Germany & UK Team Up for Next-Gen Floating Bridges
Germany and the UK have joined forces to procure a new generation of rapidly deployable floating bridges, known as Schwimmschnellbrücke 2 in Germany and TRITON in the UK. These bridges will replace existing German systems and enhance NATO's capabilities, particularly in breaking news situations. The new bridges, constructed by General Dynamics European Land Systems, will be deployed to the joint British-German multinational pioneer bridging battalion 130 based in Minden, Germany. They will be interoperable with existing gear used by partner countries and compatible with NATO's pontoon family of temporary bridges. The new system offers better off-road capabilities and maneuverability than existing German systems such as the M3 bridge and ferry system and folding bridges. The procurement, carried out jointly by Berlin and London through the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, totals €104 million ($120 million), including additional contracts. Germany will pay €53 million ($61 million) for the initial bridges, with an option to place an additional €331 million ($383 million) in further orders. This procurement follows the UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement from October 2024 and a Letter of Intent signed in April 2025, reaffirming bilateral defense cooperation. The new floating bridges, which can act as self-propelled all-wheel-drive vehicles or as ferries and be daisy-chained to bridge bodies of water, will fulfill a key NATO role in news and current events, strengthening German-British cooperation and enhancing the multinational pioneer bridging battalion's capabilities in the face of evolving operational requirements.
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