Stockport-based WFEL Ltd (www.wfel.com), a global leader in tactical military bridges, supplying over 40 armed forces around the world for more than 40 years, has been awarded another contract by the US Department of Defense to upgrade a further tranche of DSB dry support bridges already in-service with the US Army.

This contract allows 20 more DSBs to be enhanced, increasing gap-crossing capabilities from 40 to 46m and the deal follows on from a previous US Army contract for the upgrading of 60 DSBs.

The US Army holds around 120 DSBs in inventory and this upgrade package — developed with US Army Tank Automotive Command Centre (TACOM) - allows its original 40m DSBs to achieve the new standard capability.

Since 2013, all WFEL DSBs supplied have been 46m variants. Already adopted by Australia, Switzerland and Turkey, this military bridging solution has recently been evaluated under an Assessment Phase contract as a replacement for the UK MoD’s ageing BR90 bridging systems.

WFEL’s managing director Ian Anderton said “We are continually working with our US Army customer to ensure all their DSB bridging equipment is fulfilling its maximum potential and the simplicity of these upgrade kits allows the DSB enhancement work to be carried out at the US Army’s facilities, with minimal disruption.”

WFEL recently supplied a further four DSBs to the US Army, as part of the USA’s $4.8 billion European Deterrence Initiative to improve the USA’s readiness and responsiveness of NATO forces in Europe.

DSBs have been used in combat and emergency scenarios world-wide, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Europe and South Korea.