Swedish Defence Materiel Administration orders bridge erection boats from US builder

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, on behalf of the Swedish Armed Forces, 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.

The Swedish BEBs will be variants of the latest model currently in production by Birdon for the Royal Netherlands Army, with custom modifications ensuring the vessels meet in-country safety and legislation requirements.

Each Swedish BEB will feature a dual electric winch for faster coupling, increased operator efficiency, and safer operations, while a reinforced ice bow enables further extreme cold weather capability. A new quick launch system allows for rapid deployment, and high operational availability is achieved through reduced maintenance and downtime upgrades.

In its primary mission mode, the BEB will provide propulsion, thrust, and stabilisation to support worldwide tactical float bridging and rafting operations. It is specifically designed to provide high thrust and operate in high particulate matter environments including in fresh, brackish, and seawater.

All functions of the BEB can be performed by a two-person crew. The unique and flexible design allows it integrate with most customer-specific transport systems.

The first Swedish BEBs will be delivered by February 2025.