DRDO
Sarvatra
Notes: The
Sarvatra is a truck-mounted bridgelaying system.
Such lighter bridgelaying systems are becoming more common due to their
lower cost and expandability.
Development began in 1994, and first deliveries in 1999. It replaced the PMS,
which required 57 Tatra trucks to deploy a 100-meter bridge.
The Sarvatra
uses the Tatra T-815 VVN 8x8 truck, modified to carry the bridging and
bridgelaying equipment as well as being able to be driven from either end.
The bridge is deployable to 75 meters, in 15-meter sections per vehicle.
(This therefore requires 5 trucks for a full span.) The sections are
scissor-deployed. The bridge is 4 meters wide.
The bridge can be recovered or laid from either end.
The roadway is MLC 70, able to handle any vehicle in India's inventory
and almost any other country's inventory. The bridge is light but sturdy, made
of aluminum alloy. The sections
rest on adjustable trestles, which may be varied in height from 2.5 to 6 meters.
The sections may also be rested on the ground on logs or rocks, and
placed just underwater to camouflage the bridge.
An alternate
bridge may be carried; this has a 20-meter section and deployable to 100 meters.
A drawback is
the time required to deploy; 150 minutes are required to place a full 75 or
100-meter span. The vehicles
statted below are for a single truck with a single span and two trestles.
Being a version of the Tatra T-815 VVN, the truck has a Tatra 3-390-51
265-horsepower engine, with an automatic transmission and power steering. The
cabs have full NBC Overpressure and air conditioning and heating.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
15-Meter Span |
$815,513 |
D, G, AvG, A |
5 tons |
20.9 tons |
4 |
13 |
Headlights |
Shielded (Cabs only) |
20-Meter Span |
$884,314 |
D, G, AvG, A |
6 tons |
25.08 tons |
4 |
21 |
Headlights |
Shielded (Cabs only) |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
15-Meter Span |
112/56 |
31/20 |
460 |
96 |
CiH |
W(4) |
TF4 TS4
TR4 HF1
HS1 HR1 |
20-Meter Span |
110/56 |
31/19 |
460 |
96 |
CiH |
W(4) |
TF4 TS4
TR4 HF1
HS1 HR1 |