FNSS, Hyundai Rotem team for South Korean

FNSS and Hyundai Rotem have teamed up to offer Otter Armoured Amphibious Assault Bridge (AAAB) vehicles for evaluation by South Korea's Ministry of National Defense, FNSS announced on 4 May.

The solution will be offered to meet the RoK Army's wet gap crossing system requirement.

The AAAB is a bridge and ferry system designed for fast and safe transport across wet gaps in the battlefield. The vehicle is based on an all-wheel 8x8 drive with central tyre inflation system and adjustable ride height control that provides advanced off-road driving performance, especially on loose and muddy terrain. The vehicle can climb a 60% gradient and 30% side slope.

The AAAB has two water pump jets that enable it to complete 360° manoeuvres within high river currents. Its axles are retractable to decrease water drag.

For the ferry role, a single AAAB system can transport MLC 21 tracked vehicles. Two AAAB systems can be coupled together from pontoon to pontoon and can transport an MLC 85 vehicle. By coupling three systems from ramp to ramp, MLC 120 vehicles can be transported over a wet gap. Twelve AAAB systems can combine together from ramp to ramp to construct a 150m-long bridge that is capable of carrying MLC 85 T and MLC120 W vehicles.

The AAAB can carry four ramps on a single system in addition to a self-recovery winch, which recovers the vehicle or any other system especially in soft terrain such as riverbanks.

The AAAB can accommodate three personnel and has ballistic armour protection, automatic fire suppression and NBC filtering systems. The vehicle is integrated with distributed vetronics architecture, which includes an onboard diagnostics system. Front and rear cameras enhance situation awareness. The vehicle is also equipped with a standard anchoring mechanism.