Royal Netherlands Army to receive new bridge erection boats

The Royal Netherlands Army has placed orders for new bridge erection boats (BEBs) to built by Birdon America. The vessels will be similar to the BEBs that Birdon has supplied to the armies of Australia, Brazil, and the United States.

Six BEBs are in the final stages of assembly and are scheduled for delivery to the Netherlands before the end of September 2024. This is the first of three delivery tranches that Birdon will complete during the 2024-2025 timeframe.

The primary mission of the 23- by 10-foot (seven- by three-metre) BEBs is to provide tactical float bridging and rafting operations worldwide. Each BEB is designed, built, and equipped to provide propulsion and manoeuvrable thrust to support floating bridges often made necessary when existing bridge crossings have been destroyed in conflict or by natural disasters.

In addition to the first tranche delivery, a full integrated logistics support package – including technical manuals and training programs – is nearing completion. Birdon will use this package to conduct training for the Netherlands Armed Forces to safely and effectively operate the BEBs.

The training is set to take place in the Netherlands in the first quarter of 2025.