The M3 amphibious bridge and ferry system can be deployed in just 35 minutes and is capable of supporting the weight of any main battle tank in Europe. The Swedish military has recently acquired this system for the first time.
Despite advances in drones and long-range missile systems, tanks remain crucial in battle situations. However, a major limitation of tanks is that they do not float. This creates a need for alternative solutions when it comes to transporting tanks and other heavy military equipment across rivers at key strategic points.
Enter the M3 amphibious bridge system, developed by the European branch of General Dynamics – a global aerospace and defense company. This system comprises floating boat-like units that drive into the water, unfold, and connect to create a rapid crossing over bodies of water where a bridge is not present. The units can also function as ferries to safely transport large equipment across water when a full bridge is not required.
“The amphibious bridge and ferry system M3 is the fastest means for wet gap crossing within NATO,” General Dynamics stated in reference to the Swedish sale. “It can be utilized as a floating bridge or ferry to transport even the heaviest main battle tanks across wide wet gaps. The all-terrain M3 is ready for use within minutes – a crucial factor in today’s battlefield scenarios.”
In 2016, during NATO’s Anakonda exercises in Poland, the M3 system set a record by linking eight British and 22 German units in just 35 minutes to span the 350m expanse of the Vistula River – creating the longest floating bridge ever assembled.
M3 ANACONDA World record mp4
Although the M3 bridges have been supplied to various countries worldwide and used in allied operations in Iraq, the recent sale marks Sweden’s first acquisition of the M3 system. Once Sweden receives the four systems it ordered, it will join Great Britain and Germany as one of NATO’s major users of the M3 systems.
“With the youngest NATO member enhancing its stock of fully interoperable gap-crossing solutions, the alliance will see a significant boost in its combat engineering capabilities,” General Dynamics emphasized.
For more detailed information on the M3 system, visit General Dynamics
