The M60A1 armored bridge guidance vehicle has been in service with the United States since 1967; the army is replacing this outdated system with a new one based on the chassis of the M1 Abrams tank
Like many branches of the military, engineering units face the double pressure of financial cuts and the need for expeditionary deployment. Consider machines that can help them in their multifaceted business of ensuring the smooth movement of the army
Among several tasks of the engineering forces, perhaps the most important is to ensure the mobility of the forward forces and the forces and means of logistic support.
Today the engineering troops face two major challenges. First, like most military personnel, they are experiencing cuts in budgets and numbers. Second, there is an understanding that deployment overseas is becoming their most likely mission. The development and deployment of versatile engineering systems with good operational flexibility, requiring fewer staff and that can be easily airlifted, are key factors in meeting these challenges.
Maintaining the mobility of troops mainly corresponds to three areas of competence of the engineering forces: mobile and assault overcoming of obstacles (especially bridge building); earthmoving work; and clearing paths and obstacles. Associated tasks include: preparing the approach to bridge crossings, choosing the location of the bridge, detecting and neutralizing mines and explosives. The need for enhanced crew protection, high operating speeds and the ability to transport by air made the use of commercial building systems - the main source of equipment for military engineers - problematic.
The purchase of the M400W Skid Steer Loader and the M400T Skid Steer Loader from Case Construction Equipment (CCE) in 2010 is a prime example of this. CCE's director of strategic development Pat Hunt said that the adoption of these systems, which are modified versions of commercial models, was "excellent" and that the machines "met all the key criteria of the army, and we have delivered almost 2,300 systems to the troops to date."
However, since commercial vehicles do not have the high road speeds required by the military, the tactical mobility of the M400 is limited, at least until a new trailer with a higher carrying capacity is purchased. The US Army has recognized this and is working on this problem.
Shore to Shore
Military bridges differ from civilian bridges in that they must be delivered to the site and installed to cross dry and water barriers in minutes, not days or weeks. The military bridges themselves are divided into two categories: assault and support. The former are mainly designed to overcome medium obstacles (20-30 meters) by armored units. Thus, most of the bridges are installed on the main battle tanks (MBT) chassis and deployed from the modified MBT chassis.
The US Army deployed its new M104 Wolverine heavy assault bridges based on the M1A2 in 2003. These systems were developed jointly by the American company General Dynamics Land Systems and the German MAN Mobile Bridges, which is now part of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW).
The first prototype of the Assault Breacher Vehicle came in 2002. She is also known as Shredder, was put into service in 2008 and participated in operations in Afghanistan.
Approximately 60 Terrier engineering vehicles are manufactured for the British Engineering Forces under a £ 386 million contract with BAE Systems
Based on the KMW Leguan bridge system, the M104 can deploy its 26 meter MLC70 (Military Load Classification 70t) bridge in five minutes and assemble it in 10 minutes without the crew leaving the vehicle. The US needs were 465 systems, although due to budgetary constraints, only 44 systems were delivered, after which there was a serious shortage of obstacle clearance in American armored units.
In this regard, the army decided to carry out a program to fill the deficit of ferry facilities. The elements of the bridge were taken from the chassis of the M60 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB) tank layer and installed on the M1 Abrams MBT, as a result of which, with minor modifications, a new bridge layer was obtained. With minimal modifications, the current MLC60 bridge (60 tonnes) with a span of 20 meters is capable of supporting the MLC80 (80 tonnes) with a span of 18 meters. The new system received the designation JAB (Joint Assault Bridge). It builds on previous work by the US Marine Corps in this area. This will allow using not only the entire stock of AVLB bridges, but will also make it possible for each bridge layer to have several bridges of different classes at once.
Technical tests confirmed the capabilities of JAB and in this regard, a program for the development of a bridgelayer was adopted using the surplus M1 tank. Jim Rowen, deputy commander of the US Army School of Engineering, said that “the Army sees it as a low-risk, high-profitability priority program. We see compelling reasons for accelerating the program.”
In connection with the restructuring of the armed forces, the exact number of systems has not yet been determined, but based on the deployment of engineering companies in armored units, their number could easily reach 300 bridgelayers and more than 400 modified bridges.
Popular choice
The Leguan modular bridge system from KMW is popular in many armies of the world, it is the basis for the creation of various bridge guidance systems. It is installed not only on a range of tank chassis, but also on cargo chassis. It is a fully automated horizontal guidance system that has a fairly low profile. The MLC80's payload capacity allows it to handle the heaviest tracked and wheeled vehicles. The system on six different platforms is in service with 14 countries, including Belgium, Chile, Finland, Greece, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain and Turkey.
An axle mounted on a wheeled chassis is an example of a support bridge. It differs from the assault bridge, which is designed to be deployed under direct enemy fire. Support bridges, as a rule, after installation are left in place for the passage of vehicles, in contrast to assault bridges that accompany combat units.
Support bridges are often more adaptable and have larger spans. In addition, by their type and design, they can easily move on roads and are therefore well suited to quickly replace bridges destroyed during natural disasters. The KMW Leguan based on the Sisu 8x8 or 10x10 truck is a classic example of a rear support bridge. In this configuration, it is capable of deploying either one 26-meter span or two spans of 14 meters each.
Another example is the Dry Support Bridge (DSB) or M18 from WFEL. The DSB bridges an obstacle up to 46 meters wide in less than 90 minutes with eight people and a wheeled single-girder bridgelayer such as the American Oshkosh M1075 10x10. The folding bridge sections are transported on suitable trucks and trailers. The 40 meter bridge set consists of a bridgelayer, two section trucks and three support beam trailers, 4 meter, 3x6 meter bridge sections and entry / exit ramps.
The DSB was first purchased by the US Army, which commissioned it in 2003; it was planned to purchase more than 100 systems in total. It is also in service with South Korea and Switzerland. Following a 2011 contract worth £ 57 million, the Swiss Army awarded WFEL a second £ 37 million contract in December 2013 for the supply of the latest DSB axles based on the Iveco Trakker truck. A total of 24 bridgelayers and 16 bridges are currently foreseen. The Marketing Director at WFEL said the products “are more than just bridges, they are a national investment; as defense budgets shrink, this becomes more and more important for our customers."
Attention to spans
The increased focus on the strategic deployment of lighter forces necessitates the difficult task of rapidly building bridges for military purposes. Although DSB bridges can be transported by air, they are limited to heavy transport aircraft such as the C-17, and in addition, multiple aircraft are required to transport one set of bridge. Pallet bridges such as WFEL's Medium Girder Bridge (MGB) are good enough to transport, but require significantly more time and manpower to install.
Bailey Bridges during World War II are still in service with some armies, but they have a limited width and capacity for modern military traffic. Rowen said that following a failed competitive development contract, the U. S. Army Armored Research Center (TARDEC) proposed its girder bridge approach as a replacement for the Bailey Bridge. Component testing has now been completed and the Army intends to begin manufacturing the Line of Communication Bridge in its workshops. The planned delivery to the troops is scheduled for 2016-2017.
There remains a need for a so-called self-deploying mobile bridge, which is able to move on a par not only with armored units, but also with light forces. Pearson Engineering has developed the Bridge Launch Mechanism (BLM), which consists of an upper transport bridge and a chassis-mounted bridgelayer that uses the hydraulic system of the chassis itself to operate.
If it is impossible to connect to the hydraulic system of the chassis for structural or other reasons, it is possible to install your own on-board hydraulic system. The system can be installed on a wide range of wheeled or tracked chassis; deployment and folding of bridges up to 19 meters long is carried out in less than two minutes. The most interesting thing is that BLM does not require an indispensable modification of the chassis itself or the conveyor vehicle. It is installed at the front (or rear if necessary) and allows the bridge to be deployed, folded and folded without additional resources.
The BLM system has been featured on the Warrior tracked APC, heavy tracked vehicles and 8x8 medium wheeled platforms.
A Pearson spokesperson said that "the Pearson Engineering BLM bridge options have been tested and delivered to customers for installation on machines." Additional impressions are planned for 2014 for several more customers.
Hard work on the ground
The ability to excavate is the foundation of engineering work. The challenge is to keep up with the supported forces, so engineering forces may need to deploy at great distances and often under enemy fire. Installing a dozer blade on MBT or other armored vehicles allows you to get a suitable tool for filling ditches, "pushing" obstacles and digging out fortifications.
Almost every MBT has a blade variant (American M1A2, German Leopard and Russian T-72/80/90). A similar approach has also been applied to lighter vehicles such as the LAV and Stryker from General Dynamics Land Systems.
The newest specialized engineering vehicle is the Terrier, developed by BAE Systems for the British Army Engineering Corps. Its production began in January 2010, and the first systems entered service in June 2013. With a mass of 30 tons, Terrier can be transferred by C-17 and A400M aircraft. In addition to the large-capacity bucket installed in front, an excavator boom is also installed on the side, which can lift up to 3 tons. The machine can transport and stack fascines, tow a trailer with Python-type reactive mine clearance systems, and other types of mine clearance devices can be installed on it.
The crew of two people is protected from mines by a double hull. Basic protection against small arms fire and projectile fragments can be enhanced with additional armor. Terrier is unique in that it can be remotely controlled from a distance of up to one kilometer. A BAE spokesperson said that “Terrier embodies the experience gained by the British Corps of Engineers to help meet future challenges. It is the most advanced engineering system in the British Army. Adoption of the Terrier is on schedule and all 60 vehicles should be delivered in 2014.” The Terrier could be a prime candidate to replace the US Army and Marine Corps' Universal Engineer Tractor.
The BAE platform joins the line of specialized engineering vehicles, which include the German Kodiak and Dachs (based on the Leopard tank), the Grizzly vehicle (which was intended for the American army, but closed in 2001) and a number of systems based on Russian MBT. Most often, a front dozer blade is installed on the machine (replaced by a mine plow or roller trawl) and an excavator boom. At best, a machine gun is installed on them for self-defense, although recently they began to install remotely controlled combat modules. Simple systems such as deFNder from FN Herstal and SD-ROW from BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa can be used for this kind of applications.
Cross country
Despite the increased off-road capability of military vehicles, motorized military operations largely rely on existing roads and traditional routes. This is often a local geographic factor and logistics units must use the roads to carry out missions efficiently. Threats that impede free movement on roads include natural and man-made obstacles such as mines and IEDs, which have become a major concern of the military.
Rollers and trawls, first used in World War II, have since been greatly improved; now they are installed not only on MBT and light wheeled and tracked armored vehicles, but also on MRAP-type vehicles and even tactical trucks.
In addition to kits for clearing routes installed on various chassis, several special platforms have been developed and deployed for such tasks. The Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) was originally deployed in response to the operational needs of the Marine Corps. The machine is also known as the Shredder; it is based on the M1A1 MBT chassis, the turret of which has been replaced with a new superstructure. The first prototype was created in 2002, entered service in 2008 and managed to serve in Afghanistan. The Marines ordered 45 systems, and the Army later ordered 187 vehicles, of which half are currently deployed.
Development took relatively little time using proven subsystems, while off-the-shelf attachments such as full width and surface mine plows, dozer blades, ordnance disposal systems and aisle markers were purchased from Pearson Engineering. On the ABV obstacle vehicle, two missile launchers are also installed in the aft compartment, which fire back at 150 meters and carry corded pyrotechnic charges that detonate mines and IEDs. Then, on its way, the plow clears the remaining mines, shells and charges.
The detection of mines and IEDs is attracting close attention of the military, especially the American and NATO contingents in Iraq and Afghanistan, where a lot of work is being done in this area. The new focus is on how to detect and neutralize such threats at a greater distance from their forces. Faster clearance is another goal, as IEDs often do their job even if they simply delay or disrupt troop movements. There is no doubt that IEDs will continue to pose one of the main threats in the conduct of military operations, stabilization and peacekeeping operations in the future, and engineering troops will remain at the forefront of the fight against this threat.
Under pressure
Despite budgetary constraints, the need to maintain and enhance the capabilities of the engineering units remains paramount. The increased use of military forces in peacekeeping and peace enforcement operations actually increases the demand for the tasks performed by engineers. Probably, at least in the near future, new full-cycle developments (for example, Terrier) may become less demanded and more emphasis may be placed on improving and modifying existing equipment (for example, the American AVLB project mentioned in the article) or adapting and adding engineering capabilities to existing ones. machines. The challenge will be to simultaneously fulfill the new needs of combat and non-combat operations.
Over 100 WFEL DSB systems will be deployed over the next 10 years. The military classification of their carrying capacity is 120 tons for 46 meters
Demonstration of the DSB system
