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Birdon has been contracted to supply Bridge Erection Boats for the Swedish Armed Forces by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration.
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The Bridge Erection Boats (BEBs) are expected to provide wet gap crossing capability during military operations and support disaster relief efforts such as floods.
The first BEBs will be delivered by February 2025.
Martyn Bowden, head of bridging and propulsion, said Birdon was the only bidder to meet or exceed all technical requirements with a product suited to these unique environments and capable of delivering within the short time frame.
“Due to Birdon’s extensive BEB experience, streamlined production line, and existing supply chain arrangements, we’re able to build and deliver the Swedish Armed Forces’ initial order within just five months,” Bowden said.
“The maturity of Birdon’s BEB within NATO means we can quickly and easily adapt our product to meet the requirements of the Swedish Armed Forces, including a fully Integrated logistics support package of technical documentation and training programs.”
Birdon has established an industry track record designing and manufacturing BEBs for the Australian, Brazilian, Netherlands, and US armies. Globally, Birdon has delivered over 460 BEBs.
The Swedish BEB will be a variant of the latest model currently in production by Birdon for the Royal Netherlands Army, with custom modifications ensuring the BEBs meet in-country safety and legislation requirements.
It will feature a dual electric winch for faster coupling, increased operator efficiency, and safer operations, while a reinforced ice bow enables further extreme cold weather capability.
A new quick launch system allows for rapid deployment, and high operational availability is achieved through reduced maintenance and downtime upgrades.
In its primary mission mode, the BEB provides propulsion, thrust and stabilisation to support worldwide tactical float bridging and rafting operations. It is specifically designed to provide high thrust and operate in high particulate matter environments including in fresh, brackish, and seawater. All functions of the BEB can be performed by a two-person crew. The unique and flexible design of the BEB means it can integrate with most customer-specific transport systems. Birdon has also developed a next-generation control system capable of remote and autonomous operations.
Sweden will be the first country to utilise the complete Wet Gap Crossing solution of Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) and M3 Amphibious Bridge from General Dynamics with the Birdon BEB. The BEB is essential for the support of the M3 Amphibious Bridge as it is purpose-built and adds the multi-purpose capability required for modern WGC needs of army engineers.
Currently, civilian agencies in Europe do not have the capability to respond quickly to failures of bridges. Birdon’s purpose-designed and built BEBs will play a vital role in filling this gap while meeting the demands of Sweden’s extreme conditions such as fast-flowing, shallow rivers and extreme cold.
Birdon has partnered with Rindövarvet AB in Sweden for in-country service and support.
