Denmark Procures KNDS LEGUAN Wheeled Bridge-Layer Systems
The Danish Procurement Agency (DALO) has awarded KNDS Deutschland (KNDS) a contract to supply three latest-generation LEGUAN bridge layers mounted on a TATRA 10x10 wheeled chassis. In addition to the TATRA chassis converted by KNDS for laying LEGUAN bridges, the contract also includes a logistics package and special tools.
The order volume is around EUR 33 million. The implementation of this order with the TATRA 10x10 wheeled vehicle chassis underlines the very close cooperation between KNDS Deutschland and the Czech company TATRA DEFENCE VEHICLE.
The contract also includes an option for training equipment and three additional wheeled bridge layers and LEGUAN bridge sets worth EUR 25 million. A decision on this is expected in 2026.
It is a vehicle with a 10x10 chassis, powered by a 340 kW Paccar diesel engine that complies with the Euro 3 emission standard. The vehicle is equipped with an armored cabin, whose level of protection against ballistic and explosive threats complies with the STANAG 4569 Level 3 alliance standard. The operating weight is 35 tons, the vehicle reaches a speed of 90 km/h and offers a maximum range of 800 km. In addition to the standard Leguan bridge, which is 26 m long and can bridge an obstacle 24 m wide, a shorter 14 m version of the bridge can also be used, allowing obstacles 12 m wide to be crossed. It is also noteworthy that when using the shorter bridge, the Tatra Phoenix 10x10 vehicle can transport two units. Laying or reloading the longer version of the bridge takes 8 minutes and only 4 minutes for the shorter bridge, with the two-member crew remaining under the protection of the armored cabin.
The contract also contains an opening clause allowing other Scandinavian nations to join. For Denmark, which already operates the LEGUAN on a LEOPARD 2 chassis, this system is the first wheeled vehicle capable of laying LEGUAN bridges.
LEGUAN bridge complex
One of the great advantages of the LEGUAN bridge complex is that it can be installed on a wide variety of platforms. The basic version uses the Leopard 2A8 tank chassis, but the LEGUAN bridge system can also be mounted on other tracked armored vehicles or even on automotive chassis. This has undoubtedly contributed to the fact that it is now virtually the standard NATO bridge system, as it has been adopted by eleven alliance armies, including the U.S. Army. In European countries, it is most often mounted on a Leopard 2 or Leopard 1 chassis, while the U.S. Army has opted for its own M1 Abrams tank chassis, resulting in the M104 Wolverine bridge tank. Another interesting case is Finland, where some of the LEGUAN complexes are mounted on Sisu truck chassis, while in Singapore, MAN vehicles are used for this purpose.
