Land Weapons

Amphibious Assault (1956)

FMC

LVTP-5

The LVTP-5 (Landing Vehicle, Tracked Personnel) was the first post-war amphibious tractor designed for the US Marines, following the success of the LVT-1 and LVT-4 during the Pacific campaign as well as the subsequent Korean War. In contrast to its wartime predecessors, the LVTP-5 was considerably larger, capable of carrying up to 34 fully equipped marines on land (and 25 while on water). These could unload through a power-operated ramp in the rear, although two roof hatches were also available. A unique structural feature of the LVTP-5 was its inverted V-shaped hull, which allowed for improved amphibious navigation and stability. However, the vehicle suffered from mechanical issues when on the ground due to an unreliable suspension as well as vulnerability to landmines, something that was evidenced during its combat service in Vietnam. It was eventually replaced in US service with the LVTP-7 which had considerably superior performance on land. Export customers were few, and included only Chile, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Development of the LVTP-5 began shortly after the Korean War, and the vehicle entered production for the USMC in 1956. Structural modifications resulted in the LVTP-5A1, the only major variant of the basic amtrac vehicle. Other variants included the LVTC-5 command vehicle, LVTE-1 engineer vehicle, LVTH-6 howitzer, and LVTR-1 recovery vehicle. Units used by the Philippine marines have had further modernizations to keep them operational into the 21st century.

Preceded by:

LVT-3 Bushmaster (1944)

Succeeded by:

AAV7 (LVTP-7) (1972)

Datafile

DesignLVTP-5
TypeAmphibious Assault
Year1956
Crew2
Dimensions
Length (w/Gun)29 ft 8 in
Width11 ft 9 in
Height9 ft 7 in
Ground Clearance0 ft 0 in
Track0 ft 0½ in
Track on Ground0 ft 0½ in
Weight
Combat82,497 lbs
Ground Pressure0 psi
SuspensionTorsion bar
Performance
Speed (Off-Road)30 mph
Range (Off-Road)190 mi
AmphibiousYes (7 mph)
Vertical Obstacle3 ft 12 in
Trench12 ft 12 in
Gradient60%
Powerplant
Engine1 x 704-hp
Continental
LV-1790-1
FuelGasoline
Power/Weight18.81 hp/t
Armament
Main1 x 7.62-mm L/80
M1919A4 .30 cal

Machine Gun
↑ 60° / ↓ -15° / ↔ 360°
SecondaryNone
Ammo7.62-mm: 2,000
Armor
TypeSteel
Thickness6 - 16 mm
Max Effective6 - 16 mm RHAe
Production
Builtn/a
Total1,124