AMX-30 Bridge

AMX-30 Bridge
Type Armoured vehicle-launched bridge
Place of origin  France
Specifications
Weight 42.5 metric tons (94,000 lb)
Length 11.40 m (with bridge)
Width 3.95 m (with bridge)
Height 4.29 m (with bridge)
Crew 3

Armor 80 mm (3.14 in)
Engine Hispano-Suiza HS-110 12 cylinder
700 hp (522 kW)
Power/weight 16.5 hp/ton
Suspension torsion bar
Operational
range
600 km (373 miles)
Speed 50 km/h (31.1 mph)

The AMX-30 Bridge is a French bridge-laying engineering vehicle based on the AMX-30 tank chassis.[1]

Design

The chassis of this variant is almost identical to the AMX-30. Instead of the turret, a scissors bridge is laid hydraulically over the rear of the vehicle. Deployment and retraction time of the bridge is about 5 minutes, and has a span of 20 meters. The bridge is erected vertically, and can therefore be easily seen by enemy forces.[1]

Night vision optics and NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical) defense systems are standard fittings.[1]

History

The AMX-30 was manufactured by Nexter. The first prototype of the AMX-30 Bridge was built in the mid 60s, but production did not start until the mid 70s.[1]

It was intended to be used in tandem with the AMX-30, having no armament of its own.[1] It was not used by the French army; 12 vehicles are in usage by the Saudi Arabian Army.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Trewhitt, Philip (1999). Armoured Fighting Vehicles. 230: Dempsey-Parr. ISBN 1-84084-328-4.
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