Stewart & Stevenson FMTV Cargo Trailers

     Notes: These large trailers were designed to be towed behind the some of the latest medium and large trucks in the US inventory, the LMTV and MTV trucks.  However, they are suitable for towing behind most trucks of the original NATO countries (of the proper size), as well as trucks of the Israeli and South Korean militaries.  The cargo capacity of each trailer matches the cargo capacity of the FMTV truck by which it designed to be towed.  Both share many components, such as axles, the antilock brakes, wheels and tires, rear lights and electrical systems, tie-down/lash/down points, and sling bars.  Both may be fitted with bows for a tarpaulin cover.  Both have off-road suspensions and high ground clearances (the same height as the vehicle by which it is designed to be towed).  The difference between the two trailers is the size of the cargo body, which are the same size as the cargo body of the appropriate FMTV truck, and the suspensions, as the M1082 has a one-axle, two-wheel suspension, while the M1095 has a two-axle, four-wheel configuration.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These trailers do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Raytheon High-Mobility Trailer (HMT)

     Notes: Specifically designed for use with the HMMWV, this trailer may also be towed by virtually any vehicle of comparable size.  It replaced the M101 in US service starting in 1997.  Three versions of the HMT exist: the M1101 HMT-L, the M1102 HMT-H, and the M1103 HMT-HC. The three trailers have in common riveted construction of high-strength aluminum, a heavy-duty off-road suspension, the same wheels and tires as the HMMWV on a one-axle, two-wheel suspension, hydraulic surge brakes with automatic breakaway activation, a retractable support on the adjustable towbar, and two adjustable support legs at the rear.  The HMT-L (Light) is designed for lightweight cargoes; the primary difference between it and the HMT-H (Heavy) is the beefier suspension on the HMT-H.  Both may be provided with bows and a canvas cover, and they are designed not to impede the capabilities of the HMMWV.  The HMT-HC is a basic chassis with a ladder-type frame; this frame may mount many sorts of tank bodies, shelter bodies, generators, searchlights, ammunition, communications setups, etc.  The statistics below are for the basic frame and chassis.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These trailers are quite rare in the Twilight 2000 timeline, and generally not seen outside of US service.

Ford M100

     Notes: A basic light cargo trailer, the M100 was once the standard jeep-towed trailer of the US Army until the late 1980s, when it was replaced by the M416.  The M100 is still in use by many US and former US allies, however. It is a 1960’s design, with a tough 2-wheeled off-road suspension, a steel cargo box without a tailgate or drop sides, a dropping support leg in the towing bar, and a pair of drain plugs in the bottom of the cargo box.  The M100 has no brakes other than a mechanical hand brake.  The M100 has a small metal stowage box at the left front of the cargo box; this is to store a canvas cover which may be stretched over the cargo area (no provisions are given for bows).  The M100 is also light and airtight enough to float in water, and is considered amphibious.  Many modifications of this trailer exist, all of which are field expedients and not designed into the trailer, as there are no actual variants.

Ford M101

     Notes: Designed to be towed behind light trucks, the M101 was, until recently, the standard trailer for use with the HMMWV series in the US military, and they are still being used by many other countries.  It is a simple trailer, with one axle and two wheels on an off-road suspension.  Construction is all-steel and bows and a tarpaulin cover is provided.  The trailer has a tailgate for access.  The towbar has a retractable front support. 

Ford M104

     Notes: The M104 was designed in the 1960s specifically to be towed behind 2 1/2-ton trucks, though it is suitable for towing behind other sorts of vehicles of that size or larger.  The M104 was replaced by the M105 in US service (and later by other trailers), but may still be found in some countries worldwide.  It is a “basic box” sort of trailer, with a steel frame and cargo box.  The cargo box has a tailgate in the rear as well as a dropping front end.  The M104A1 variant is identical to the M104 except for its beefed-up suspension (which was a true off-road suspension, as opposed to the lesser off-road capabilities of the M104); the M104A2 is identical to the M104A1, except that it has no tailgate or front gate.  The M104 series has mechanical overrun brakes, but no other braking except for a mechanical hand brake. 

Ford M105

     Notes: This medium trailer was specifically designed to be towed by 2 1/2-ton trucks, and is a one-axle, two, wheel, cross-country cargo trailer.  It uses a box-type cargo body with four removable extensions on the sides and one at the front; these extensions may be used to mount wooden slat-type extensions to the front and sides, and/or mount tubular bows and a tarpaulin cover.  The wheels have air over hydraulic brakes, and there is a mechanical parking brake.  The M105A1 is slightly smaller than the M105, but has the same cargo capacity; the M105A2 is the same as the M105A1 except for the additional wooden flooring and a retractable support leg on the towbar.

Ford M106

     Notes: This is a tank trailer for drinking water that most US military members are familiar with.  It is a one-axle, two-wheel design with an off-road suspension designed for towing by most NATO/Western vehicles.  The frame is made largely from steel, but the tank is aluminum with a coating inside to protect the water.  The M106 has a large hatch on top for filling, two taps on either side and just forward of the tank, a hand pump, and a suction hose.  The M106A1 is similar, but has a cover plate over the pipes which run between the two tap boxes.  The M106A2 has hydraulic brakes instead of mechanical ones.  Neither the M106A1 nor the A2 have a support leg on the towbar; only the M106 has one.

Ford M107

    Notes: This drinking-water trailer is similar in concept (if not design) to the M106 above, and is also commonly seen in the service of several countries.  It is a two-wheel, one-axle trailer with a cross-country suspension; the M107 has air over hydraulic brakes, though for these to work, the vehicle towing them must also have airbrakes.  There is also a mechanical parking brake.  The chassis is of steel, and water tank is of interior-coated aluminum; however, the tank is of an elliptical cross-section instead of the round cross-section of the M106.  There is a large hatch on top for filling, along with a 7.62-meter suction hose and a hand pump if a regular water source is not available.  There are two taps on each side of the towbar just ahead of the water tank; these are gravity-fed.  The M107 has a retractable support leg, which is not present on the M107A1 and A2.  The M107A1 has a cover over the pipes coming from the water tank to the taps.  The M107A2 uses hydraulic brakes, not requiring an air supply from the towing vehicle.

Ford M118

     Notes: The M118 is a semi-trailer designed to be towed by semi-tractor variants of standard 2 1/2-ton trucks or larger, or standard semi-tractors.  The chassis and frame are steel, but the sides, front and rear are comprised of horizontal wooden boards over an aluminum stake-type frame.  The front, and rear may all be removed for loading or to make a simple flatbed trailer.  A canvas cover may be stretched over the top of the wooden sides, front and rear; this is stowed in a box on the left side of the chassis when not in use.  The axle is taken from standard semi-trailers of the period (1980s), as are the brakes, which are airbrakes.  The tires are double on each side, and the suspension is off-road capable.  For air transport, the cargo bed of the M118 may be removed from the chassis, and the sides removed, to make a smaller package.  The M118A1 is similar to the M118, but uses airbrakes with hydraulic backups.

     The M119 is essentially an M118, but with a van-type fully enclosed body instead of the cargo body of the M118.  This can be fitted out for special duties, but usually performs bulk cargo transport duties, or has a refrigeration unit added and used to transport bulk perishable goods.  The exterior of the M119 consists of a sheet steel body over a steel-bar framework, and with the interior covered with plywood panels. 

M127

     Notes: Similar in concept and design to the M118 above, the M127 is a large cargo semi-trailer, usually towed by semi-tractor variants of standard 5-ton-class trucks.  The frame and chassis are of steel, along with a steel cargo floor.  The sides, like the M118, are of horizontal wooden planks over a steel stake-type frame; all sides may be dropped.  The top of these sides may be covered with a tarpaulin, which is stowed in a large box on the left side of the frame.  The suspension is off-road capable with two axles and a total of eight tires, and near the front are two retractable support legs, which raise and lower as a unit.  The M127 has airbrakes and must be towed by a vehicle which can supply the air necessary; the M127A1 and later models have airbrakes with hydraulic backups.  The M127A1 may also be sling-loaded or hoisted, and is equipped with chains and rings on the frame for this purpose.  The M127A1C has a voltage control box under the cargo floor; this fixes the problem with early taillight burnout.  The M127A2C has improved support legs, which are easier to deploy and also stronger.

Ford M149

     Notes: This drinking-water trailer is similar in design and looks to the M107, and can be easily mistaken for the M107 at first glance.  It is meant to replace both the M106 and M107 in US service, and the M149A2 version is also used by Kenya.  It is a one-axle, two-wheel, off-road design, and uses a similar elliptical cross-section tank.  The tank has a filling hatch on top and a hose with a hand-pump for filling the tank.  The brakes are air over hydraulic, but do not require an air source from the towing vehicle.  The chassis and frame are steel; the M149 and M149A1 use a glass-fiber composite tank, and the M149A2 uses a stainless steel tank.  The M149A1 comes with a light set for use when conditions warrant it.

Ford M332

     Notes: This medium trailer, with its low cargo bed and low-rise bows and tarpaulin, is designed specifically for the transport of ammunition, particularly that used by infantry units such as small arms ammunition, hand and rifle grenades, rockets, ATGM rounds, etc.  It can be used for other purposes, though the low canvas cover limits such utility.  The trailer includes tie-down points for the canvas cover.  The M332 is a one-axle, two-wheel all-terrain type with brakes that are air over hydraulic as well as a manual parking brake.  On the towbar is a small box; this is for storage of the canvas cover when it is not being used.

Ford M345

     Notes: This is a flatbed trailer designed for carrying large, bulk, palletized, or containerized cargoes.  The M345 has four wheels units mounted on two axles; the wheel units use a total of eight tires, and the suspension is rated for off-road use.  The M345 uses airbrakes and must be towed by a vehicle which can supply the necessary air, even though it has backup hydraulic brakes.  The trailer has no parking brakes, however, and it therefore comes with a set of chock blocks for use when it is parked or stopped on a slant.  The tow bar has a swing-down support for the front of the trailer. 

Ford M416

     Notes: Designed to be towed behind Jeeps, the M416 is towed by other light vehicles in several countries, and is still used in the US as a HMMWV trailer.  The M416 is a one-axle, two-wheel off-road trailer with an inertia braking system for the wheels as well as a mechanical parking brake.  The all-steel body is bolted to the steel chassis and is watertight; it will actually float.  There are two drain holes in the floor if necessary to remove water.  A flat tarpaulin cover is provided which is tied down to the cargo body, but many non-standard covers have been devised over the years and are quite common.  The towbar has a retractable dolly wheel.

Southwest Mobile Systems M871/M872

     Notes: These semi-trailers (and the special M872A3 version) are designed for the transport of large and bulky cargoes, containerized and palletized loads, military freight, and even some light vehicles and light armored vehicles.  At their cores, they are flatbed trailers, used wither as such for cargo transport of with specialized bodies for cargo transport or shelter bodies such as those used for major command elements.  The M871 and M872 differ primarily in the suspensions and the size of the vehicles; the M871 uses a two-axle, 8-wheel suspension and is the smaller of the two, while the M872 has three axles and twelve wheels.  Both have two retractable supports at the front of the trailer for when it is not being towed.  They have two storage lockers beneath the cargo bed, used primarily for the storage of minor tools and the materials necessary to lash down cargoes.  There are also lockdown points for NATO-standard ISO containers, pallets, and shelter bodies.  The trailers may be fitted with side and rear boards for the transport of loose cargoes (a headboard is standard on these trailers and non-removable).  The side panels added may be fixed or hinged, and the rear panel may be fixed or used as a tailgate.  These trailers have been in service since 1979 and are quite common in the US Army and Air Force.  The stats below are for the basic flatbed.

     The M872A3 is specially designed for vehicle transport; it has loading ramps which are removed between uses and placed in racks under the trailer, and includes vehicle-type tie-downs and tools.  It also retains all the capabilities of an M872.

Systems and Electronics M989A1 HEMAT

     Notes: The HEMAT (Heavy Expanded Mobility Ammunition Trailer) is a two-axle, four-wheeled off-road flatbed trailer designed specifically for the transport of MLRS ammunition pods.  It may also carry containerized or palletized loads, other ammunition types, and rubber fuel bladders.  The original M989 was discovered to have stability problems soon after entering service, so the existing M989s were modified to M989A1 standard and the remaining trailers in production incorporated the stability improvements.  Production initially lasted from 1982-90, but another contract for more M989A1s was issued in 2000; the trailers under the new contract included new radial tires, revised lighting, better storage boxes, and corrosion-resistant paint. 

     The HEMAT has two axles with two tires each, with the front axle being steerable, and a spare tire supplied.  The wheels have airbrakes and air suspension which improves off-road performance and also provides self-leveling capability.  Construction is largely steel and aluminum, but the cargo deck is of treated hardwood.  The deck is surrounded by 22 tie-down/lash-down points, and the trailer comes with all the straps and tools necessary to secure cargo.  The M985 HEMTT normally tows the HEMAT, but any other truck of roughly the same size (including civilian vehicles) may also tow it, and it can also be towed by an MLRS vehicle itself.  It may be air-transported by aircraft as small as a CH-47 helicopter (though putting it on a C-130 requires that it be unloaded first, as it is too tall with a standard MLRS ammunition pallet). 

     Though these have not yet been built, future proposals for the M989A1 include the carrying of a modular 9463-liter fuel tank, or to transport shelter bodies.  Currently only the US Army uses the M989A1, though the Marines are evaluating it for use with the MTVR.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: the 2000 improvements have not been made to the HEMAT in the Twilight 2000 timeline.  The Marines have already begun to use the HEMAT in small numbers.

Systems and Electronics M1000 HET

     Notes: The M1000 HET (Heavy Equipment Transporter) semi-trailer is perhaps the highest-capacity, and one of the largest tank transporters in existence, with a load deck of 10.24 meters in length.  They entered service with the US Army in 1989, with the US Marines a short time after they were equipped with M1A1s, and with the Israeli Defense Forces.  (Israeli M1000s have 3.66-meter-wide decks, as opposed to the 3.05-meter-wide decks of American M1000s.  They are known as M1000Ws.)  The M1000 uses five evenly spaced axle sets from front to back, and each one has a total of eight tires.  All axle sets have independent hydraulic suspension and automatic load leveling.  The suspension may also “kneel” to facilitate loading, and there are two spring-assisted loading ramps at the rear, each one able to be lowered or raised by one person.  The construction is largely from high-strength steel and aluminum; the deck is thick enough to provide a deck AV of 2, and the loading ramps are similarly thick.  The usual assortment of tools and tie-down materials are provided with the trailer.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The US Marines a chronically short of these transporters, and the IDF is even more short – though some emergency shipments were authorized, they were few and far between.  The Chinese also have a few of these trailers, used to transport the small amount of M1s and Challenger 1s given to them by the US and Britain.

Oshkosh MTVR Trailer

     Notes: This is the competitor to the M989A1 for the US Marines’ requirement for a trailer for their new truck, the MTVR.  The MTVR Trailer is a two-axle design with two tires on each axle and the axles at the front and back of the trailer.  The front axle is steerable, and has a seven-position locking system to aid the towing vehicle when backing up with the trailer attached and prevent jackknifing.  The MTVR Trailer has a high air suspension which provides self-leveling and gives excellent off-road performance.  The wheels have antilock brakes and a central tire inflation system, and the towbar is pneumatically assisted for both shock-absorbing purposes and to help the crew lift the towbar.  The MTVR Trailer has several parts in common with the MTVR, including the wheels and tires, the components for an ISO container carrying bed configuration, cargo sides (with bows and a tarpaulin cover), and the tailgate (which is removable).

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This trailer does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Talbert Tank Transporter Semi-Trailers

     Notes: These two semi-trailers were originally produced for export to Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates, but during Desert Storm the US Army found itself short of tank transporters and requested that Talbert produce 150 of the T4LW-64MFG versions for their use.  The load bed of the T4LW-64-FG is quite long at 12.04 meters, and can transport a single M1 Abrams or two M2 or M3 Bradley IFVs.  The T4LW-60MFG is somewhat shorter, with a load bed of 10.52 meters, and has a smaller load-carrying capacity.  Both use a four-axle, 16-wheel suspension optimized for road use and with limited off-road capabilities.  (A version with an off-road suspension is also available.)  Construction is of steel and the lading ramps are spring-loaded and balanced, and can be deployed by one person.  The gooseneck of the trailer has a spare tire and wheel as well as a 25-liter water tank.  The usual assortment of tools and materials for securing the vehicles comes with these trailers.