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Yahoo
03-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
What is the M88A2 Hercules, the heavy US Army vehicle that sank in a deadly training incident in Lithuania?
The bodies of four US Army soldiers were recovered from a peat bog in a training area in Lithuania. They went missing during a training exercise while operating an M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicle. Submerged in 20 feet of water and mud, the bodies and the 70-ton vehicle were recovered this week. The remains of four missing US Army soldiers were found in a bog in Lithuania following a weeklong recovery effort. During a training exercise on March 25, the soldiers were reported missing while towing an immobilized tactical vehicle using an M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicle. The training exercise involving the 70-ton vehicle aimed to prepare troops for the challenges of retrieving heavy assets, like Abrams tanks, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and artillery getting them combat-ready again. A 'highly complex' recovery operation US Army and Lithuanian armed forces, as well as authorities, located the missing armored recovery vehicle the next day submerged in a bog under nearly 20 feet of water and thick layers of mud, clay, and sediment. These bogs sometimes run deep, but the depth can be easy to misjudge. Hundreds of rescue personnel took part in the "highly complex" recovery operation, including a specialized US Navy dive crew able to navigate the murky waters. More than 30 tons of gravel and a large-capacity pump were used to help drain the swamp-like terrain, which could not support the weight of heavy equipment like excavators and cranes needed to tow the 70-ton vehicle to the surface. "Not only are we dealing with the terrain, a lot of mud that is over top of the vehicle, but also the fact that it's 70 tons that we're trying to recover out of a swamp or bog," Brig. Gen. John Lloyd, commander of the US Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division, explained in a statement. Battlefield recovery and maintenance So what is the M88 that sank? The M88 recovery vehicle has been a vital asset to the US military since the Vietnam War. The recovery vehicle's primary role is to tow, extricate, and repair damaged or immobilized tanks and fighting vehicles while under fire. It can also lift and repair damaged turrets and other heavy artillery and clear obstacles during operations on complex terrain, like the peat bog where the American soldiers were found. After the first M88 was introduced in the early 1960s, the vehicle underwent several upgrades, including a new diesel engine, improved armor, and stronger lifting capabilities. Introduced in 1997, the third variant, the M88A2 Hercules, is one of the largest armored recovery vehicles used by the US military. The Hercules was designed with a stronger hoist and increased winching power, allowing it to recover heavier combat vehicles up to 70 tons, like the powerful US-made M1 Abrams tank, which was too heavy for previous M88 models to tow effectively. Workhorse armored vehicle Designated as a "heavy recovery vehicle," the new Hercules weighs a whopping 70 tons — about 14 tons heavier than the M88 and M88A1, which were considered "medium recovery vehicles." The Hercules' steel hull was designed to protect personnel from mines, artillery fragments, and small arms fire. The armored recovery vehicle is also equipped with mounted 12.7 mm heavy machine guns with 1,300 rounds. Powered by a twin-turbo diesel engine with 1,050 horsepower, the M88A2 can reach speeds of up to 30 mph on varied terrain and on uneven surfaces. Like a tank, it has a tracked chassis. Global defense company BAE Systems manufactures the M88A2 Hercules, which stands for Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System. BAE Systems is also developing the fourth M88 variant, the M88A3 Hercules, intended to eliminate the need for two M88A2 vehicles when recovering heavier modern Abrams tanks. With upgraded powertrain and suspension units, the modernized heavy recovery vehicle features improved cross-country mobility and maneuverability, as well as an increased towing capacity of up to 80 tons. Last year, the Army began testing the new M88A3's capabilities at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. Deployed to Eastern Europe Amid rising tensions with a belligerent Russia, the US delivered M88s to NATO allies in Eastern Europe, including the Baltic states and Poland, to support real-world operations and joint exercises. The US soldiers who died during the recent training exercise were stationed in Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which is a US contingency operation that's aimed at deterring Russian aggression by strengthening NATO forces in the region. The training area where the four soldiers went missing is located roughly six miles west of the border with Belarus, a close Russian ally. Maintaining Ukraine's mechanized fleet While Abrams tanks, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and Stryker armored vehicles significantly bolster Ukraine's ground forces, one US Army workhorse ensures these armored vehicles and heavy assets stay combat-ready: the M88 armored recovery vehicle. In October 2022, the US sent eight M88s to Ukraine as part of its military aid package, and in February 2023, the Biden administration sent an additional six unspecified tactical recovery vehicles. The recovery vehicles play a key role in maintaining Ukraine's mechanized force. They allowed Ukrainian troops to quickly retrieve and repair damaged assets and equipment from the battlefield, making ARVs "high-value targets" for Russian forces, according to UK defense officials. A piece of US history The M88s were also involved in US-led operations in the Middle East, including Operation Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. The ARVs recovered Abrams and Bradleys, often navigating harsh desert conditions and rugged, mountainous terrain in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. One M88A2, now on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia, was notably used to topple the statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad in 2003. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
US military working to recover 70 ton vehicle from Lithuanian swamp as 4 Army soldiers remain missing
U.S. Navy divers have successfully attached two lines to hoist points on a sinking M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle that was carrying four U.S. Army soldiers who disappeared early Tuesday during a training exercise near Pabradė, Lithuania. The soldiers, based in Fort Stewart in Georgia, were riding in the vehicle on a scheduled maintenance mission to recover another U.S. Army vehicle in the training area when they disappeared. After the second line was attached to a hoist point on the Hercules on Sunday, the Army said the vehicle could be anchored to prevent it from sinking further into the bog it was in. "Engineers expect to start winching early this morning," the U.S. Army Europe and Africa said in a post on X. "The process is projected to take a significant amount of time and effort, as the terrain surrounding the peat bog remains challenging – but the rescue workers will not be deterred." Lithuanian, Polish Troops Aid In 'Search And Recovery' For 4 Missing Us Soldiers From Fort Stewart Earlier in the day, divers had shackled the first line to a hoist point on the Hercules, though winching efforts were expected to take longer than expected with both lines attached because of the amount of pressure and suction from the mud, the Army noted. Read On The Fox News App U.S. Army operations for Europe and Africa said in a press release that the Hercules had continued to sink into the bog. The vehicle was estimated to be about four meters below the water's surface and encased in about two meters of mud. To assist with digging and pumping operations, a Rapidly Available Interface for Trans-loading (RAIL) system was expected to arrive on the scene later in the day. Foreign Nationals Flying Drones Over Us Military Sites Raises 'Espionage' Concern: Expert The RAIL system is traditionally used to help offload and onload railroad networks in challenging terrain, though engineers believed it could help stabilize the ground around the recovery site. "It is highly complex trying to get to the vehicle itself with the terrain out here and where the M88 is sitting in a bog swamp-like area, below the waterline. So not only are we dealing with the terrain, a lot of mud that is over top of the vehicle, but also the fact that it's 70 tons that we're trying to recover out of a swamp or bog," Brig. Gen. John Lloyd, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division said. In an interview with Fox News Digital Thursday afternoon, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said from the moment the country learned of the incident, it had "given everything" it has, both from its armed forces and internal affairs ministry institutions, to find the soldiers. Foreign Nationals Flying Drones Over Us Military Sites Raises 'Espionage' Concern: Expert "From helicopters with thermal vision to forces on the ground, we are continuing very intensely," Šakalienė said. Šakalienė said it is unknown if the soldiers could have escaped the vehicle before it sank but reiterated there was "no evidence" confirming the deaths of the missing soldiers as of Thursday afternoon. The area surrounding the site is a forested area with swamps and bogs, similar to an environment found in Alaska. Weather conditions are also similar, making it a challenging training area for Army personnel. "Maybe they were lost, confused, hurt or in hypothermic condition, and we haven't found them yet," Šakalienė said. "But we are not losing hope until the very last moment. These are strong soldiers, strong, grown men. All scenarios are possible." Search 'Ongoing' For 4 American Soldiers Missing From Training Area In Lithuania: Nato She added Lithuania, a member of NATO, considers American soldiers their own and will not leave them behind. Despite ongoing efforts, the soldiers have yet to be located. The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division is keeping the soliders' families updated on the search. "This tragic situation weighs heavily on all of us, and we're keeping the families, friends and teammates of our soldiers and recovery team in our thoughts and prayers," U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, the commanding general of 1st Armored Division, wrote in a statement last week. "We want everyone to know we will not stop until our soldiers are found." President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday he had not been briefed about the missing soldiers. The training site is less than 6 miles from Belarus, a Russian ally since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. Click To Get The Fox News App Lithuania, a Catholic country, organized a joint prayer Sunday at its main church, the capital cathedral, and hosted a mass for the missing soldiers. Fox News Digital's Alexandra Koch and Landon Mion contributed to this article source: US military working to recover 70 ton vehicle from Lithuanian swamp as 4 Army soldiers remain missing
Fox News
31-03-2025
- General
- Fox News
US military working to recover 70 ton vehicle from Lithuanian swamp as 4 Army soldiers remain missing
U.S. Navy divers have successfully attached two lines to hoist points on a sinking M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle that was carrying four U.S. Army soldiers who disappeared early Tuesday during a training exercise near Pabradė, Lithuania. The soldiers, based in Fort Stewart in Georgia, were riding in the vehicle on a scheduled maintenance mission to recover another U.S. Army vehicle in the training area when they disappeared. After the second line was attached to a hoist point on the Hercules on Sunday, the Army said the vehicle could be anchored to prevent it from sinking further into the bog it was in. "Engineers expect to start winching early this morning," the U.S. Army Europe and Africa said in a post on X. "The process is projected to take a significant amount of time and effort, as the terrain surrounding the peat bog remains challenging – but the rescue workers will not be deterred." Earlier in the day, divers had shackled the first line to a hoist point on the Hercules, though winching efforts were expected to take longer than expected with both lines attached because of the amount of pressure and suction from the mud, the Army noted. U.S. Army operations for Europe and Africa said in a press release that the Hercules had continued to sink into the bog. The vehicle was estimated to be about four meters below the water's surface and encased in about two meters of mud. To assist with digging and pumping operations, a Rapidly Available Interface for Trans-loading (RAIL) system was expected to arrive on the scene later in the day. The RAIL system is traditionally used to help offload and onload railroad networks in challenging terrain, though engineers believed it could help stabilize the ground around the recovery site. "It is highly complex trying to get to the vehicle itself with the terrain out here and where the M88 is sitting in a bog swamp-like area, below the waterline. So not only are we dealing with the terrain, a lot of mud that is over top of the vehicle, but also the fact that it's 70 tons that we're trying to recover out of a swamp or bog," Brig. Gen. John Lloyd, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division said. In an interview with Fox News Digital Thursday afternoon, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said from the moment the country learned of the incident, it had "given everything" it has, both from its armed forces and internal affairs ministry institutions, to find the soldiers. "From helicopters with thermal vision to forces on the ground, we are continuing very intensely," Šakalienė said. Šakalienė said it is unknown if the soldiers could have escaped the vehicle before it sank but reiterated there was "no evidence" confirming the deaths of the missing soldiers as of Thursday afternoon. The area surrounding the site is a forested area with swamps and bogs, similar to an environment found in Alaska. Weather conditions are also similar, making it a challenging training area for Army personnel. "Maybe they were lost, confused, hurt or in hypothermic condition, and we haven't found them yet," Šakalienė said. "But we are not losing hope until the very last moment. These are strong soldiers, strong, grown men. All scenarios are possible." She added Lithuania, a member of NATO, considers American soldiers their own and will not leave them behind. Despite ongoing efforts, the soldiers have yet to be located. The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division is keeping the soliders' families updated on the search. "This tragic situation weighs heavily on all of us, and we're keeping the families, friends and teammates of our soldiers and recovery team in our thoughts and prayers," U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, the commanding general of 1st Armored Division, wrote in a statement last week. "We want everyone to know we will not stop until our soldiers are found." President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday he had not been briefed about the missing soldiers. The training site is less than 6 miles from Belarus, a Russian ally since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. Lithuania, a Catholic country, organized a joint prayer Sunday at its main church, the capital cathedral, and hosted a mass for the missing soldiers.
