M3 Amphibious Bridging Vehicle
The M3 Amphibious Rig can be driven into a river and used as a ferry or, when a number are joined together from bank to bank, as a bridge, capable of taking vehicles as heavy as the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank.
The M3 has a number of improvements over the M2 which it has replaced (the M2 was in service for over 25 years):
- it can deploy pontoons on the move, in or out of water
- it needs no on-site preparation to enter the water
- it can be controlled from inside the cab when swimming
- its control functions have been automated allowing the crew to be reduced from four to three.
A single two-bay M3 can carry a Class 70 tracked vehicle, where two M2s would have been required for this task with additional buoyancy bags. Eight M3 units and 24 soldiers can build a 100 m bridge in 30 minutes compared with 12 M2s, 48 soldiers and a construction time of 45 minutes. The M3 is only 1.4 m longer and 3,300 kg heavier than the M2. It is still faster and more manoeuvrable on land and in water. A four-wheel steering facility gives a turning diameter of 24 m.
| Weight |
24.5 tonnes |
| Dimensions |
12.74 m (L) x 3.93 m (H) x 3.35 m (W) |
| Maximum speed |
80 kph |
| Engine |
Diesel |
| Crew |
3 |