What is the M88A2 Hercules, the heavy US Army vehicle that sank in a deadly training incident in Lithuania?

A 'highly complex' recovery operation

US Army and Lithuanian armed forces, as well as authorities, located the missing armored recovery vehicle the next day submerged in a bog under nearly 20 feet of water and thick layers of mud, clay, and sediment. These bogs sometimes run deep, but the depth can be easy to misjudge.

Hundreds of rescue personnel took part in the "highly complex" recovery operation, including a specialized US Navy dive crew able to navigate the murky waters.

More than 30 tons of gravel and a large-capacity pump were used to help drain the swamp-like terrain, which could not support the weight of heavy equipment like excavators and cranes needed to tow the 70-ton vehicle to the surface.

"Not only are we dealing with the terrain, a lot of mud that is over top of the vehicle, but also the fact that it's 70 tons that we're trying to recover out of a swamp or bog," Brig. Gen. John Lloyd, commander of the US Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division, explained in a statement.

Battlefield recovery and maintenance

So what is the M88 that sank? The M88 recovery vehicle has been a vital asset to the US military since the Vietnam War.

The recovery vehicle's primary role is to tow, extricate, and repair damaged or immobilized tanks and fighting vehicles while under fire. It can also lift and repair damaged turrets and other heavy artillery and clear obstacles during operations on complex terrain, like the peat bog where the American soldiers were found.

After the first M88 was introduced in the early 1960s, the vehicle underwent several upgrades, including a new diesel engine, improved armor, and stronger lifting capabilities.

Introduced in 1997, the third variant, the M88A2 Hercules, is one of the largest armored recovery vehicles used by the US military.

The Hercules was designed with a stronger hoist and increased winching power, allowing it to recover heavier combat vehicles up to 70 tons, like the powerful US-made M1 Abrams tank, which was too heavy for previous M88 models to tow effectively.

Workhorse armored vehicle

Designated as a "heavy recovery vehicle," the new Hercules weighs a whopping 70 tons — about 14 tons heavier than the M88 and M88A1, which were considered "medium recovery vehicles."

The Hercules' steel hull was designed to protect personnel from mines, artillery fragments, and small arms fire. The armored recovery vehicle is also equipped with mounted 12.7 mm heavy machine guns with 1,300 rounds.

Powered by a twin-turbo diesel engine with 1,050 horsepower, the M88A2 can reach speeds of up to 30 mph on varied terrain and on uneven surfaces. Like a tank, it has a tracked chassis.

Global defense company BAE Systems manufactures the M88A2 Hercules, which stands for Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System.

BAE Systems is also developing the fourth M88 variant, the M88A3 Hercules, intended to eliminate the need for two M88A2 vehicles when recovering heavier modern Abrams tanks.

With upgraded powertrain and suspension units, the modernized heavy recovery vehicle features improved cross-country mobility and maneuverability, as well as an increased towing capacity of up to 80 tons. Last year, the Army began testing the new M88A3's capabilities at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.

Deployed to Eastern Europe

Amid rising tensions with a belligerent Russia, the US delivered M88s to NATO allies in Eastern Europe, including the Baltic states and Poland, to support real-world operations and joint exercises.

The US soldiers who died during the recent training exercise were stationed in Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which is a US contingency operation that's aimed at deterring Russian aggression by strengthening NATO forces in the region.

The training area where the four soldiers went missing is located roughly six miles west of the border with Belarus, a close Russian ally.

Maintaining Ukraine's mechanized fleet

While Abrams tanks, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and Stryker armored vehicles significantly bolster Ukraine's ground forces, one US Army workhorse ensures these armored vehicles and heavy assets stay combat-ready: the M88 armored recovery vehicle.

In October 2022, the US sent eight M88s to Ukraine as part of its military aid package, and in February 2023, the Biden administration sent an additional six unspecified tactical recovery vehicles.

The recovery vehicles play a key role in maintaining Ukraine's mechanized force. They allowed Ukrainian troops to quickly retrieve and repair damaged assets and equipment from the battlefield, making ARVs "high-value targets" for Russian forces, according to UK defense officials.

A piece of US history

The M88s were also involved in US-led operations in the Middle East, including Operation Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom.

The ARVs recovered Abrams and Bradleys, often navigating harsh desert conditions and rugged, mountainous terrain in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

One M88A2, now on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia, was notably used to topple the statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad in 2003.