The main battle tank as the main assault force of land warfare, the consumption in modern warfare is very large. But of this consumption, 60% of combat losses and 95% of non-combat losses are repairable, with a compensatory repair period of five days in theory. Repairing tanks is an important means of restoring and enhancing combat effectiveness, and can maintain the unit's ability to sustain combat. This heavy responsibility naturally falls on the shoulders of the technical support vehicles.
Technical support vehicles in the armored salvage vehicles and repair vehicles is the battlefield "white angel", they are equipped with special rescue equipment or repair tools tracked or wheeled armored vehicles, mainly used in field conditions for the silt, war injuries and technical failures of the tanks under the implementation of the armored vehicles salvage, hauling to the front repair station, rapid repair or hauling evacuation. Rapid repair or traction evacuation.
In the fourth Middle East war, Israel lost 840 tanks, of which 420 through the armored salvage vehicles and maintenance vehicles field repair, and again into the battle, repair rate of 50%, Israel's late counterattacks played an important role in the victory.
In the 1982 Lebanon War, Israel put 300 new Merkava main battle tanks into combat, of which only 10 were damaged, in less than two days, these 10 tanks were repaired and rejoined the battle.
The multinational force in the Gulf War is very important to the technical support vehicles on the repair and maintenance of tanks and armored vehicles, equipped with a large number of technical support vehicles, and put into the new "Challenger" tank repair and salvage vehicles and the "Chief" armored repair Rescue vehicle. Britain to take technical support vehicles and combat troops peer, the implementation of the accompanying security; U.S. Army will be technical support to the front line of combat, the establishment of security bases, these measures make the technical support vehicles in a timely manner for the front line of combat tanks, armored vehicles overhaul and maintenance, a strong guarantee of the main battle tanks to play the combat power. Therefore, although the Gulf War is a long way, the climate is harsh, gravel and dust, on the main battle tanks, armored vehicles, mechanical parts of the serious damage, M1A1 main battle tanks, the combat readiness rate is still as high as 95%, can be seen in the technical support of the credit.
The British "Challenger" armored repair and rescue vehicle technical indicators: using the "Challenger" tank chassis, crew of 3 people, carrying 2 people. Combat weight of 62 tons, the engine power of 1200 kilowatts, the maximum highway speed of 59 kilometers / hour. The main repair and rescue equipment are bulldozers, cranes, main winches, auxiliary winches.
British "Chief" armored salvage tractor technical indicators: the "Chief" MK5 main battle tank chassis. Crew of 4 people, combat weight of 52 tons, engine power of 730 kilowatts, the maximum highway speed of 41.5 kilometers / hour. The main salvage equipment are bulldozers, main and auxiliary winches 2, cranes, pulleys, traction rods and spare steel wire and other full set of salvage equipment. The vehicle was equipped with the British Army in 1967.