Challenge

Brazil has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and a population three times the size of the UK. The Brazilian Army – the second largest in the Americas – needed an emergency bridging solution for deployment to strategic locations across the country ready to be brought into service at very short notice in case of civil emergencies such as landslides and floods. Crucially, the Brazilian Army was looking for a supply partner that could offer not just a bridging solution that delivers flexibility, strength and durability, but a full support package, including after-sales and enhanced training.

Solution

Mabey enjoys strong relationships with military forces across the world, for whom the Logistic Support Bridge (LSB) is not just the Line of Communications Bridge, but also a valuable contingency solution for domestic emergencies. As well as its use on military deployments, the LSB is increasingly relied upon for emergency use by military forces within their own countries. The LSB can be used to replace weakened or damaged civilian bridges, upgrade routes for heavier traffic, and provide a multi-span floating bridge capability. The LSB is an ideal contingency bridging system because it can be deployed with ease and disassembled for storage or reuse.

The LSB is in service with the British, Swedish and Spanish armies, and has been purchased by many NATO and other European nations’ forces including the Swiss, Portuguese and Danish armies.

Following previous very positive experience of an initial purchase of LSB in 2009, the Brazilian Army’s Department of Engineering and Construction (DEC) placed an order for additional LSB in four scheduled deliveries as part of Project Multiplication Capacity. These new bridges and ramp sets would be distributed to eight Army commands within the country and would quadruple the amount of LSB in the country. The second scheduled delivery of eight bridges and ramp sets took place in August 2013.

In addition to the logistical and construction expertise to ensure smooth delivery to the Brazilian Army, the company also offers a full training and support package delivered by experienced former military instructors at client sites. During September 2014, a delegation of 22 officers from the Brazilian Army’s Department of Engineering and Construction visited the company’s manufacturing facilities as part of a training exercise to support the purchase of LSBs. The visit included a trip to the Royal School of Military Engineering, where the group were shown how the Royal Engineers conduct their bridging and other combat engineer training. The group also visited a galvanising plant to see at first-hand how the environmental protection is applied.

Result

The Mabey LSB being delivered in four stages will quadruple the military bridging capacity of the Brazilian Army and will be used to support civilian emergencies wherever they occur throughout the country. A stock of LSB will be held in each of the regions of Rio de Janeiro, Teresina, Cachoeira do Sul, Porto Velho, Porto União, Natal, Aquidauana and Ipameri. By locating the stocks closer to the communities where they may be needed, the Brazilian Army will be able to react very quickly to any emergency.

Familiarisation training in construction and manufacturing processes was delivered by Mabey Bridge at its manufacturing facilities in the UK. This will be followed later this year by specially tailored detailed training packages to be delivered in each of the regions. The Brazilian Army will be fully competent in the construction and deployment of its enhanced bridging capability and will be a potent force ready and able to tackle emergency challenges as they arise.