Amphibious bridge and transfer vehicle M3
The so-called amphibious bridge and ferry vehicle M3 by the manufacturer General Dynamics European Land Systems-Germany GmbH (the British name is: M3 Amphibious Bridging Vehicle or M3 Amphibious Rig for short ) is a floating speed bridge and a highly mobile four-wheel vehicle with all -wheel drive and all-wheel steering .
The Bundeswehr, which is the only army from the German-speaking area to use the vehicle , calls the vehicle the M3 amphibious bridge and transfer vehicle .
description
It replaces the previous amphibian M2 alligator and, like it, is used for the rapid construction of swimming bridges (coupled to one another) or in ferry operations (individually or coupled) to enable wheeled and tracked vehicles to cross over bodies of water that are not otherwise, such as the tank rapid bridge "Beavers" can be overcome. This eliminates the time-consuming construction of temporary bridges , depending on the location . However, they cannot be used in the immediate enemy fire area because the vehicles are very sensitive to fire. In this case, another procedure must be used. The crew could be reduced from four to three soldiers compared to the previous model.
The construction of a 100 m long floating bridge, to which eight vehicles have to be used, can be done in about 15–20 minutes, at least 24 soldiers are required in terms of personnel.
The manufacturer of the vehicle known colloquially as the "Amphibious M3" is General Dynamics European Land Systems GmbH (formerly Eisenwerke Kaiserslautern ), a subsidiary of General Dynamics .
The development of the M3 began in 1984 and was completed in 1992 after extensive tests by the Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement and the subordinate defense technology departments WTD 41 in Trier (driving tests) and WTD 51 in Koblenz (swimming tests). The order was placed in August 1994 with the first deliveries to the troops in 1996. The procurement was completed in 1999, three years after the last M2 was taken out of service. As a result of the restructuring of the Bundeswehr, the number of amphibious bridge and transfer vehicles was significantly reduced, the corresponding battalions were disbanded or reclassified and the only 30 vehicles left to two companies were initially placed with the 140 heavy engineer battalion in Emmerich . After its dissolution, it was transferred to Minden to the 130 heavy engineer battalion.
Another 38 M3 will be sold at the “23 Amphibious Engineer Squadron "of the" 28. Engineer Regiment “used by the British armed forces .
technical description
It is an aluminum construction vehicle that consists of three main components:
- The main floating body, in which the driver's cab, crane and steering position are integrated and which also contains the drive system for use on land and on the water.
- Two hydraulically swiveling side floats with hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering the ramp parts.
- Three parts of the ramp, which serve to connect the individual vehicles to the ferry and bridge, to form the bridge deck and as an on and off ramp.
There are also additional equipment:
- A hydraulic on- board crane that is required to lay the ramps.
- A fully automatic tire pressure control system
- A hydraulic level control of the chassis
- A fire extinguishing system
- Bilge pumps
Thanks to the retractable wheels, the transit dimensions for rail transport can be maintained. Likewise, the relying air heating is in the transport aircraft, the USAF type Lockheed C-5 and McDonnell Douglas C-17 possible.
business
The vehicle is only driven in one direction for both land and water travel (in contrast to the amphibian M2). The windscreen is protected by a baffle plate. The steering position is on the stern while the crane is mounted on the cab.
The conversion from land to water transport no longer requires any major preparations. For water travel, the two side floating bodies attached lengthways to the main floating body are hydraulically swiveled out and locked. If the space on land does not allow this, it can also be folded out on the water. To reduce the draft, the wheels are retracted 90% into the main floating body during water travel. The two water jet drives are located at the bow and stern so that travel movements in all directions (including transverse travel) are possible.
The on-board equipment includes three ramp parts per vehicle (each 8.35 m long), which can be used as a connection to other vehicles or as access ramps from land. These ramp parts are moved with the on-board crane. As soon as this is no longer needed, it is swiveled across the vehicle and locked there.
The M3 can compensate for flow velocities of up to 2.6 m / s with its own drive force. Anchors must be used above this (up to max. 3.5 m / s). Depending on the circumstances, either the ship anchors (1 per vehicle) are used or the anchoring is done from land.
Ferry operation is possible with one vehicle as well as with several vehicles coupled together. The coupling is "tight" (vehicle to vehicle) or "wide" (with ramp parts inserted between the vehicles) depending on requirements or the circumstances. The payload of a single ferry is 20 t. When used as a multiple ferry, payloads of up to 63.5 t ( MLC 70 for tracked vehicles and MLC 100 for wheeled vehicles) are permitted, which means that the Leopard 2A6 , Challenger 2 , Leclerc or M1A2 Abrams battle tanks can be transferred. In the case of bridge operation, higher load classes apply.
In the case of bridge operation, the vehicles are widely coupled, the bridge length is (theoretically) unlimited.
Each company has a set of construction equipment, which consists of tools, spare wheels, grab trains and all necessary means for land anchoring, as well as a recovery axle to rescue a broken vehicle. The additional equipment is tracked on a 7t milgl truck , the additional ramp parts required for bridge operation on a two-axle trailer.
Technical specifications
| Crew: | 3 soldiers (land drivers, water drivers, floating bridge pioneers) |
| Length: | 13.03 m |
| Width (side float inserted): | 3.35 m |
| Width (side float swiveled out): | 6.57 m |
| Height (wheels in normal position): | 3.97 m |
| Weight: | 26 t |
| Ground clearance (wheels in normal position): | 0.70 m |
| Turning circle diameter (all-wheel steering): | 23.40 m |
| Gradeability: | 60% |
| Engine: | air-cooled KHD BF8L513C eight-cylinder four-stroke diesel engine with direct injection (Euro III) |
| Power: | 265 kW |
| Drive type: | Water jet drive (2 units - rotatable 360 °) |
| Maximum speed / country: | 80 km / h |
| Maximum speed / water: | 14 km / h |
| Draft single ferry (without payload): | 0.54 m |
| Draft double ferry (with payload MLC 70): | 1.02 m |
| Usable lane width: | 4.76 m |
| Military load class (bridge operation bike): | 132 |
| Military load class (bridge operation chain): | 85 |
Combat missions
The British armed forces used the M3 for the first time in the context of "Operation Telic", the British part of Operation Iraqi Freedom . From March 25, 2003, M3 vehicles of the “412 Amph. Engr. Tp (V), 23 Amphibious Engineer Squadron, 28 Engineer Regiment of the Royal Engineers "parts of the 3rd Commando Brigade across the Shatt-Al-Basrah waterway, enabling sustained forward movement towards the city of Basra .
Subsequently, water crossings in the area of the Rumallah oil fields were made possible, whereby three AS90 self-propelled howitzers could be brought in to support the "16 Air Assault Brigade".
Users
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literature
- " Y " information for the troops (issue 3/1994)
- Central service regulation of the Bundeswehr 33/320 (rapid floating bridges)
- Technical regulation "Amphibious bridge and transfer vehicle M3" Part 12 and Part 22
Web links
- Website of the German Army for the amphibian M3 rapid floating bridge
- Description on the official website of the manufacturer
- 60 seconds Bundeswehr: Amphibian M3 ( YouTube video, July 5, 2017)
- Training exercise 2019 "Attack over a body of water" ( Youtube video, October 7, 2019)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original from January 11, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Correct designation according to the technical service regulation (TDv).
- ↑ a b c d e f https://tag-der-bundeswehr.de/exponate/amphibie-m3/ (accessed on August 10, 2018 at 19:17)
- ↑ a b [1] from www.deutschesheer.de, author: Press and Information Center of the Army, as of March 28, 2018 (accessed on August 10, 2018 at 7:51 pm)
- ↑ a b Britain's Small Wars: British Weapons and Vehicles ( Memento of the original from August 15, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ 3 Commando Brigade Op Telic
- ↑ Official homepage of the Indonesian army: “M3 AMPHIBIOUS RIG, Ini Dia! Truk Ponton Raksasa untuk Zeni TNI AD "
