Military bridging has gotten complicated with all the different systems and capability requirements flying around engineer planning discussions. As someone who’s spent years studying how armies cross obstacles and talking to the engineers who build these bridges under fire, I learned everything there is to know about military assault bridging. Today, I will share it all with you.
Rivers, canals, and ravines have stopped armies throughout history—many campaigns have failed because commanders couldn’t get their forces across a water obstacle. Military bridge vehicles solve this problem by carrying and deploying spans that allow tanks and trucks to cross obstacles in minutes rather than days. These engineering marvels demonstrate military engineering at its most impressive.
The Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge
Probably should have led with this section, honestly. The M60 AVLB and its successor, the M104 Wolverine, carry and deploy tactical bridges from modified tank chassis. The M60 AVLB uses the M60 tank hull to carry a scissors-type bridge that unfolds to span gaps up to 60 feet—watching it deploy is actually pretty remarkable.
Deployment takes approximately three minutes under combat conditions. The vehicle approaches the obstacle, extends hydraulic arms that lift the folded bridge sections, and unfolds them across the gap. The bridge can support vehicles up to 70 tons—enough for any tank in the inventory. That’s what makes this capability so essential to armored operations.
The M104 Wolverine, built on the M1 Abrams chassis, improved on this concept with a longer 85-foot span and faster deployment. Its bridge uses an integral sliding mechanism rather than scissors folding, reducing mechanical complexity that could fail at the worst possible moment.
Heavy Assault Bridges
Some obstacles exceed what vehicle-launched bridges can span—rivers don’t always cooperate with tactical requirements. The M1977 Common Bridge Transporter carries sections of the Army’s Improved Ribbon Bridge and other heavy bridging equipment. These bridges can span gaps up to several hundred feet.
The Improved Ribbon Bridge uses aluminum pontoon sections that connect to form floating bridges across rivers. Sections can also be configured as ferries for transporting vehicles across water obstacles one load at a time. Engineer units can construct 100-meter bridges in under 30 minutes with practiced crews—impressive when you think about what’s actually being built.
Rapidly Emplaced Bridge Systems
The Joint Assault Bridge uses trailer-mounted spans that can be rapidly deployed by combat engineers. Unlike vehicle-launched bridges that require the launch vehicle to remain in place, these bridges free up the transporter for other missions once deployed—better use of limited engineer assets.
Medium Girder Bridge systems provide even more flexibility, with components that can be configured into various span lengths and load capacities depending on the specific situation. Engineer units can build customized bridges tailored to specific obstacles rather than being limited to fixed spans.
Combat Employment
Bridge vehicles operate at the front of advancing formations, their crews exposed to enemy fire while emplacing bridges that the rest of the force depends on. That’s what makes bridging such a dangerous mission. During Desert Storm, bridge vehicles enabled U.S. forces to cross Iraqi defensive obstacles that were supposed to channel attackers into kill zones. Instead, we went around and through.
In urban combat, bridge vehicles create routes through rubble-blocked streets or span damaged overpasses that would otherwise halt movement. Their flexibility makes them valuable well beyond traditional river-crossing missions—anywhere you need to get vehicles across an obstacle quickly.
Future Developments
The Army continues developing improved bridging systems with longer spans, higher load capacities, and faster deployment times. As vehicle weights increase with added armor and equipment—and they keep increasing—bridge capacity must keep pace. Modern bridging represents some of the most sophisticated engineering equipment in military inventories, and the engineers who build these bridges under fire are among the bravest soldiers on the battlefield.
