Bailey bridge installation – Danseys Pass, Waitaki District

The marvels of modern military engineering, finding their way into the civilian world far and wide

Bridge 66 carrying Danseys Pass Road over the Maerewhenua River was lost during flooding in June 2013.

Waitaki District Council asked the NZ Transport Agency to install a temporary Bailey bridge. This was done by Downer NZ, the Transport Agency’s Bailey bridge services contractor, in July 2013.

And another, not in New Zealand

Workers from the Washington State Department of Transportation quickly build a bailey bridge over the flood-ravaged banks of the Chehalis River, which reached record levels on Dec. 3, 2007, and ripped out concrete spans that were in place.

 

Read more at the links

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/network/maintaining/management/bailey-bridge.html

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2012/01/uk-military-bridging-equipment-the-bailey-bridge/

 

Would it be wrong to laugh?

Dear US Navy,

Really?

H/T El Sid

We are not drones

You all know I think the word ‘drone’ is almost as bad as ‘warfighter’

This is a good piece on the subject from the official magazine of the US Air Force

Well worth a read

http://airman.dodlive.mil/2013/10/we-are-not-drones/

 

The Vigor Offshore Patrol Craft

Read about this  on G Captain this morning

Will Ulstein’s X-Bow Be Incorporated into the Next Generation of US Coast Guard Cutters?

Vigor Industrial, and of course Ulstein certainly hope so.  They’ve been working together for the past two years to come up with a new Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) design that would replace the aging Reliance and Famous– class of medium endurance US Coast Guard cutters.  Those ships have seen active service in since the 1960s and 1980′s respectively.

We have looked at the Ulstein X Bow a few times in the past and I am actually in the middle of re writing the SIMSS series of posts with new and updated information.

Click here to read more at the Vigor web site and here for the brochure.

Click to enlarge

https://www.flickr.com/photos/73614187@N03/8003938536/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/73614187@N03/8003937595/

 

Seems to me it has obvious synergies with the MHPC programme

BAE Systems Ground Combat Vehicle

Its not really UK related and therefore slightly outside of the remit of Think Defence but still interesting nevertheless, even though the future of the GCV programme seems uncertain.

BAE have released a few images of their solution…

BAE Systems Ground Combat Vehicle

 

Click to enlarge

Want that one

This is a video of the 30mm Viper Gun System from Noble, featuring the ATK 30mm M230LF cannon, a link feed derivative of the M23o chain gun as used on the Apache helicopter.

It is a serious firepower uplift from a .50cal Heavy Machine Gun and features on the Ranger vehicle from Universal Engineering.

No Doors!

Why can’t UK television programmes run reports like this?

Some of the reporting on the minimum ranges of the mortar and ammunition compatibility were somewhat wide of the mark but this is pretty hard hitting stuff and shows what can happen when access to information and acquisition officials (without a PR minder) is given.

Putting aside the actual technical issues (its a US programme) but what do you think of the report style and substance; are we too tame in the UK, not technically able, too restricted by information/personnel access or just not interested enough to do something like this?

How would the MoD react?

H/T Solomon

Fancy a Job Frank?

Taking the F35’s problems aside for a moment, have a look at this clip from the US Armed Forces Sub Committee during which Congressman Frank LoBiondo goes off script and switches RANT MODE on for a few minutes.

Compare and contrast to the House of Commons Defence Select Committee.

With the MoD currently living in denial about several major equipment programmes perhaps we need more of Frank and less of James.

H/T ELP