M548 cargo carrier

The M548 is a tracked cargo carrier built on the chassis of the M113 armored personnel carrier. FMC Corporation built it at its San Jose, California, and Charleston, West Virginia plants. It is unarmored and carries ammunition and general supplies on a rear cargo deck loaded through a large rear door, with a cab for the driver and an assistant and a machine gun that can be mounted over the cab. Its light weight lets it use a relatively small engine, a Detroit Diesel 6V53 two-stroke six cylinder diesel with an Allison automatic transmission, and it can be carried by fixed and rotary wing aircraft. The Swiss Army used it mainly as an ammunition transporter for self-propelled M109 howitzer units, and later A3 versions received a more powerful turbocharged powerpack. Armies on several continents, including Italy, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, have operated it.