Notes: When you
first look at the EFA, it looks like some sort of armored bus.
This French bridging vehicle is similar in concept to the older DCAN PAA
(c.f.). The EFA is used by France;
the United Emirates uses a version with a more powerful engine called EFA X1.
The EFA was designed to replace the Gillois system previously used by the French
Army; this was more of a pontoon-bridge system than a mobile
ferry/pontoon/bridge that the EFA is.
The EFA was selected in 1987 over a competing DCAN design, and the first
EFAs were delivered in 1992.
It is a flat,
boxlike vehicle that may be used as a floating bridge, or by the vehicle resting
on the bottom of the body of water. It may also be used as a ferry.
The EFA may carry or support 70 tons (as a bridge) or 90 tons (as a
ferry, in water only). It may be
used in rivers with currents of up to 3 meters per second.
The unit is driven in water by water jets, unless the water is shallow
enough that the EFA can be driven on the floor of the body of the water.
Another way the EFA can be deployed is to anchor them to the bed and use
them as the basis for pontoon bridges. After going into the water, the ends of
the vehicle fold down to form ramps, and a potential ferry surface of 38x4
meters. When bridging, air bladders are charged to provide floats; there are two
large floats on each side. (Needless to say, the EFA has four integral
heavy-duty air compressors.) One EFA may bridge a span of 33.6 meters or provide
a ferry surface of 34.55 meters. Ramps are dropped on either end to allow
embarkation of vehicles and troops. It takes six minutes to go from ferry to
traveling configuration and vice versa.
Though the EFA does have two anchors, it is not meant for swiftly-flowing
water. The EFA can make up to 10-12
crossings per hour of a river or lake 100 meters wide. Several EFAs can be
linked together to form a long bridge if required; up to six EFAs may be linked
in such a manner.
The crew is in
the front cab of the vehicle, and operate their ferry by the use of CCTVs and
remote linkages. There is a driver,
commander, and two bridge operators; there are large ballistic windows on the
front and sides and doors on either side of the cab.
There are no defenses other than its own minimal armor and the crews'
small arms. The 730-horsepower
Baudouin turbocharged engine gives it decent power, as the EFA is as heavy as
some tanks. The EFA is climate-controlled and has NBC Overpressure, and has a
bilge pump. The vehicle has central tire pressure control and all-wheel
steering. Construction is primarily of aluminum, with all components sealed
against water and pressure. UAE EFA X1s are powered by a German MTU diesel, with
a capacity of 760 horsepower. The EFA may drive in reverse as fast as forward.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
EFA |
$635,180 |
D, A |
459 kg |
43 tons |
4 |
27 |
Headlights |
Shielded |
EFA X1 |
$640,062 |
D, A |
459 kg |
43.05 tons |
4 |
27 |
Headlights |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config* |
Susp |
Armor |
EFA |
180/49 |
50/12/6 |
825 |
269 |
CiH |
W(2) |
TF4 TS4
TR4 HF5
HS5 HR5 |
EFA X1 |
203/50 |
56/14/8 |
825 |
275 |
CiH |
W(2) |
TF4 TS4
TR4 HF5
HS5 HR5 |
*The “turret” for this vehicle is the flotation gear, air compressors, and
ramps. No personnel hits are
possible and are considered misses.
DCAN PAA
Notes:
The DCAN PAA is a self-propelled bridging vehicle designed by France
specifically for that purpose instead being modified from an existing vehicle.
It is one of the predecessors of the EFA above. They were replaced in production
by the CEFA EFA in the late 1990s, but continue in service in the French Army.
No one else uses the PAA.
The PAA is
divided into three watertight sections, separated by bulkheads.
The front is the crew compartment with the driver and commander/bridge
operator. He works with four
day/night CCTVs which are rotatable. The compartment has air conditioning and
heating as well as NBC Overpressure. The engine is in the center for balance
purposes; it has an electric generator which engages as soon as the water in the
compartment reaches a certain level. The rear compartment contains the fuel
tanks, which also act as ballast.
The driver is on
the left and the commander/bridge operator is on the right. The driver has
conventional controls and an automatic transmission. The vehicle’s bridging
system operates similar to the EFA, above. The bridge/ferry area is 3.05 meters
wide, but can be increased to 3.55 meters by use of folding panels. The PAA can
span by itself a width of 20.63 meters.
Up to two may work together to span or ferry a large gap, up to 40
meters.
The PAA consists
of a boxlike watertight hull of light alloy construction with a folding
four-section bridge on top. The
operator of the bridge can choose to leave the vehicle in place under the
bridge, or unfold the bridge and withdraw.
The bridge supports 40 tons of vehicles traveling at full speed, or 45
tons of vehicles traveling at half speed.
Two of these vehicles can be combined to cross a gap 40 meters wide.
The vehicle essentially bottoms itself out, providing a starting step to
the vehicles above. This is useful
for waters or trenches with steep, wide sides.
The wheels do not support the PAA in this case -- hard shoes extend
instead. The engine is a Deutz
Diesel 300-horsepower engine, which leads to one reason it is being replaced --
it's slow cross-country speed and crossing speed.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$111,636 |
D, A |
407 kg |
34.5 tons |
2 |
23 |
Headlights |
Shielded |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config* |
Susp |
Armor |
130/32 |
36/9/1 |
695 |
109 |
CiH |
W(2) |
TF4 TS4
TR4 HF4
HS4 HR4 |
*The “turret” for this vehicle are the flotation gear, air compressors, and
ramps. No personnel hits are
possible, and considered misses.
Notes:
This French vehicle is the repair vehicle variant of the 6x6 VAB armored
personnel carrier. France, Central
African Republic, Cyprus, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Mauritius, Morocco, Oman, Qatar,
and United Arab Emirates use the VAB Echelon.
In this role,
the VAB is fitted with 6-ton capacity crane and a front-mounted 7-ton capacity
winch that has 60 meters of cable.
The cargo compartment is large and open inside (without the central post of the
standard VAB), to better carry bulky equipment.
There are two large roof hatches on the rear deck, a commander's hatch on
the right side of the front deck, and a driver's hatch on the left of the front
deck. On each side, there are three
windows with an armored shutter; however, these windows do not include firing
ports. Other equipment included
with the vehicle is: a welding kit, a 5 kW generator, machinist tools, a hand
drill, a manual hoist, a workbench, vises, and a full tool kit.
A tent can be erected at the rear to give more workspace, and another one
can be erected over the rear compartment.
The VAB Echelon also typically carries a 5-meter ladder and two 5-meter
bridging sections. A small computer
with a repair and recovery database and small parts and equipment are carried in
myriad small and large drawers, as well as boxes and bins and under-seat
compartments. The VAB Echelon also
has a 40-liter drinking water tank, used for both drinking and heating rations.
Three armament
options are available for the VAB Echelon: a cupola with a pintle-mounted
weapon, a turret with a light machinegun, and a turret with a heavy machinegun.
Most of the vehicle is given over to storage of tools and parts; there is
only a narrow tunnel from the driver's and commander's positions and the
right-side door. The other
crewmembers have just enough space to sit down, and exit through roof hatches.
Most Echelons have been upgraded with GPS and a BMS (FINDERS).
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
VAB Echelon VTT |
$755,017 |
D, A |
2.74 tons |
14 tons |
4 |
15 |
Passive IR (D) |
Shielded |
VAB Echelon VMO |
$765,377 |
D, A |
2.74 tons |
14.3 tons |
4 |
15 |
Passive IR (D) |
Shielded |
VAB Echelon VII |
$765,576 |
D, A |
2.4 tons |
14.6 tons |
4 |
15 |
Passive IR (D) |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
VAB Echelon |
144/73 |
40/20/7 |
310 |
81 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF6 HS4
HR3 |
VAB Echelon VMO |
142/72 |
40/20/7 |
310 |
81 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF7 TS4
TR4 HF6
HS5 HR5 |
VAB Echelon VII |
140/71 |
39/20/7 |
310 |
81 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF7 TS4
TR4 HF6
HS5 HR5 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
VAB Echelon VTT |
None |
None |
AAT-F1 (C) |
1500x7.62mm |
VAB Echelon VMO |
+1 |
Basic |
AAT-F1 |
2000x7.62mm |
VAB Echelon VII |
+1 |
Basic |
M-2HB |
1500x.50 |