In an important step towards strengthening NATO capabilities and deepening bilateral defence cooperation, Germany and the United Kingdom have announced that they will jointly procure a new generation of rapidly deployable floating bridges. The German army (Bundeswehr) shared the details of this critical joint project with the public on Thursday.
Increasing Military Mobility with Advanced Bridge Systems
These vehicles, to be built by General Dynamics European Land Systems and called Schwimmschnellbrücke 2 (Fast Floating Bridge 2) in Germany, are known as the TRITON project in the United Kingdom. These four-wheel drive, self-propelled vehicles are designed to be used as ferries to rapidly connect bodies of water or to transport heavy equipment from one shore to another.
The Bundeswehr has announced that these new systems, procured under a bilateral project officially named “Wide Wet Crossing”, will replace the existing German M3 bridge and ferry systems and existing folding bridges. It is stated that the new equipment will have better off-road capability and manoeuvrability than its predecessors. In addition, the new system will be fully integrated and compatible with both the existing equipment of partner countries and the pontoon family of temporary bridges used by NATO countries.
NATO Role and Deepening German-British Cooperation
The new floating bridges will be deployed to the 130th Anglo-German Multinational Pioneer Bridge Battalion based in Minden, Germany, which plays a vital role for NATO. The procurement is being carried out through the Organisation for Cooperation on Common Armaments (OCCAR), an intergovernmental organisation established to facilitate multilateral defence procurement.
According to a statement from the Bundeswehr’s material office, the procurement was made “in order to strengthen German-British co-operation” It is being carried out jointly by Berlin and London. Germany will pay 53 million euros (about $61 million) for the bridges and will have the option to order an additional 331 million euros (about $383 million). The total amount of additional contracts related to procurement was announced as 104 million euros (approximately 120 million dollars).
This partnership continues a trend since the Russian invasion of Ukraine for the UK to re-establish a strong relationship with mainland Europe. The procurement follows recent agreements such as the UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement signed in October 2024 and the Letter of Intent confirming bilateral defence cooperation signed in April 2025. This co-operation demonstrates both countries’ commitment to European security and their focus on enhancing intra-alliance capabilities within NATO.
