 mm) at 65° 8.68 in (220 mm) LoS M60A1 AVLB Upper Hull Glacis: 4.29 in (109 mm) at 65° 10.15 in (258 mm) LoS |
Main armament | None |
Secondary armament | M60 / M60A1 AVLB: None M60 / M60A1 AVLM: 2 M58 Mine Clearing Line Charges |
| Engine | Continental (now General Dynamics) AVDS-1790-2DR V12, air-cooled Twin-turbo diesel engine 750 horsepower (560 kW) |
| Power/weight | 13.2 hp/t |
| Payload capacity | 1× scissors-type folding bridge |
| Transmission | CD-850-6A 2 speeds forward, 1 reverse |
| Suspension | Torsion bar suspension |
| Ground clearance | 457 mm (1 ft 6.0 in) |
| Fuel capacity | 1,419 litres (312 imp gal; 375 US gal) |
Operational range | 290 miles (470 km) |
| Maximum speed | 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) |