Designated as a “heavy recovery vehicle”, the new Hercules weighs 70 tonnes – approximately 14 tonnes more than the M88 and M88A1, which were considered “average recovery vehicles”.
The Hercules steel shell was designed to protect the staff from mines, artillery fragments and light weapons fire. The armored recovery vehicle is also equipped with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun with 1,300 strokes.
Propelled by a double turbo diesel engine with 1,050 horsepower, the M88A2 can reach speeds up to 30 mph on varied terrain and on unequal surfaces. Like a tank, he has a followed chassis.
Global Defense Company BAE Systems manufactures the M88A2 Hercules, which means a system of lift and evacuation of combat services for the recovery of heavy equipment.
BAE Systems also develops the fourth M88 variant, the M88A3 Hercules, intended to eliminate the need of two M88A2 vehicles when recovering modern abrams tanks.
With the improved powertrain and suspension group units, the modernized heavy recovery vehicle has an improvement in the mobility and the maneuverability of the bottom, as well as an increased towing capacity of up to 80 tonnes. Last year, the army began to test the capacity of the new M88A3 in Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.
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