WFEL delivers bridges to ADF

9th March 2018 - 07:30 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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WFEL has delivered the first tranche of rapidly-deployable military bridges, including the Dry Support Bridge (DSB) and Medium Girder Bridge (MGB), to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), the company announced on 6 March.

The delivery are being made under the ADF’s Land 155 Enhanced Gap Crossing Capability project.

The first tranche includes some of the first configurations of the DSB integrated on a fully-armoured Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicle 45m 10x10 chassis.

Capable of carrying over 120 tonnes, the DSBs were delivered following extensive trials at the UK’s Millbrook Proving Ground to verify both off-road and on-road capability. The DSB can be launched by eight personnel within 90 minutes.

The double-storey, link-reinforced MGBs can span up to 49 metres. The MGBs will be supplemented by additional portable pier and span equipment, allowing bridges of up to 76 metres to be constructed.

Both DSB and MGB bridging systems are being delivered complete with walkways to allow the separation of vehicular traffic from pedestrians. They will be deployed for ADF combat support and disaster relief operations as temporary infrastructure.

The company’s comprehensive integrated logistics support package is also being supplied to cover through-life support for the bridges.

WFEL will complete final delivery of the ADF’s bridges by September 2018.