M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle

Combat Engineer Vehicle M728

The M728 CEV ( Combat Engineer Vehicle) was a pioneer tanks of the U.S. Army.

History

After the U.S. pioneers had never had an armored vehicle as Pionierpanzer could apply, was equipped in the fifties a number of M48 battle tanks with a dozer blade, and gave them the name Tank M48 with dozer blade - in the army called the unit Räumpanzer M48. However, this solution proved to be extremely unsatisfactory, so that the U.S. Ordnance Corps was tasked with a replacement.

A first prototype of the new pioneer Panzers appeared in 1960 under the designation T118, with the trough of the main battle tank prototype was used T95. First field trials were carried out in 1966 under the name T118E1.

Introduced the model in 1967, with a total of 291 vehicles were produced. Besides the USA and Saudi Arabia and Singapore introduced this Pionierpanzer.

During Operation Desert Storm, the armored engineer vehicle lanes for the advancing armored divisions should beat and were also partially equipped with mine clearing equipment. However, they could but with the faster newer M1 and M1A1 that were now introduced on the Panzer divisions, not compete. This problem, and the slowness of the vehicle hindered the rise and was the decisive phase out the M728 and replace it with a newer generation with the chassis of the M1.

Technology

Base of the chassis and the chassis was the M60A1 main battle tank, which was to develop a time standard in the armored forces of the United States. Due to the heavy artillery of the tower had to be completely redesigned. However, it was not waived a turmlafettiertes MG and MG kuppellafettierte typical of the M60. Together with the dozer blade and the crane but the vehicle was so enormously heavy and lost a mobility. Indicative of the vehicle was the close association with the battle tank. Thus, the unit possessed in its standard equipment on a night vision device, an ABC - protection system and a searchlight. Within a short time the armored engineer vehicle could also be equipped for Tiefwataufgaben.

Description

• Turret and hull from the main battle tank M60 with attached to the tower "A" derrick of 15 t lifting capacity.
• Hydraulic plow blade on the front page.
• Assigned the tank pioneer companies of the Division pioneers
• Assessment: the corresponding requirements, versatile device.
• In the U.S. Army no longer in service.