Page 48 - Military Technology 12/2018

46 · MT 12/2018 Features

Designed for hasty obstacles: will be “sufficient enough to meet ex-
the SHIELDER mine laying vehicle. pected operational needs” in a mid-
(Photo: MoD/Crown Copyright) size manoeuvre operation. Based on
2018 data, however, an additional 15-
18 systems are needed to “maintain
an enhanced in-theatre capability”,
according to NATO. The expected
increase in M3 systems in both coun-
tries makes sense when one consid-
ers that greater fleet availability will
depend upon regular care and main-
tenance work, which is a time-con-
suming process. MT’s sister maga-
zine WEHRTECHNIK was told last
summer that only 49 of the 68 M3s
in use with UK and German armed
forces were “operationally available”
at the very beginning of 2018; eight
vehicles were given routine mainte-
nance and repair since autumn 2017.
The demand in both countries as of
2027 was individually quoted at a to-
tal of 95-100 M3s, however.
requires immediate action”, MILENG COE sources said. Existing invento- “Although a common British-German procurement of a successor sys-
ries, as in the case of Canada, Germany, Poland, Romania, and Turkey, tem for the M3 is not yet a ministerial decision, the performance require-
need to be renewed with “updated or different systems” to cope with ments for a new system are currently being compared with our British part-
the demands of heavier modern battle tanks (up to MLC 120). Canada’s ner”, said German Army Brigadier General Lutz Erich Niemann, MILENG
Defence Acquisition Guide (DAG) of 2016 – under the auspices of the COE Steering Committee Chair and Commander of the German Army
Bridge and Gap Crossing Modernisation programme – calls for a suite Engineer Training Centre. “Other partners watch us attentively.”
of modern light, medium and heavy bridging systems, replacing obsolete As to other countries, like Poland and Romania, NATO sources spoke
equipment. For an urgent German Army demand, KMW delivered the first of additional demands in 2017, e.g. to complement existing systems like
of seven LEGUAN bridge-laying tanks (MLC 80) on LEOPARD 2 chassis OBRUM’s MS-20 Daglezja mobile assault bridge systems in Poland. The
last July, with the assault bridge laying the foundation of a capability that is Polish Armament Inspectorate speaks of a requirement of “no less than 20
needed for Germany’s involvement in the Very High Readiness Joint Task [amphibious bridge] systems”.
Force (VJTF) in 2019. The German Army speaks of a requirement of 31 The M3 is utilised for the transport of tanks and other vehicles across
LEGUAN systems to support high-tempo manoeuvre forces on brigade water obstacles, deploying two large aluminium pontoons for buoyancy
level. on the water. It was first deployed in combat actions during Operation
General Dynamics European Land Systems – Germany (GDELS-G), TELIC, Britain’s military operation in the Iraq War (2003-2011). The Turkish
manufacturer of the Rapidly Emplaced Bridge System (REBS) and the M3 manufacturer FNSS developed a similar system based on PARS 8x8 infra-
self-propelled amphibious bridging vehicle, notes that rapidly deployable structure, which it called AAB (Armoured Amphibious Assault Bridge). The
bridge systems are playing a key role to enable the “capability packag- manufacturer quotes a three-bay ferry payload capacity of MLC 120. The
es” as needed to support large-scale mobile operations. The M3 (carrying Turkish Land Forces ordered 52 systems.
loads of up to MLC 132) is gaining momentum, as it provides both UK and
German armed forces with a wide-wet gap crossing capability that need to
be maintained at high readiness and in appropriate numbers in the future. NATO Wants to Engage
The current inventory – 38 M3s in UK, 30 systems in Germany – will en- With Renewed Capability
sure a “minimum operational force”, according to NATO; but, given future
operational needs, the number of available systems may be increased by Zapad 2017 is a ‘textbook’ example of what land forces mobility means
additional systems. Prior to 2014, it was suggested that the number of in a future conflict. Phase One of Zapad 2017 was to get armour and
M3s in use with the Corps of Royal Engineers and German engineer forces mechanised units moving; railway troops, military engineers, and other

Left: GDLES-G promotes a full range
of mobile bridge systems.
Right: M3 amphibious bridging vehicle
in a recent German Army exercise.
(Table/photo: GDELS-G; André Forkert)