Robot Bridge Contract

March 6, 2006 (Cambridge, MA) – TIAX today announced that it has been awarded a Phase II contract by the U.S. Army to design, develop, and build a prototype of a next generation robotic military bridge for the Army’s Future Combat Systems (FCS). TIAX created initial designs for the bridge under a Phase I contract awarded in 2005.

Mobile bridges, or GDTs (Gap Defeating Technologies) as they are known in the military, are essential for land-based operations, but the current designs are bulky, difficult to transport, and require manual assistance during launch and retrieval.

TIAX plans to develop a design for a lightweight, compact, and fully-automated bridge that does not have to be manually launched and retrieved. The bridge will be built using lightweight materials, yet will be sturdy enough to support the weight of tanks and weaponry, carrying at least 30 tons across gaps that span more than 14 meters.

TIAX Awarded Contract to Build Scale Model of Robotic Military Bridge