As the December 2004 Tsunami demonstrated so dramatically and tragically, the loss of bridges poses critical problems to emergency relief operations. With bridges down, it is simply impossible to move supplies and people in quantity and at speed.
WFEL, the British trusted supplier of military bridging to almost 40 different armed forces across the globe, has proven that its range of world leading bridging systems can be deployed easily and rapidly to where they are most needed These innovative bridges come to IDEX of this year in Abu Dhabi.
The M-18 Dry Support Bridge (DSB) - used as main highway in Iraq following ongoing military operations in 2003 - can be deployed by eight soldiers across a 46 metre gap in just over an hour, according to IDEX daily news service.
As the longest non-reinforced bridge in its class anywhere in the world, the DSB can withstand a capacity of MLC 80 (T) / MLC 100 (W) at 40m and MLC80(T) / MLC 96(W) at 46m and has a width of 4.3 metres.
Capable of supporting 35 tonne trucks, relief convoys can start rolling immediately with the Air Portable Ferry Bridge (APFB) which is transportable anywhere in the world by military C-130 Hercules or civilian cargo aircraft.
Rapid response teams belonging to any army, government department, relief agency or NGO with the necessary resources could deploy the APFB from a centralised or regional depot stock to anywhere in the world within 48 hours.
The adaptability of WFEL bridges, with options of mounting on a floating platform or adding handrails and kerbs to raise driver awareness has made them an ideal choice for emergency relief operations the world over.
By its very nature bridging is a key technology not only for military operations but for disaster relief. The proven engineering excellence, quality and support offered by WFEL makes their products a trusted ally to those who use them.
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