About Armoured Recovery Vehicles:
- They are specialised military vehicles designed to recover and maintain armoured vehicles on the battlefield.
- These vehicles are crucial for keeping armoured units operational by recovering damaged or disabled tanks and other armoured vehicles, performing field repairs, and evacuating casualties.
- They are normally built on the chassis of a main battle tank (MBT), but some are also constructed on the basis of other armoured fighting vehicles, mostly armoured personnel carriers (APCs).
- Functions:
- Towing and Recovery: They can recover vehicles stuck in mud, water, or other obstacles and tow them to safety or repair depots.
- Maintenance and Repair: ARVs often have workshops and tools on board to perform basic repairs and maintenance tasks on armoured vehicles.
- Crew and Casualty Transport: Some ARVs are configured to transport injured personnel from the battlefield to medical facilities.
- Armament: Many ARVs are armed with a defensive weapon, such as a machine gun or anti-aircraft gun, to provide self-defence capabilities.
- Communication Equipment: They are typically equipped with advanced communication systems to coordinate recovery and maintenance operations with other units and command centres.
- Bridge Layers: Some ARVs can be modified to carry and deploy portable bridge sections, allowing them to create temporary bridges over obstacles like rivers and ditches, enabling the movement of armoured vehicles.
