GDELS displays Anaconda tactical bridge-laying system on Rheinmetall MAN HX 8x8 chassis.

General Dynamics European Land Systems – Bridge Systems (GDELS) and Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) have presented the Anaconda tactical bridge-laying system at the 5th User Forum Armament and Utilization – RÜ.NET 2023 in Koblenz, Germany. The system integrates advanced bridge-laying mechanisms with the high-mobility 8x8 HX2 carrier vehicle.
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ANACONDA tactical bridge-laying system. (Picture source: GDELS )

The Anaconda has been in service since 1973 and is utilized by more than 10 armies worldwide. Certified for Military Load Classification (MLC) 80+ payloads, it is compatible with a range of NATO Main Battle Tanks, including the Leopard 2, M1A2 Abrams, and Challenger 2. The Anaconda from GDELS is the latest version of the well-known Biber (“beaver”) bridge, over 300 of which have been built for the Bundeswehr, Germany’s NATO partners and other export customers The Anaconda can be launched and retrieved from various wheeled and tracked platforms. With over 30 years of operational use, including in combat zones, the system is recognized for its reliability and its capability for gap crossings.

The Anaconda system employs Rheinmetall's HX family of tactical trucks, providing benefits in interoperability. These trucks are currently in service with multiple armed forces around the globe, facilitating a degree of standardized usage. The standardization aids in reducing the system’s lifecycle costs by simplifying training, maintenance, and spare parts logistics. The basic version of the HX 8x8 weighs 28 tons and is designed for challenging military conditions.

The HX 8x8's suspension system, improved with long, wear-free, rubber-mounted springs, large shock absorbers, and stabilizers, complements the Anaconda's bridge-laying capabilities. The HX vehicles can serve diverse military roles, ranging from cargo and troop transport to heavy equipment towing, with gross train weights up to 120 tons.

The HX/HX2 truck ranges combine a militarized commercial drivetrain and chassis with a new updated version of a modular army-specific cabin. The HX/HX2 ranges are based on chassis and transmission components from MAN's TG WorldWide commercial heavy-duty truck range, which was first introduced in 2000.