Swiss army M113 fleet operational again
Following the driving ban imposed in mid-February, several dozen Swiss army M113 armoured personnel carriers are once again roadworthy.
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Swiss army M113 fleet operational again
The remaining M113s in stationary operation could ban army spokesperson said in response to an enquiry from Keystone-SDA, confirming a report by Blick.ch. Training in recruit schools and refresher courses can therefore “in principle be guaranteed and continue to be carried out”.
It was also stated that, for the recruit school currently underway, there is a guarantee that roadworthy vehicles will be available for driving training.
As things stand, the refurbishment of the entire M113 fleet is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2027. Full operational capability is to be achieved gradually as the work progresses. “The total costs associated with the recent grounding and the upcoming repairs have not yet been definitively quantified,” said the army spokesperson.
Grounded for the second time
In mid-February, the head of the army logistics base, Major General Rolf Siegenthaler, imposed a driving ban on all 238 M113s then in service. The reason was technical faults in the side drive, which could lead to a loss of steering and braking capability.
The problems were discovered during maintenance work, when metal particles were found in the oil. The army went on to state that the cause is suspected to be a faulty cylindrical roller bearing fitted during the last overhaul. Some of the affected vehicles are over 50 years old. Their replacement is planned as part of various defence programmes.
This was the second time the M113 fleet had been taken out of service within a few years. A driving ban had already been imposed in December 2023 due to a fault with the drive shaft. According to a statement from the army at the time, retrofitting the fleet cost around CHF2.6 million.
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Swiss army grounds fleet of M113 armoured vehicles over steering fault
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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
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