Ukraine needs a lot of different equipment. For example, the French company CEFA won the tender to supply 16 mobile pontoon bridges EFA to Ukraine. This kind of machinery will soon be very important to this country.
French self-propelled pontoon bridge EFA. Image credit: Nécropotame via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 1.0)
Of course, this was not an official reason for ordering 16 self-propelled pontoon bridges, but these systems remind us that the defenders of Ukraine have established themselves on the left bank of the Dnipro River.
For several months now, Ukrainians have controlled a small patch of land near the destroyed Krynky village in the Kherson region. Ukrainian soldiers don’t have the ability to push forward there – they don’t have any armoured vehicles at all on that side of the river. But they did destroy a lot of Russian tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers there with drones and missiles.
A couple of days ago, the representative of the Southern Operational Command Nataliya Humeniuk confirmed that the Ukrainians have expanded the territory under their control on the left bank of the river Dnipro. Soon the bridgehead there might be strong enough to move tanks and other equipment to that side.
EFA was specially designed for tactical wet gap crossing in high intensity fight. Image credit: CEFA
Pontoon bridges are not placed in random locations because they immediately become targets. But who knows – perhaps after the creation of a good air defence shield and the deterioration of the Russian capabilities in that area, Ukrainian equipment will soon roll over such bridges across the Dnipro river in the Kherson region.
The Chaudronnerie et Forges d’Alsace company developed the self-propelled pontoon bridge Engin de Franchissement de l’Avant (EFA) back in 1989. EFA has been serving with the French forces since 1993. Ukraine will soon receive 16 such machines.
🇫🇷 The French company CEFA won the tender for the supply of 16 self-propelled pontoon bridges “EFA” for Ukraine.
👀 The special feature of “EFA” is the combination of the function of a pontoon bridge and an amphibious transporter. pic.twitter.com/y9SB41QM6r
— MAKS 23 🇺🇦🏆 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) January 31, 2024
EFA is not a self-propelled bridge layer that simply delivers and deploys a steel bridge. EFA is a self-propelled pontoon bridge that can also function as a ferry. This is important because it means that these machines can quickly complete the mission and leave the area, leaving the Russians with no target.
When operating as a ferry, EFA is 34.55m long, can carry loads of up to 70 tonnes and is ready for operation in less than 5 minutes. The M1A1 Abrams tank weighs around 57 tonnes. EFA can sail in either direction – this machine does not need to turn around.
You can make a strong 100-metre bridge by connecting four EFA machines. Such a bridge is created in less than 10 minutes and even very heavy equipment can roll over it without a problem.
The Twitter page Maks 23 reports that Ukraine will receive a total of 16 EFA self-propelled bridges. These are used French machines, which means they can be transferred to Ukraine quite quickly. It is easy to imagine EFA bridges quickly moving equipment across the Dnipro River and retreating before Russian drones and missiles arrive. Perhaps the Russians on the left bank of the Dnipro will soon be surprised to meet Ukrainian tanks.
Written by Povilas M.
Sources: MAKS 23 Twitter, Wikipedia