General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) formally handed over the first amphibious bridge and ferry system M3 to the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency in Kaiserslautern on Wednesday. The initial delivery thus took place just under a year after the contract was awarded in November 2025.
Norway had decided to procure the M3 as the sixth NATO member state and as the third member of the Nordic Defence Cooperation NORDEFCO. The amphibious system, which is also used by the German Bundeswehr, is, according to the manufacturer, the NATO’s fastest bridging asset. It can be deployed as a floating bridge or in ferry operations to transport all vehicle types, including heavy battle tanks, and can also overcome wide water obstacles, so-called ‘wide wet gaps’.
GDELS has also already delivered the M3 to Sweden
Interoperability among the M3 user states as well as with the widely used pontoon bridge systems SRB/FSB/IRB is, according to GDELS, a major advantage. The procurement by the Nordic alliance partners underscores the M3’s suitability for all climates and even demanding topographical conditions. Among others, the neighboring country Sweden has procured the system. It received its first amphibious M3 almost exactly two years ago at the same site.
In total, the Swedish Armed Forces ordered four lots and will thus become, alongside Germany and the United Kingdom, one of the largest users. The two latter NATO partners operate the system with the German-British Pioneer Bridging Battalion 130 in Minden. Additionally, the M3 is also used by the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Brazil, and South Korea.
