Pfc. Daniel Nally, engineer bridger, Company A, 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Com-bat Team, 4th Infantry Division, rides in the back of an XM30 Bridge Erection Boat during testing of the new equipment Sept. 27, 2016, on Chatfield Reservoir in Littleton. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Moises Oceguera)
By Maj. Kevin Boyd
1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
Members of the U.S. Army’s Tank and Automotive Command’s XM30 training team teach Soldiers from Company A, 299th BEB, how to operate the XM30 Bridge Erector Boat on Chatfield Reservoir in Littleton Sept. 26, 2016. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Moises Oceguera)
While boats aren’t the first thing that come to mind when a Stryker brigade is mentioned, they are necessary when building bridges to cross rivers.
Several bridging specialists in Company A, 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, tested the Army’s latest evolution of bridging boats Sept. 27, 2016, at Chatfield Reservoir in Littleton.
Soldiers from the 299th BEB operated the boat on lakes in both Littleton and Pueblo as a part of the Army’s new equipment fielding process.
The legacy boat that the XM30 Bridge Erection Boat (BEB) is replacing was developed in the 1970s and has outlived its purpose.
“(The XM30) has a wide-beam hull that provides excellent load carrying capacity and stability. It’s stronger, faster, more reliable, much easier to operate and maintain,” said Frank Fleming, assistant product manager for the BEB with the U.S. Army’s Tank and Automotive Command, “Maneuverability is greatly improved, and, most importantly, crew survivability — the new boat has ballistic protection for the crew.”
Capt. Mark Ver Burg, commander, Company A, 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, operates an XM30 Bridge Erector Boat on Chatfield Reservoir in Littleton Sept. 26, 2016. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Moises Oceguera)
The bridging specialists were clearly impressed with the XM30.
“The XM30 was very maneuverable with tremendous speed of up to 24 knots, or 28 mph,” said Staff Sgt. Moises Oceguera, engineer bridger, Company A, 299th BEB. “Not only did it handle extremely well, but the user interface and controls were a huge
improvement over its predecessor, the MK2 BEB. This new piece of equipment will definitely be a game changer when it comes to the Army’s ability to conduct rafting operations.”
The boat is propelled by a pair of waterjets that each provides 400 horsepower. It can use several different types of fuel and operates in fresh, brackish and saltwater in depths as shallow as 30 inches.
Pfc. Daniel Nally, engineer bridger, Company A, 299th BEB, said it was fun being on the water. “We don’t get to train like this every day. It was something fresh,” he said.
Capt. Mark Ver Burg, commander, Company A, 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, operates an XM30 Bridge Erector Boat on Chatfield Reservoir in Littleton Sept. 26, 2016. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Moises Oceguera)