Resuming the Next Tactical Bridge Project After 17 Years

Recovery Vehicle and Bridge Vehicle

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The next tactical bridge project is being reinitiated after 17 years. Tactical bridges are temporary bridges installed when bridges are destroyed during wartime, essential equipment for moving military supplies and troops.

According to the military on the 23rd, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held a subcommittee meeting on the 20th and made a final decision to lower the Required Operational Capability (ROC) and develop the bridge domestically. The next tactical bridge project was promoted in 2003 at the request of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. At that time, the JCS set the bridge length ROC at 60 meters. The military set the ROC at 60 meters based on the expected range of bridge damage during wartime by the ROK-US Combined Forces Command.

However, after domestic defense companies failed to develop a 60-meter bridge, the ROC was lowered, and Block-I will be developed with a length of 44 meters, and Block-II with 52 meters. DAPA plans to start the project in 2022 after conducting a feasibility study next year.

Initially, based on preliminary research results from the Army Academy Hwarangdae Research Institute, DAPA selected a domestic defense company as the developer in 2007. According to the plan at that time, the domestic defense company was supposed to complete development by December 2013. However, defects occurred during six test evaluations conducted from 2009 to June 2013, and ultimately, the bridge installation development failed. Related organizations, including the Defense Technology Quality Institute, also held technical review committees and concluded that domestic development was difficult.

There are five defense companies overseas producing tactical bridges. Representative companies are from the UK (BAE Systems, WFEL), Sweden (Kockums), Germany (Cassidian), and Israel (IMI). The lengths of their bridges are 52m, 49m, 56m, 46m, and 62m, respectively.