On behalf of Germany and the United Kingdom, OCCAR has been leading since late 2025 the Wet Gap Crossing (WWGC) program to develop and procure a modern floating bridge system based on the M3 Evo amphibious system. Under OCCAR’s leadership, representatives of the user requirements and industry, within the framework of a Preliminary Design Review (PDR), assessed the maturity of the system’s design and defined the way forward. This review strengthened confidence in the WWGC program’s technical direction and provides a solid foundation for the forthcoming work toward the pivotal Critical Design Review.
With the achievement of this first milestone in strengthening military mobility and interoperability, it was decided to commence detailed planning to support progress toward the Critical Design Review (CDR).
Floating Rapid Bridge System 2 (SSB 2)
The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag, with its approval on 8 October 2025, cleared the way for the development and procurement of the future floating bridge system. Floating Rapid Bridge 2 (SSB 2) will be developed by General Dynamics European Land Systems – Bridge Systems (GDELS-BS) under the designation M3 EVO. Up to 2036, 66 systems are planned. The funding requirement amounts to 488 million euros.
After the Critical Design Review, planned for March 2027, the three qualification samples for Germany are expected in the first half of 2029. Serial production is to begin in mid-2031. With an annual production rate of more than ten systems, the last two M3 EVO are expected to reach the troops by 2036.
German-British Pioneer Bridging Battalion 130
Germany and the United Kingdom operate in the German-British Pioneer Bridging Battalion 130 in Minden 30 German and ten British M3 amphibious vehicles. The end of the bridging system’s service life will be reached in 2035. Since 2022, the two nations have been seeking a solution for the future floating bridge system within the Wide Wet Gap Crossing (WWGC) program and have tasked OCCAR with the execution.
Author: Gerhard Heiming, Defense Economy Editor
