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Abbreviations


 

British Army - Royal Engineers Medium Girder Bridge (MGB) -Class 16 Airportable Bridge - Armed Forces - a8a7

THE ROYAL ENGINEERS

MEDIUM GIRDER BRIDGE (MGB)

CLASS 16 AIRPORTABLE BRIDGE




MEDIUM GIRDER BRIDGE

The MGB is a simple system of lightweight components that can be easily manhandled, to construct a bridge capable of taking the heaviest AFVs. Two MGBs are held by the Bridging Troop in the Support Squadron of a Divisional Engineer Regiment.

Single Span Bridge - 30 m long which can be built by about 25 men in 45 minutes.

Multi-Span Bridge - a combination of 26.5 m spans: a 2-span bridge will cross a 51m gap and a 3-span bridge a 76 m gap. If necessary, MGB pontoons can be also be joined together to form a ferry.

During late 1994, a team from 35 Engineer Regiment set a new world record by building a single-storey 9-metre bridge in 10 minutes and 34 seconds.

The manufacturer Williams Fairey claims that the MGB is in service with 35 nations worldwide. MGB is due to be replaced by the BR90 system (although some MGB will be retained for certain operational requirements).



CLASS 16 AIRPORTABLE BRIDGE

A much lighter bridge than the MGB, the Class 16 can be carried assembled under a Chinook helicopter or in 3 x 3/4 ton vehicles with trailers.

A 15 m bridge can be constructed by 15 men in 20 minutes.

The Class 16 can also be made into a ferry which is capable of carrying the heaviest AFVs.

In the near future the British Army will replace the Class 16 bridge with the Future Light Bridge (FLB) systems. This bridge will also be capable of being used as a ferry.