The DRDO Sarvatra also known as Sarvatra Multi-span Mobile Bridge System is a truck-mounted, multi-span, mobile bridging system developed by Armament and Combat Engineering Systems (ACE) and
Research and Development Establishment
Research & Development Establishment (Engineers) (R&DE(E) or R&DE(Engrs)) is a laboratory of the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO). Located in Pune, Maharashtra, India. its primary function is development of mobility equipment ...
(R&DE) Engineers of
Defence Research and Development Organisation
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) (IAST: ''Raksā Anūsandhān Evam Vikās Sangaṭhan'') is the premier agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in Ministry of Defence of the Government of India ...
(DRDO) for the
Indian army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
. Its nodal production agency is
Bharat Earth Movers Limited
BEML Limited, formerly Bharat Earth Movers Limited, is an Indian Public Sector Undertaking, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. It manufactures a variety of heavy equipment, such as that used for earth moving, railways, transport and ...
(BEML),
Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
.
Description
The Sarvatra is a 75 meters long multi-span mobile bridging system consisting of five scissors bridges made of aluminum alloy with a span of 15 meters each mounted on separate mobile platforms. Each mobile platform is a modified
Tatra T-815 VVN 8 x 8 chassis, drivable from both ends by having an additional small cabin with required driving controls. Further, a microprocessor based control system is utilised to deploy and operationalise the entire system in less than two and half hours.
When the 15 meter long scissors bridge is opened out it is fitted with adjustable trestles to enable a number of units to be used to bridge wet and dry gaps. All five sections are laid to provide a total bridge length of 75 m providing a roadway of four meters. The bridge is launched/recovered from either end. With the help of telescopic legs, the height of the bridge is adjusted from 2.5 m to 6 m so that it is not easily visible from afar.
The Sarvatra project was sanctioned in 1994 and completed development in October 1999 at a total cost of ₹230,000,000. It was approved for production in March 2000 after trials. The Sarvatra will replace the East European PMS Bridges in the service of the Indian army, which requires 57 Tatra vehicles to bridge 100 meters. In contrast, the Sarvatra, with just five Tatra trucks, bridges 75 meters. At ₹600,000,000 per set, the PMS costs almost three times as much as a Sarvatra.
A 20 m variant of Sarvatra bridge system capable of bridging a gap of 100 meters have also been developed.
Operators
;
*
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
: 110 units (22 sets) of 15M Sarvatra Bridge System variant on order.
Specifications
* Load Class:
MLC–70
* Single Span Length:
** 15 m
** 20 m
* Multi-Span Capability:
** 75 m
** 100 m
* Roadway Width: 3.45 m during transportation; 4 m during use
* Span Height: 2.6 m to 6 m
* Construction time: 15 minutes
* Crew: 1 specialized driver + 3
combat engineers
A combat engineer (also called pioneer or sapper) is a type of soldier who performs military engineering tasks in support of land forces combat operations. Combat engineers perform a variety of military engineering, tunnel and mine warfare ta ...
See also
*
Kartik BLT
The ''Vijayanta'' (en: "Victorious") was a main battle tank built in India based on a licensed design of the Vickers Mk.1. The Vijayanta was the first indigenous tank of the Indian Army.
The prototype was completed in 1963 and the tank entered ...
*
CEASE
Cease may refer to:
* CEASE therapy
CEASE (Complete Elimination of Autistic Spectrum Expression) therapy is a pseudoscientific practice used by naturopaths (particularly homeopaths) who claim that it can treat or even cure people with autism, ...
References
External links
Sarvatra mobile platformSarvatra Bridge system
Military vehicles of India
{{India-mil-stub