| M88 recovery vehicle | |
|---|---|
 An original baseline M88 (Bergepanzer 1) ARV of the German Army on static display at the German Tank Museum outside Munster, Germany. | |
| Type | Armored recovery vehicle |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1961–present |
| Used by | See operators |
| Wars | Arab–Israeli conflict Vietnam War Lebanese Civil War Persian Gulf War Kosovo War Iraq War War in Afghanistan Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Bowen McLaughlin York (BMY) |
| Designed | 1959 |
| Manufacturer | BMY (1961–1994) United Defense and Anniston Army Depot (1994–2005) BAE Systems Land and Armaments (since 2005) |
| Unit cost | US$2,050,000 |
| Produced | 1961–present |
| No. built | 1,690 (all variants) |
| Variants | See variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | M88/M88A1: 50.8 t (112,000 lb) M88A2: 63.5 t (140,000 lb) |
| Length | 27.13 ft (8.27 m) |
| Width | 11.25 ft (3.43 m) |
| Height | 10.25 ft (3.12 m) |
| Crew | 3 |
| Armor | Hull and cab armored to protect against small-arms fire up to 30mm direct fire weapons |
Main armament | M2 .50 cal heavy MG with 1,300 rounds |
| Engine | •M88/M88A1: Continental (now L-3 CPS) AVDS-1790-2DR V12, air-cooled Twin-turbo diesel engine •M88A2: Continental AVDS-1790-8CR, V12 air-cooled Twin-turbo diesel engine M88/M88A1: 750 hp (560 kW) M88A2: 1,050 hp (780 kW) |
| Transmission | Twin Disc XT-1410-5A cross-drive (3 speed forward, 1 speed reverse) |
| Suspension | Torsion bar suspension |
| Ground clearance | 17 in (0.43 m) |
Operational range | M88/M88A1: 450 km (280 mi) M88A2: 322 km (200 mi) |
| Maximum speed | M88/M88A1: 42 km/h (26 mph) M88A2: 48 km/h (30 mph) |
The M88 recovery vehicle is one of the largest armored recovery vehicles (ARV) in use by United States Armed Forces. There are three variants, the M88, the M88A1, and the M88A2 HERCULES (Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lifting Extraction System). The M88 series has seen action in the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan, and to a lesser extent during the Kosovo War, where they were deployed to help recover heavy armored vehicles of the Allied ground units. As of 2000, the M88A2 replacement cost was around US$2,050,000.[1]
- ^ "M88's info and specs". Federation of American Scientists (FAS). 6 February 2000. Archived from the original on 29 January 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2011.