View source for LARC-V

{{Short description|Amphibious cargo vehicle}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{more footnotes|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox weapon
|name=LARC-V
|image= File:LARC V vehicle.JPEG
|image_size=300
|caption=A LARC-V vehicle
|type=[[amphibious vehicle|Amphibious]] cargo vehicle
<!-- Type selection -->
|is_vehicle=yes
|service=
|wars=
<!-- Production history -->
|designer=
|number=
|length= {{convert|420|in|m|0|abbr=on}}
|width= {{convert|120|in|m|0|abbr=on}}
|height={{convert|122|in|m|0|abbr=on}}
|origin= United States
|is_UK=no
<!-- Service history -->
|used_by=
|design_date=
|manufacturer=[[Condec]], [[LeTourneau-Westinghouse]]
|production_date=
|variants=
<!-- General specifications -->
|weight={{convert|19000|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}
|crew=
<!-- Vehicle specifications -->
|armour=
|primary_armament=
|secondary_armament=
|engine=Cummins V8-300<br />{{convert|785|cuin|L|1|abbr=on}} Diesel V8
|engine_power={{convert|300|hp|kW|abbr=on}}
|suspension=wheel 4x4
|vehicle_range={{convert|250|mi|km|1|abbr=on}}
|speed=Land:{{convert|30|mph|abbr=on}}<br />Water:{{convert|9.5|mph|km/h|1|abbr=on}}
}}
[[File:A ship departs the welldeck of the USS Pearl Harbor. (6807746483).jpg|thumb|A LARC departs the welldeck of the landing ship [[USS Pearl Harbor]] (LSD 52). Embarked Marines from [[11th Marine Expeditionary Unit]] (11th MEU)]]
[[File:LARC-V (Iceland - Jokulsarlon 5).jpg|thumb|LARC V vehicle in use for tourist trips on Iceland – Jokulsarlon icelake]]
[[File:420 - Halifax NS.JPG|thumb|LARC-V converted for harbour tours in [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]] ]]

'''LARC-V''' ('''L'''ighter, '''A'''mphibious '''R'''esupply, '''C'''argo, 5 (V) ton), is an aluminium-hulled [[amphibious vehicle|amphibious]] cargo vehicle capable of transporting 5 tons. It was developed in the [[United States]] during the 1950s, and is used in a variety of auxiliary roles to this day.

In addition to the United States, LARC-Vs have been used by military forces in [[Australia]], [[Argentina]], [[Portugal]], the [[Philippines]], [[Singapore]] and [[Iceland]]. Approximately 968 were made. About 500 were destroyed, most by scuttling during the American withdrawal from [[South Vietnam]]. About 200 have been retained in U.S. military service. Roughly 100 are privately owned and mostly used for tourism.

==Operational history==
The LARC-V was fielded in 1963 and were used extensively by the U.S. Army for over the beach supply during the Vietnam War. They supported the logistical and manpower build up at the start of and during the Vietnam war. Two units arrived from Ft. Story, VA. in June 1965. The 344th Transportation Company (Light Amphibious) setup harbor operations in [[Qui Nhon]] and the 347th Transportation Company in [[Cam Ranh Bay]]. The companies had two platoons of 17 LARCVs each and a separate 3rd echelon maintenance detachment. About December 1965, one of the 344th's platoons moved to [[Da Nang]] and was attached to the Air Force wing. There it ran 24-hour/day operations hauling bombs from ships in the harbor to the flight line. Their operation was so crucial to the USAF that if at least 15 LARCS were not operational, any needed parts were flown in by Nonoperational Ready Supply Grounded (NORSG) aircraft from St Louis.<ref>Cpt.Baker,344TC</ref> 458th Transportation, LARC-V Company, arrived in Cam Ranh Bay Oct 1967.
[[101st Airborne Division]] in 1967 and later the [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]] in 1968.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/larc.htm "LARC-V", ''GlobalSecurity.org'']</ref>

LARC-Vs were used by the [[Argentine Marines]] during the [[1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands]].

In January 2011, during the [[2010–11 Queensland floods]] in [[Australia]], it was reported that [[Boeing C-17 Globemaster III|C-17]] aircraft of the [[Royal Australian Air Force]] were to carry two LARC-V vehicles for use in Operation Flood Assist. The vehicles were deployed from [[Townsville]] to [[RAAF Base Amberley]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2016}}

==U.S. Navy service life extension program==
[[File:Defense.gov News Photo 100707-N-5319A-030 - U.S. Navy Seaman Ashleigh Brown drives a lighter amphibious resupply cargo vehicle from Beach Master Unit 1 off of Salinas Beach Peru onto.jpg|thumb|Light amphibious resupply cargo vehicle (LARC-V) from [[Beachmaster Unit One]]]]

The United States [[Naval Facilities Engineering Command]] has directed the Sealift Support Program Office to supervise a [[Service Life Extension Program]] on the LARC Vs used by the Navy.  This SLEP involved changing from a mechanical to a hydraulic transmission, updating the electrical system, and improving other on-board systems.  These reworked LARCs began delivery in June 2006 for use by U.S. Navy [[Navy Expeditionary Combat Command#Other forces that NECC supports|Beach Master Units]], [[Underwater Construction Teams]] and the [[Strategic sealift ships|Maritime Prepositioned Force]] ships.  A total of 42 LARCs are currently funded to transition through the SLEP process.

Towing capacity on land was improved to approximately 29,000&nbsp;lb and bollard pull in water was doubled to 7,600&nbsp;lb.  The vehicle operates in all-wheel drive while in land or tow modes.  The craft is powered by a 375-horsepower [[John Deere]] turbo-charged Diesel engine that is [[United States emission standards#Non-road engines|Tier 2]] certified.  Engine speed is constant, with a hydraulic transmission modifying speed.

Design and manufacture of the SLEP LARC-Vs was carried out by Power Dynamics, LLC of Stennis Space Center, Mississippi.

==Operators==
[[File:LARC5 humvee IMARA 17may07.jpg|thumb|Argentine Marine's LARC-V on Puerto Belgrano Navy Base.]]
;{{flag|Argentina}}
*[[Argentine Marines]]
*[[Argentine Army]]

;{{flag|Australia}}
*[[Royal Australian Corps of Transport#Water Transport|Australian Army]]<ref name="Watercraft">{{cite news|last1=Morley|first1=Sgt Dave|title=Specialists rest easy|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/Publications/NewsPapers/Army/editions/1344/1344.pdf|work=Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper|edition=1344|date=12 February 2015|publisher=Department of Defence |location=Canberra, Australia|issn=0729-5685|access-date=26 November 2016}}</ref><ref name="RACT Journal">{{cite journal|last1=Cole|first1=Captain G.S.|title=Will JP2048 provide Army with an amphibious capability for independent coastal and riverine operations?|journal=Australian Army Transport Journal|date=2014|issue=46|pages=83–87|url=http://www.ract.org.au/sites/default/files/RACT%20Journal%20Issue%2046%202014.pdf|access-date=26 November 2016}}</ref>
*[[Australian Antarctic Division]] (for resupply purposes to the research station on Macquarie Island)<ref>{{cite web|title=LARC|url=http://www.antarctica.gov.au/living-and-working/travel-and-logistics/small-watercraft/larc|website=Australian Antarctic Division|access-date=26 November 2016}}</ref>

;{{flag|Germany}}
*[[German Navy]], (amphibious group 1965-1974)

;{{flag|Iceland}}
*[[Jökulsárlón]]

;{{flag|Philippines}}
*[[Philippine Marine Corps]]
*[[Philippine Red Cross]]

;{{flag|Portugal}}
*[[Portuguese Marine Corps]]

;{{flag|Singapore}}
*[[Singapore Armed Forces]]
*Singapore Ducktours (those are built in 1973-77 under [[Singapore Armed Forces]] from Seletar Camp, withdrawn in 2000 - 2002, converted in batches in 2002 - 2007)

[[File:US Navy 090708-N-6692A-034 U.S. and Royal Australian Navy lighter amphibious resupply cargo (LARC) vessels prepare to conduct launch and recovery training exercises aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46).jpg|thumb|right|U.S. and Australian LARCs in an amphibious dock.]]
;{{USA}}
*[[United States Navy]]
**[[Beachmaster Unit One]]
**[[Beachmaster Unit Two]]
**[[Naval Beach Unit Seven]]
*[[United States Army Corps of Engineers]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Vandever|first1=Justin|title=LARC Survey System|url=http://frf.usace.army.mil/larc/larcsystem.shtml|website=frf.usace.army.mil|publisher=Field Research Facility|access-date=8 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608202931/http://frf.usace.army.mil/larc/larcsystem.shtml|archive-date=8 June 2017}}</ref>

==Specifications==
* Land speed: 29&nbsp;mph
* Water speed: 	7.2 knots
* Capacity: 3 crew + 20 passengers (up to 10,000&nbsp;lbs.)
* Maximum gradient: 60%
* Fuel capacity: 144 gallons diesel total (2 tanks)
* Unloaded land range: 280 to 335 miles
* Unloaded sea range: 110 miles

==See also==
*[[DUKW]]
*[[Duck tour]]
*[[LARC-XV]]
*[[LARC-LX]] (BARC)
*[[Alvis Stalwart]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

*{{cite book|last=Doyle|first=David|title=Standard catalog of U.S. Military Vehicles|year=2003|publisher=[[Krause Publications]]|isbn=0-87349-508-X|pages=250–251}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/larc.htm LARC-V] at GlobalSecurity.org

{{Post-WWII US Soft Vehicles}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Larc-V}}
[[Category:Amphibious military vehicles]]
[[Category:Wheeled amphibious vehicles]]
[[Category:Military vehicles of the United States]]
[[Category:Military vehicles introduced in the 1960s]]