General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) has selected Patria Latvia to provide maintenance and repair services for M3 amphibious pontoon bridge systems.
A Patria Latvia delegation visited GDELS facilities to assess the project, which will be carried out in Valmiera, in the northeastern part of the Baltic country.
Latvia’s National Armed Forces currently operate four M3 units, fully funded by the US government through a grant program.
“The M3 systems will complement the existing cooperation on the assembly and servicing of ASCOD vehicles, contribute to the security of supply chain that GDELS is developing in the country, and become a strong component of Latvia’s defense industry,” stated Alejandro Page, VP of GDELS Santa Bárbara Sistemas.
M3 Amphibious System
The M3 amphibious system allows armored vehicles to cross water obstacles, either as a self-propelled ferry or as part of a mobile pontoon bridge.
The systems can be used in both military operations and civil defense tasks.
Each unit is 12.8 meters (42 feet) long, nearly 4 meters (13 feet) high, and weighs 28 metric tons (62,000 pounds).
It can carry over 120 metric tons (265,000 pounds) and is operated by a crew of two or three.
Propelled in water by two 360-degree rotatable water pump jets, the system can deploy a 100-meter (328-foot) bridge in under 10 minutes.
Latvia’s ASCOD Vehicles
Sharing a border with Russia, Latvia has stepped up its defense efforts in response to tensions amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
As part of this push, in June, Riga approved the purchase of 42 ASCOD infantry fighting vehicles from GDELS, valued at $446 million.
The acquisition is intended to equip an additional battalion and speed up the development of Latvia’s mechanized infantry brigade.
The initiative builds on an earlier agreement between Patria and GDELS to jointly manage the assembly and maintenance of ASCOD vehicles in the Baltic nation, with the Latvian company Unitruck also taking part in the project.