M577 command post carrier

The M577 command post carrier, also known as the M577 command post vehicle or armored command post vehicle, is a variant of the M113 armored personnel carrier that was developed and produced by the FMC Corporation to function on the battlefield as a mobile command post i.e. a tactical operations centre, usually at the battalion level. In U.S. military service its official designation is Carrier, Command Post, Light Tracked M577. Introduced to the U.S. Army in 1962 it soon saw operational service in the Vietnam War and more recently in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It is used by many armies around the world and has been adapted for further uses such as an armored ambulance, emergency medical treatment vehicle and fire control vehicle. It is also used by various police forces and law enforcement agencies as a tactical response vehicle. The M577 is easily distinguished from the M113 upon which it is based by its raised upper hull and roof-mounted auxiliary power unit (APU). Vehicles are generally unarmed.