Given the number of tanks it has in its ranks, the Polish army needs ways to cross rivers [or “wet cuts”]. Hence the order it has just placed with the French group CNIM, which, as a reminder, equips the army with its motorized floating bridges [PFM], which have recently been modernized.
The announcement of the signing of this contract was made by the Polish Minister of Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak, via Twitter. That said, while he gave the value [1.5 billion zlotys, or just over €320 million], he did not specify the company to which it had just been notified.
However, CNIM Systèmes Industriels later announced that it would supply “several hundred meters of new generation Motorized Floating Bridge” to the Polish army.
“The new generation of PFM motorized floating bridges meets the needs of land forces for continuous or discontinuous crossing of the heaviest vehicles. By winning this tender, CNIM Systèmes Industriels has reaffirmed its leadership position in the supply of high-performance crossing systems,” said Xavier Montazel, the French industrialist’s Systems Business Unit Director.
As a reminder, a PFM is made up of several modules of around 10 meters in length, each equipped with two outboard motors that can be interlocked with each other. Access ramps are installed at the ends. It is also possible to use it as a ferry to navigate from one shore to the other.
The new generation Motorized Floating Bridge chosen by Poland is compatible with all 8×8 carriers in service with the armed forces of Nato member countries. “Equipped with high-performance integrated engines,” explains CNIM Systèmes Industriels, “its modules are piloted by a single control system, guaranteeing simple and rapid construction and implementation while reducing the logistical footprint [no need for auxiliary pusher boats, for example] and the number of operators. In addition, it can be equipped with two different access ramps [tactical or floating].
In addition, CNIM says, the PFM NG is air transportable and interoperable with all floating bridges in service. One of its advantages is that it allows all types of armored vehicles to cross rivers, including the M1A2 Abrams tank, 250 of which were recently ordered by Poland from the United States. Incidentally, Mr. Błaszczak cited only the U.S. tank as the reason for this order.
No doubt this contract won by CNIM will herald others. The Netherlands could follow suit… As could… France, as the Direction Générale de l’Armement [DGA] issued a request for information last year as part of the SYFRALL [Système de franchissement lourd-léger] program to eventually replace the PFM2. There are at least two reasons for this: the age of these systems and, above all, the weight of SCORPION vehicles, which are much heavier than their predecessors.
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Given the number of tanks it has in its ranks, the Polish army needs ways to cross rivers [or “wet cuts”]. Hence the order it has just placed with the French group CNIM, which, as a reminder, equips the army with its motorized floating bridges [PFM], which have recently been modernized.
The announcement of the signing of this contract was made by the Polish Minister of Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak, via Twitter. That said, while he gave the value [1.5 billion zlotys, or just over €320 million], he did not specify the company to which it had just been notified.
However, CNIM Systèmes Industriels later announced that it would supply “several hundred meters of new generation Motorized Floating Bridge” to the Polish army.
“The new generation of PFM motorized floating bridges meets the needs of land forces for continuous or discontinuous crossing of the heaviest vehicles. By winning this tender, CNIM Systèmes Industriels has reaffirmed its leadership position in the supply of high-performance crossing systems,” said Xavier Montazel, the French industrialist’s Systems Business Unit Director.
As a reminder, a PFM is made up of several modules of around 10 meters in length, each equipped with two outboard motors that can be interlocked with each other. Access ramps are installed at the ends. It is also possible to use it as a ferry to navigate from one shore to the other.
The new generation Motorized Floating Bridge chosen by Poland is compatible with all 8×8 carriers in service with the armed forces of Nato member countries. “Equipped with high-performance integrated engines,” explains CNIM Systèmes Industriels, “its modules are piloted by a single control system, guaranteeing simple and rapid construction and implementation while reducing the logistical footprint [no need for auxiliary pusher boats, for example] and the number of operators. In addition, it can be equipped with two different access ramps [tactical or floating].
In addition, CNIM says, the PFM NG is air transportable and interoperable with all floating bridges in service. One of its advantages is that it allows all types of armored vehicles to cross rivers, including the M1A2 Abrams tank, 250 of which were recently ordered by Poland from the United States. Incidentally, Mr. Błaszczak cited only the U.S. tank as the reason for this order.
No doubt this contract won by CNIM will herald others. The Netherlands could follow suit… As could… France, as the Direction Générale de l’Armement [DGA] issued a request for information last year as part of the SYFRALL [Système de franchissement lourd-léger] program to eventually replace the PFM2. There are at least two reasons for this: the age of these systems and, above all, the weight of SCORPION vehicles, which are much heavier than their predecessors.
Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)