LVTP-5 explained

LVTP-5
Origin:	United States
Service:	1956–present
Used By:	See Operators
Type:	Armored personnel carrier
Is Vehicle:	yes
Crew:	3+34 passengers
Length:	9.04m (29.66feet)
Width:	3.57m (11.71feet)
Height:	2.92m (09.58feet)
Weight:	37.4 t
Armour:	6-16 mm
Primary Armament:	.30 caliber MG/105mm howitzer(LVTP-6)
Engine:	Continental LV-1790-1 V-12 gasoline
Engine Power:	704hp
Suspension:	Torsilastic
Speed:	48km/h, in water 11km/h
Pw Ratio:	19 hp/tonne
Vehicle Range:	306km (190miles) road, 92km (57miles) water

The LVTP-5 (landing vehicle, tracked, personnel 5) is a family of amphibious armored fighting vehicles used by the Philippine Marine Corps, the Republic of China Marine Corps, and, formerly, the United States Marine Corps. It was designed by the BorgWarner company and built by FMC (Food Machinery Corporation) along with a few other companies. It was first accepted into service in 1956. Some 1,124 basic units were produced, plus the specialist variants, and many saw action in the Vietnam War.

History

The LVTP-5 was an evolution of the LVT-1 to LVT-4 World War II-era landing vehicle tracked series, but was considerably larger and could carry 30-34 combat-armed troops. A smaller design based on the M59 APC was also produced as the LVT-6, but only a few were built.

The LVTP-5 was replaced in service by the LVT-7 family.

The most common type was the LVTP-5, an armored personnel carrier, with mine-sweeper, command, recovery and fire support variants, the latter mounted a 105 mm howitzer. An anti-aircraft version was prototyped, but never saw service.

As of the mid-2010s, the sole remaining state user of the LVTH-6 was the Philippines, who used four of them for their naval infantry force.^[1] As of 2013, Philippine LVTH-6s came in a "digital"-style camouflage pattern.

Variants

• LVTP-5 (landing vehicle tracked, personnel) - armored personnel carrier
• LVTC-5 (landing vehicle, tracked, command) - command vehicle
• LVTH-6 (landing vehicle, tracked, howitzer) - fire support variant armed with M49 105 mm howitzer. Two hundred and ten units built.
• LVTR-1 (landing vehicle, tracked, recovery) - recovery vehicle. Sixty-five units built.
• LVTE-1 (landing vehicle, tracked, engineer) - mine-sweeper. Forty-one units built.
• LVTAA-X1 (landing vehicle, tracked, anti aircraft) - anti-aircraft variant, to be fitted with the turret of the M42 Duster. Only prototype built.

Operators

Current

• • • – 150 LVTP-5A1 in service as of 2023.^[2]

Former

• • • • – 50 purchased in 1975.^[3] Four remaining LVTH-6 were decommissioned and delisted from inventory in 2019.^[4]
• ^[5]
• ^[6]

Vehicle on Display

Philippines

LVTP-5

• LVTP-5 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Military Park Luuk,Sulu.^[7]

LVTH-6

• LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Camp Bojeador,Burgos, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.^[8]
• LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Naval Station Jose Andrada, City of Manila
• LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Armed Forces of the Philippines Veterans Center. Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, National Capital Region.
• LVTH-6 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Philippine Navy Museum, Fort San Felipe, Cavite City, Cavite,Philippines

LVTE-1

• LVTE-1 Vehicle retired and is on Display at Camp Bojeador,Burgos, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.

Taiwan

LVTH-6

• LVTH-6 in the Museum of Republic of China Marine Corps.

United States Of America

LVTP-5

• LVTP-5 United States Marine Corp is on display at Georgia Veterans State Park.
• LVTP-5 on display at the USS Alabama (BB-60) memorial in Mobile, Alabama.

LVTH-6

• LVTH-6 United States Marine Corps is on display at Mott’s Military Museum in Groveport, Ohio.

See also

• G-numbers

Further reading

• David Koller, LVTP5 Landing Vehicle Tracked Personnel 5, 2016, Highgloss Publishing, .
• SNL G277
• Steven Zaloga, Terry Hadler, Michael Badrocke - Amtracs: US Amphibious Assault Vehicles, 1999, Osprey Publishing (New Vanguard 30), .

External links

• Federation of American Scientists
• LVTP5 Museum page
• American Fighting Vehicle database

Notes and References

1. Web site: Philippine Marine Corps. www.globalsecurity.org.
2. Book: IISS . International Institute for Strategic Studies . 2023 . The Military Balance 2023 . International Institute for Strategic Studies . 293 .
3. Web site: LVTP-5 (1956). Tanks Encyclopedia. 2016. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20170802012043/http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/US/LVTP-5.php. 2017-08-02.
4. Book: IISS . International Institute for Strategic Studies . 2023 . The Military Balance 2023 . International Institute for Strategic Studies . 285 .
5. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA361312.pdf
6. Book: Dunham, George R. U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Bitter End, 1973–1975 (Marine Corps Vietnam Operational Historical Series). History and Museums Division Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. 1990. 9780160264559. 19–20.
7. https://www.marinecorps.mil.ph/citemar6/pdf/citemar6-birthday-issue-2022.pdf
8. Web site: Mugas . John Michael . 2023-01-23 . Philippine Marine Corps eyes putting up detachment unit in Laoag City . 2024-04-09 . INQUIRER.net . en.