The PFM (Pont Flottant Motorisé) is a solution dedicated to continuous or discontinuous crossing of wet gaps for MLC 70 class vehicles (according to STANAG 2021 standards). With two possible configurations, bridge and ferry, the PFM offers a sure tactical advantage: it can be deployed easily, in a short time and with a minimum of men; it does not need auxiliary boats and enjoys recognized reliability on land. The implementation performance of the PFM remains unmatched today. It is a robust and reliable system, with the highest operational capabilities. Each section includes two outboard engines, making the system perfectly autonomous on water. The system does not require support from any tugboats.
The PFM offers a certain tactical advantage: it can be easily deployed in record time (13′ for a 100m long bridge) with a minimum number of personnel and without auxiliary equipment. Based on a rugged design, it is reliable on the field and requires very little maintenance. The Motorized Floating Bridge offers exceptional adaptability to banks up to a height of 1.80m, without the need for reconfiguration (natural bank adaptability). The PFM is composed of two main parts: the floating modules and the end ramps. There is no restriction on the number of assembled modules. The floating module has a length of 10 m, a total width of 10.20 m, a track width of 4 m and a height of 1.3 m. It basically consists of a central box, two side boxes and two ballasts.
The PFM has excellent mobility: the vehicles transporting the bridge modules are suited to work in difficult terrain (sand, mud). The PFM is deployable on all means of transport (roads, railways, maritime or by air), ensuring rapid intervention in case of crisis. The bridge modules are autonomous and motorized. They can be assembled easily and quickly owing to 360° maneuverability. Each section can be deployed by a reduced staff of four people and doesn’t need any erection boat. Each 10 meters-long module is powered by two Yamaha 3-cylinders engines, developing a power of 75 hp each (55,2 Kw) and has 360° orientation capability. The ramp section is powered by a single Bernard BM07-11/1520 mono-cylinder engine, developing a power of 3 hp (2.2 Kw).
The PFM has been in active service with the French army and several foreign armies, including the Swiss, Italian and Malaysian service for many years now. With this new version of the PFM, CNIM offers equipment best suited to crossing requirements worldwide: reliable, robust, easy to implement. The first modified equipment will be delivered to the Army in mid-2019. Fast to deploy and providing natural bank adaptability, the PFM is also extremely easy to use, as it doesn’t require any additional equipment (e.g. auxiliary boats, cranes…) for its deployment.
