English: Pictured is a UK M3 Amphibious Rig in Minden, Germany during a joint UK/German Bridging Operation.

The M3 (operated by a Corps of Royal Engineer crew) is climbing up the bank after crossing the river Wesser.

The M3 Amphibious Rig is a self-propelled amphibious bridging vehicle that is used for the passage of tanks and other vehicles across water obstacles.

The vehicle is operated by both UK and German armed forces.

The M3 is self-deployable by road, operating as a 4x4 wheeled vehicle with a maximum road speed of 50 mph.

It is driven into the water for amphibious operation, for which it deploys two large aluminium pontoons, unfolding them along the length of its hull.

In water, the M3 is propelled and steered by 2 fully traversable pump jets at speeds of up to 9mph.

The M3 amphibious rig can be driven into a river and used as a ferry or, when a number are joined together from bank to bank, as a bridge, capable of taking vehicles as heavy as the Challenger 2 main battle tank.

The M3 has a number of advantages over similar vehicles.

It can deploy pontoons on the move, in or out of water.

It needs no on-site preparation to enter the water.

It can be controlled from inside the cab when ‘swimming’

Its control functions have been automated allowing the crew to be reduced to three. A single two-bay M3 can carry a Class 70 tracked vehicle, where two M2s would have been required for this task with additional buoyancy bags.

Eight M3 units and 24 soldiers can build a 100m bridge in 30 minutes compared with 12 M2s, 48 soldiers and a construction time of 45 minutes.

• Organization: MOD
• Object Name: ADSL1704246_M3RIGS_342
• Supplemental Categories: Engineering Vehicles, Support, Vehicles, Equipment, Training, Army, People, NATO
• Keywords: River, Water, Landscape, Terrain, Sterring, Action, Driving, Moving, M3 Amphibious Bridging Vehicle, Bridge Laying, Engineering & Logistics Vehicles, Vehicle, Equipment, Location, RE, The Corps of Royal Engineers, Regiments, Army, Germany, Operations, Op, Training, International, Multinational, Interoperability, Partnering, River Bank
• Country: Germany