XM designation? - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

sgtrisk · 10-15-2008, 21:48

I know that the Air Force (well, contractors) use "X" to signify an eXperimental aircraft before it has passed all the tests and goes into production, but surely that doesn't apply to trucks like the XM813? What is the basic difference between an XM813 and an M813?

maddawg308 · 10-15-2008, 21:56

The "X". It makes people ask questions. That's the difference.

LanceRobson · 10-15-2008, 22:02

An "X" prefix simply means that it is a pre-production vehicle which was built either as a proof of concept vehicle or to prove that a particular manufacturer could meet the standards set for a particular model.

As a rule, if it was accepted into the inventory, it met the standard and is indistinguishable from the later production items.

Lance

ida34 · 10-15-2008, 23:37

In cases were there are several models of items with the x designation it is where the item (truck) went into production before it was formally certified and adopted. Usually the designation changed to the actual M number within a couple of months. Basically the item has been "accepted" but the bureaucracy and paperwork have to catch up. When I was in the Army I was an armorer. I had an XM16E1 in my inventory. It was the model that became the M16A1.

cranetruck · 10-16-2008, 06:55

The XM757 and XM791 8x8 trucks even have the "X" designation in the manuals, so there are always exceptions to the rule...

BKubu · 10-16-2008, 08:24

When did they start to produce M809 series trucks? I thought I read someplace that it was in 1969. If that is the case, I have an XM817 dump that was produced in 1971 (it was manufactured by General Products). That is an awful long time for something to become certified and adopted as standard. I also have two M814s...one manufactured in 1972 and one in 1973 and both are lacking the "X" designation so the trucks must have been accepted as standard prior to 1972.

jwaller · 10-16-2008, 08:27

my 818 is also an x and is also a 1971