U.S. Army awards General Dynamics $233 Million for Additional Improved Ribbon Bridge Equipmen

VIENNA - The U.S. Army TACOM recently awarded General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas GmbH, a part of General Dynamics European Land Systems, a $233 million multi-year requirement contract for additional Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) equipment.

The contract calls for a total of 541 IRB Interior Bays and 218 IRB Ramp Bays. Annual production quantities will be subject to individual delivery orders.

The Improved Ribbon Bridge is a modular floating bridge system made of aluminium, consisting of Interior and Ramp Bays that are transported, launched and retrieved by a transporter/launcher vehicle. Bridge bays, which are carried in a folded position, automatically open upon entering the water to form a 6.7 m (22 feet) section of bridge.

The IRB provides wet gap crossing capabilities either as a floating bridge or multi-bay rafts for combat vehicles and trucks up to MLC80 for tracked and MLC96 for wheeled vehicles.

Work will be performed in the General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas GmbH facilities in Kaiserslautern (Germany).

General Dynamics European Land Systems, head quarter in Vienna (Austria.) is a business unit of General Dynamics Corporation, and conducts its business through four European operating sites located in Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. With more than 3,250 highly skilled technical employees, General Dynamics European Land Systems companies design, manufacture and deliver to global customers Land Combat Systems, including wheeled, tracked, and amphibious vehicles, armaments and munitions.