NM-135

     Notes:  The NM-135 is a Norwegian modification of the M-113A2, turning it into an ICV by the addition of a turret with a light autocannon.  The NM-135 was originally intended to be a AAA vehicle, but during development, it was repurposed into an infantry combat vehicle instead, as other, more effective AAA vehicles were available, and the Norwegians (at the time) needed an infantry vehicle with a little more kick.  The NM-135 has now been almost totally replaced by the CV-9030, and all are expected to be out of service by the end of 2010.

     The NM-135 primary modification is the replacement of the commander’s cupola with a small turret (the same as used on the Swedish Pbc-302 APC, with the addition of a coaxial machinegun), giving it the ability to provide better infantry supporting fires and better deal with soft-skinned vehicles, as well as some light armored vehicles.  The turret also has a cluster of three smoke grenade launchers mounted on each side of the turret. At the rear of the turret is a Lyran light mortar; this is meant primarily for the launching of illumination rounds, but can launch conventional HE rounds and smoke rounds as well.  On the turret deck is a small hatch (a tight squeeze), and the turret is one-man and manned by a dedicated gunner.  The gunner has a modicum of night vision equipment and a ballistic computer to help his aiming, but vision and aiming are largely up to the skill of the gunner, and the turret has no stabilization features for the autocannon.

     The turret does take up some room normally used to carry an infantry squad, and the passenger compartment capacity is reduced.  The passenger compartment is otherwise largely the same as on a standard M-113A1, with a large rearward-opening hatch on the rear deck and a power-operated ramp in the rear face with a hatch in the ramp.  (In Norwegian service, the rear deck hatch is sometimes unusable, as a framework for the carriage of additional supplies is sometimes carried on the rear deck.  This, however, often prevents traverse of the turret to the rear.) The fuel tanks are still in the walls of passenger compartment, as are the shelves for the radios.  The driver’s compartment is on the front right deck; he has the customary vision blocks to the front and right side, with one of the front vision blocks being exchangeable for an IR vision block.  To the right of the turret, behind the driver, is a position for the commander; he has vision blocks to the front, right, and rear, but no cupola and no weapon.

     The NM-135 has the same powerpack as the M-113A1 – a General Motors 6V53 212-horsepower diesel engine.  The driver steers and brakes using the same laterals, and has a gas pedal.  The suspension, cooling system, and final drives, however, are updated to M-113A2 standards. (Their standard and specialist M-113A1s also have these modifications.)  As with the M-113A1, the NM-135 is amphibious with preparation, rubber side skirts must be bolted on, a trim vane must be extended, and bilge pumps turned on. This preparation takes 5 minutes if the side skirts are already attached, or 12 minutes if they are not. In Bosnia, the Norwegian contingent of the IFOR deployed the NM-135 (as well as their standard and specialist M-113A1s) with appliqué armor added to the front and sides of the vehicle.

     Twilight 2000 Story: Of the Norwegian's 250 M-113s at the beginning of the Twilight War, 53 were of the NM-135 type. (The CV-9030 did not make it into Norwegian service in the Twilight 2000 timeline.)