General Dynamics European Land Systems-Bridge Systems will deliver four PYTHON bridge systems to Georgia as part of the “Enable and Enhance Initiative” set up by the Federal Government of Germany. PYTHON has been developed as a rapidly emplaced bridge for light and medium-weight forces. Each bridge is mounted along with its launcher on an 8×8 carrier truck with palletized load system. The four systems are to be delivered within the next two years. The “Enable and Enhance Initiative” aims at investing in the civil and military security sectors of countries threatened by crisis, and thus at strengthening their ability to prevent and manage latent conflicts.
The PYTHON is made from aluminum, a light dry-gap bridge which provides tactical gap crossing capability for light and medium size mechanized combat units. PYTHON allows the crossing of unprepared gaps of up to 13 m for wheeled and tracked vehicles. PYTHON has a loading capacity of up to MLC 50, with its light aluminum frame ensuring tactical gap crossing for the vast majority of mechanized tracked and wheeled platforms. The bridges have performed successfully in various and different combat theaters since 2009. This experience was the key to linking customer needs with a real combat environment, enabling us to offer robust, customized and realistic solutions.
Its robust aluminum structure also offers tactical deployability as the light and modular design can be transported by air or by any 10/15 ton PLS-Truck or medium armored platform. The combat experience has enabled us to design realistic solutions which are simple to operate and need just two staff. General Dynamics European Land Systems also offer an automated launching kit (ABLK – Adaptable Bridge Launching Kit) which contributes to protecting the crew during launches and retrievals, and includes: transport/launching pallets, launcher and launch boom, hydraulic system, electrical control system, and a diesel/electric power source. All of this contributes to moderate life cycle costs.
General Dynamics European Land Systems is a Europe based business unit of General Dynamics Corporation. Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, General Dynamics European Land Systems is led by Antonio Bueno. While General Dynamics European Land Systems was established as the European arm of General Dynamics in 2003, its roots in global defense go back more than 470 years. The first company the group acquired in Europe, Santa Bárbara Sistemas (Spain) in July 2001, is recognized as one of the oldest weapons manufacturers in the world. Motorenwagenfabrik MOWAG (Switzerland) was established in 1950 and made its name internationally as a leading manufacturer of troop carriers and other specialized vehicles.Foremost among these is the PIRANHA family, the most successful Western wheeled armored vehicle ever, which is now operated by more than 20 armies worldwide. MOWAG became part of GDELS in July 2004.
