More M88A1 conversions

BAE Systems has been awarded a $109.7 million contract modification from the US Army to convert 36 of its M88A1 recovery vehicles to the M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift Evacuation Systems (HERCULES) configuration, the company announced on 26 April.

The conversion work under this contract will begin in August 2016, with the company set to start delivering the converted M88A2s from November 2017 and continue deliveries through August 2018.

The converted M88A2s will be capable of recovering the army's heaviest vehicles without assistance, including tanks. The HERCULES provides recovery support in the battlefield, and is the only vehicle that can recover the M1 Abrams tank and all vehicles that manoeuvre with the Armoured Brigade Combat Team.

John Tile, director of recovery programs, BAE Systems, said: 'The HERCULES is an integral part of the army's Armoured Brigade Combat Team and is essential to its recovery missions. The ability to provide single-vehicle recovery for even the heaviest vehicles in today's fleet increases troop safety and provides significant cost savings to the army.'

As combat vehicles including the M1 Abrams become heavier, the M88 is expected to require further modernisation to maintain its single-vehicle recovery capability.