General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) Bridge Systems and Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) have presented for the first time the Anaconda tactical bridge-laying system mounted on a HX2 8×8 high-mobility carrier vehicle at the 5th User Forum Armament and Utilization – RÜ.NET 2023 conference, which was held on August 30 – 31 in Koblenz, Germany.
Anaconda from GDELS is the latest version of the famous Biber (“otter”) bridges, more than 300 of which have been built for the Bundeswehr (Germany's armed forces), NATO partners and other export customers.
The bridge installation of Rheinmetall's HX family of tactical trucks, used by many armed forces, provides major advantages in terms of interoperability, training, servicing and parts supply, thereby contributing to lower system life cycle costs.
The basic version of the HX 8×8 truck weighs 28 tonnes and is designed for challenging military conditions. The HX 8×8 suspension system, enhanced by long, wear-free rubber springs, large shock absorbers and stabilizers, completes the Anaconda's bridge-laying capabilities.
HX trucks can serve a wide variety of military roles, from the transport of cargo and troops to towing heavy equipment, with a gross displacement of up to 120 tonnes. The HX/HX2 truck line combines a military-commercial drivetrain and chassis with an updated version of a military-specific modular cab.
The HX/HX2 range is based on chassis and transmission components from MAN's TG WorldWide series of commercial heavy trucks, which were first introduced in 2000.
Meanwhile, the Anaconda tactical bridge has been in operation since 1973 and is used by more than 10 countries around the world. Certified for an 80 ton Military Load Classification (MLC) payload, this folding bridge is compatible with a wide range of NATO Main Battle Tanks, including the Leopard 2, M1A2 Abrams, and Challenger 2.
The Anaconda can be launched and retrieved from a variety of tire-wheeled and tracked platforms. With over 30 years of operational use, including in combat zones, the system is recognized for its reliability and ability to cross gaps.
The HX 8×8 is a family of tactical trucks produced by Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV). The HX was introduced in 2003, and first production started in 2004. All models can climb 60 percent gradients, traverse 40 percent side slopes, have a 40 degree approach angle, and wade through 750 mm of water without preparation, which increases to 1.5 meters. with preparation.