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FMC Corporation developed the M113 ½ based on its popular M113 armoured personnel carrier. FMC built about 425 of the vehicles, but only Canada and the Netherlands purchased them. In Canadian service, the vehicle became known as the Lynx command and reconnaissance (C&R) vehicle. Canada mainly operated the Lynx between 1968 and 1993.
Background
By 1963, the US Army was fielding the M114 as its C&R vehicle. Unfortunately, the M114 had several problems — it was mechanically unreliable, underpowered and could not cross rough terrain, among others — and no other countries wanted to buy it. FMC Corporation saw a business opportunity and developed a new vehicle as a replacement for the M114, designated the M113 ½.
Description
The M113 ½ or M113 C&R, more commonly known as the Lynx in Canada, was based on a heavily modified M113. The troop compartment was removed, the diesel engine moved to the rear and one of the five road wheels was eliminated. The end result was a narrower, shorter and lower vehicle than the M113. Because it was smaller and lighter, it was also faster and could attain speeds of up to 71 km/h on roads with a range of around 520 km.
The vehicle had a three-person crew. In the Canadian version, the driver’s compartment was on the front left side, the crew commander sat on the right behind the driver, while the observer/radio operator’s position was behind the commander on the left. Unusually, the observer faced the vehicle’s rear to assist with all-round observation in the reconnaissance role.
The crew commander operated a .50-calibre heavy machine gun in a manually rotatable cupola. The machine gun could be fired from inside the vehicle, but reloading had to be done externally. The observer operated a 7.62 mm rear-firing, general purpose machine gun on a pintle mount. The Lynx was also equipped with two fixed, forward-firing smoke grenade dischargers.
Did you know?
The Dutch eventually upgraded their version of the Lynx (the M113 C&V) with a 25 mm cannon to replace the .50-calibre machine gun.
Lynx in Canadian Service
Beginning in 1968, the Canadian Army acquired 174 Lynxes, which replaced the four-wheeled Ferret scout car. Lynxes were used by armoured regiment reconnaissance squadrons, regimental reconnaissance troops and armoured squadron liaison officers. Infantry battalion reconnaissance platoons, the airborne regiment reconnaissance troop and engineer squadron (later regiment) reconnaissance parties also used the Lynx.
The Lynx was employed by reconnaissance units on a variety of tasks. It was primarily used to gather battlefield intelligence for commanders on the enemy or terrain, usually ahead of or on the flanks of main forces. The Lynx could also be used for other tasks, such as providing flank security or rear area security for main forces.
In 1993, the army withdrew the Lynx from service. It was replaced by about 200 Coyote eight-wheeled reconnaissance vehicles by the end of 1996.
Did you know?
During the Second World War, the Canadian Army fielded another reconnaissance vehicle named Lynx. The Lynx scout car was based on the British Dingo. It was a four-by-four, lightly armoured vehicle used by various types of armoured regiments. Some 3,255 were built by Ford Canada.
