EP2000591B1 - Method for relocating a military bridge - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to methods for laying military bridges over an obstacle in the combat area according to the preamble of claim 1.

Bringing military bridges over obstacles under attack by the enemy is a difficult and, above all, dangerous business. Originally, the pioneers had to build bridges to overcome the obstacle on the ground. There were big losses. Therefore, a few decades ago for the laying of such bridges, a method was developed in which a vehicle converted to the laying vehicle drive a broken into several sub-elements bridge to the edge of the obstacle and then could lay in the free trench over the obstacle. These bridges were able to overcome obstacles up to 28 m wide. The operating crew could essentially stay in the tank, possibly had to leave the tank shortly to eliminate malfunction.

Such bridge systems are today summarized under the generic term "attack bridges". Due to the necessary armor of these vehicles, systems for active protection are dispensed with and passive protection is reduced in favor of the load requirements for the bridge and the publisher. By contrast, bridges without direct enemy action are referred to as "tactical bridges" or "support bridges". Such systems usually have a higher capacity in terms of free span and thus higher weight. Therefore only systems without protection can be used for transport.

All attack bridges have in common that the laying process on site must be activated and controlled by one or more soldiers. These are thus still exposed to the enemy fire.

Another problem with the development of military bridges is the transportability. In most cases there are restrictions on payload, trailer load, total weight and dimensions. Armored vehicles make high demands on the bridge system, since they themselves already make full use of the available weight limits and dimensions. Therefore, the bridges were constructed so that they folded together for transport or - can be pushed. Again, a variety of constructions has been developed. However, these have in common that they complicate the construction and slow down the laying process.

The same considerations apply analogously when the bridge is transported by water or air. Again, the respective transport profiles must be complied with, the air transport also the limited allowable payload or transport weights.

WO 2004/074 580 describes a method according to the preamble of claim 1, in which an unmanned laying vehicle is remotely controlled to the obstacle.

The present invention has for its object to provide a method for laying military bridges, in which no soldiers are exposed to the enemy fire. In addition, the invention has taken on the task to optimize the transport of the bridge to the site.

The stated main object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1.

• Zunächst wird entsprechend der Gefährdung durch Feindeinwirkung der Gesamtweg zum Einsatzort in drei Gefährdungszonen unterteilt:

  Zone 1:

  Anmarschzone.
  In dieser Zone besteht keine direkte Feindeinwirkung und die Fahrzeuge bewegen sich im überwachten Raum.

  Zone 2:

  Kampfzone.
  In dieser Zone bewegen sich nur Fahrzeuge mit aktivem und passivem Schutz.

  Zone 3:

  Einsatzzone.
  Diese Zone liegt genau vor den gegnerischen Einheiten und ist selbst für gepanzerte Fahrzeuge kritisch.

The present invention is based on the following principles:

• First of all, according to the threat of enemy action, the total route to the place of deployment is subdivided into three hazard zones:

  Zone 1:

  Advancing zone.
  There is no direct enemy action in this zone and the vehicles are moving in the monitored area.

  Zone 2:

  Combat zone.
  Only vehicles with active and passive protection move in this zone.

  Zone 3:

  Use zone.
  This zone is right in front of enemy units and is critical even for armored vehicles.

The spatial extent of these zones is defined case by case according to military considerations.

To move the bridge system in the approaching zone, the bridge is loaded onto a laying vehicle. The laying vehicle is in principle self-propelled, but is first moved by a transport vehicle. This transport vehicle is a military, possibly also a civilian vehicle and can move on the road, by rail, in the water or in the air. In the approach zone, the laying vehicle is used only as a carrier and is otherwise passive. The control of vehicle movements is carried out conventionally by the systems of the transport vehicle. At the border to the combat zone, the laying vehicle is separated from the transport vehicle.

Now a leading vehicle takes over the guidance of the laying vehicle loaded with the bridge in the direction of the obstacle to be crossed. In this case, there is preferably no mechanical connection between the leading vehicle and laying vehicle. The laying vehicle drives actively, ie with its own drive and unmanned. The leading vehicle is manned and preferably armored. Since the laying vehicle is not mechanically coupled, the leading vehicle has its full independence and agility.

The leading vehicle can thus correspond to the vehicles of the combat force in active and passive protection or consist of such a vehicle. The laying vehicle is connected via an electronic guidance system with the leading vehicle and follows its movement independently in the (given) appropriate distance up to the Einsatzzone.

From here, the laying vehicle automatically drives to the obstacle as a robotic vehicle. This is possible thanks to the built-in environment detection, which can include both optical image recognition and laser scanner. Having arrived here, it measures the width of the obstacle and the shape of the banks. With the help of the data thus obtained, the laying vehicle then first performs a simulation of the laying process. If it detects that the obstacle is too wide or the banks are too steep, it stops the laying process. Otherwise, it performs the installation process.

Since in the actual operating zone of the bridge system in the area of the obstacle neither leading vehicles nor persons present and the laying vehicle is completely unmanned, misinterpretations that could lead to malfunction excluded. If necessary, from the safe distance standing Leadership vehicle be intervened corrective. Also, no enemy can be harmed by the enemy fire. Since there are no persons on board, the laying vehicle does not need to be armored or only weakly armored. This is the load capacity to good, ie it can be transported and laid large and heavy bridge elements.

To be able to transport these large and heavy bridge elements to the combat area without exceeding the given road, bridge and other profiles, the bridge is divided longitudinally to solve the second subtask, each bridge section is loaded on a separate laying vehicle. If the transport is by air freight, each laying vehicle can be transported with its bridge part in separate aircraft.

According to an alternative development of the invention, the guidance of the laying vehicle from the edge of the combat area to the obstacle zone does not take place by a single leader vehicle but by a group of guidance vehicles. As a result, the travel of the laying vehicle to the obstacle is not interrupted if a leading vehicle should fail due to enemy bombardment. Also, multiple guide vehicles are able to locate a suitable location for overcoming the obstacle more quickly. If one of the guide vehicles has found a position that appears suitable for overcoming the obstacle, then the laying vehicle follows this leading vehicle. The command vehicles have recorded their path via a global positioning system and transmit the cheapest route to the laying vehicle via telemetry. With the help of these data and their own detection systems, the laying vehicle can then automatically find the obstacle. Arriving at the obstacle, the laying vehicle then automatically carries out the fine approach, the measurement, the simulation and finally the laying of the bridge.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the fine approach to the obstacle at reduced speed, ultimately with walking speed. This prevents the laying vehicle, for example, passing over the edge of a ravine and causing damage.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the laying vehicle performs a check of the laid bridge after the laying of the bridge.

As soon as the environment recognizing the laying vehicle recognizes a terrain slope during the approach to the end zone of the obstacle, which exceeds the climbing ability of the laying vehicle, the approach is interrupted. Depending on the circumstances, the entire installation process can be aborted or retried at another location.

However, since it is also possible that the indicated slope is caused by a too rough evaluation, the environment detection is switched to short distance and resumed the approach according to an embodiment of the invention.

Similarly, the laying process may be stopped as soon as the environment detection detects a terrain level difference that exceeds the allowable pitch of the bridge.

Here too it is possible to redetermine the situation by means of a fine scan in the stance position in order to then start the laying simulation.

Finally, it is possible to wirelessly transmit the surroundings identification data from the laying vehicle to a leading vehicle. In the lead vehicle, which is positioned at a safe distance from the laying vehicle, a soldier can additionally assess the situation in order subsequently to transmit command data wirelessly to the laying vehicle. In this way, situations that overwhelm the logic built into the laying vehicle can still be mastered.

Fig. 1

selbstfahrende Transportfahrzeuge in der Anmarschzone, beladen mit einem eine militärische Brücke tragenden Verlegefahrzeug auf dem Weg zu einem Einsatzgebiet,

Fig. 2

Führung eines unbemannten, selbstfahrenden Verlegefahrzeugs in der Kampfzone zu einem erwarteten Hindernis,

Fig. 3

ein autonom fahrendes, unbemanntes Verlegefahrzeug in der Einsatzzone während der Annäherung an ein Hindernis,

Fig. 4

die über das Hindernis verlegte Brücke und

Fig. 5

zwei Verlegefahrzeuge, jeweils beladen mit einer Brückenhälfte.

Reference to the drawing, the invention will be explained in more detail in the form of an embodiment. Show it

Fig. 1

self-propelled transport vehicles in the approach area, loaded with a laying vehicle carrying a military bridge on the way to an operational area,

Fig. 2

Guiding an unmanned, self-propelled laying vehicle in the combat zone to an expected obstacle,

Fig. 3

an autonomous, unmanned installation vehicle in the service area during approach to an obstacle,

Fig. 4

the bridge over the obstacle and

Fig. 5

two laying vehicles, each loaded with a bridge half.

Fig. 1 shows purely schematically laying vehicles 2, loaded with a military bridge 1 and the associated facilities for installation. The laying vehicles 2 are self-propelled and equipped with their own environment detection, which includes both optical means and laser scanner and a suitable transmitter.

Fig. 1 further shows four examples of transport vehicles that allow rapid transport of the loaded with the bridge 1 laying vehicle 2 in the approaching zone to the edge of a combat zone. The first example is a tractor 3, with which the laying vehicle 2 is connected as a semi-trailer. In the same way, a cab can also be adapted here as a control module to the laying vehicle. The second example is a suitable special truck, or better also standard PLS transporter (PLS = Pallet Load System), which carries the complete laying vehicle 2 with bridge 1. The third example is a transport aircraft. The fourth example is a towing vehicle from the standard military equipment, to which the laying vehicle is mechanically attached as a trailer.

After the laying vehicle 2 has been brought to the edge of the combat zone with the aid of one of the transport vehicles 3, 4, 5, the laying vehicle 2, loaded with the bridge 1, is guided by a leading vehicle to an obstacle 4, 3 to be overcome. This is in Fig. 2 shown. The guide vehicles 6, 7 have only wireless contact to the laying vehicle 2. This drives itself, so that the guide vehicles 6, 7 are hindered in any way. They retain their full mobility, which ensures the survival of the operating team sitting in the guide vehicles 6, 7.

The last approach to the obstacle 10 to be overcome in the deployment zone takes place without leader vehicle 6, 7 Fig. 3 shown. For this purpose, the laying vehicle 2 as already mentioned with its own drive and its own Environment identification equipped. The approach to the obstacle 10 is at a decreasing speed, last at walking speed, to prevent the laying vehicle 2 from passing over the obstacle 10 and being damaged.

Arrived at the edge 11 of the obstacle 10, the laying vehicle 2 performs measurements. These measurements capture on the one hand the width of the obstacle 10, on the other hand the height levels of the two edges 11, 12 of the obstacle 10. With the help of these measurement data, the laying vehicle 2 then performs a laying simulation. If this simulation shows that the width of the obstacle 10 is less than the length of the military bridge 1 and that the differences in level of the edges 11, 12 of the obstacle 10 do not exceed the permissible longitudinal inclination of the laid bridge 1, the laying vehicle 2 automatically performs the laying operation.

Otherwise the installation process will be aborted. The laying vehicle 2 moves back or seeks a more suitable location for the laying process. In any case, the laying vehicle 2 transmits the obstacle data to the leading vehicle 6, 7, where then optionally also on the use of other bridge systems can be decided.

Fig. 4 shows the overcome with the bridge 1 obstacle 10, wherein the laying process itself is symbolized by the dot-dashed bridge 1 '. Bridge 1 and laying vehicle 2 are not shown to scale.

Fig. 5 shows purely schematically that it is possible to break the bridge into two longitudinally divided halves 1.1, 1.2 and to transport each bridge half 1.1, 1.2 on a separate laying vehicle 2.1, 2.2. Since now every combination of bridge half 1.1, 1.2 and installation vehicle 2.1, 2.2 alone has to comply with the tunnel, road and other profiles, the dimensions can be selected to be large.

The laying vehicles 2.1, 2.2 are equipped with coupling devices 2.3, by means of which the laying vehicles 2.1, 2.2 are coupled at the edge of the combat zone. In the coupled position, the laying vehicles 2.1, 2.2 then travel to the obstacle, where the two bridge halves 1.1, 1.2 are laid either simultaneously or one after the other.

Claims (14)

1. A method for laying a military bridge (1) over an obstacle (10) in a combat zone using at least one laying vehicle (5), comprising the steps of:

   - loading the bridge (1) onto at least one self-propelled, unmanned, remotely controllable laying vehicle (5),

   - transporting the loaded laying vehicle (5) by water, air, rail and/or road to the edge of the combat zone,

   - guiding the at least one laying vehicle (5) by a manned command vehicle (6) to the vicinity of the obstacle (10),
   characterised by the steps:

   - independent, autonomous final approach of the at least one laying vehicle to the obstacle, assisted by integrated optical environmental detection and/or laser scanner environmental detection,

   - autonomous scanning of the topographical situation after arrival at the obstacle,

   - autonomous simulation of the laying operation taking scanner data and predetermined design limits into account,

   - autonomous decision-making regarding performance or cancellation of the laying operation and execution of the decision.
2. A method according to claim 1, characterised by the step:

   - transport to the edge of the combat zone proceeds by means of a transport vehicle driven by personnel in accordance with civilian road traffic rules.
3. A method according to claim 1, characterised by the step:

   - transport to the edge of the combat zone proceeds by cargo aircraft (4).
4. A method according to claim 1, characterised by the step:

   - transport to the edge of the combat zone proceeds by barge.
5. A method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised by the steps:

   - the laying vehicle (5) follows an individual command vehicle (6, 7),

   - the command vehicle (6, 7) finds the optimum laying site.
6. A method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised by the steps:

   - the laying vehicle (5) follows a group of command vehicles,

   - one of the laying vehicles (5) finds the optimum laying site,

   - the laying vehicle (5) drives to the optimum laying site, automatically following a recorded movement profile of said command vehicle (6, 7).
7. A method according to claim 5 or claim 6, characterised by the step:

   - the laying vehicle (5) follows the at least one command vehicle (6, 7) without any mechanical connection.
8. A method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised by the step:

   - final approach proceeds at reduced speed, finally at walking pace.
9. A method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised by the step:

   - the laying vehicle (5) finally carries out an inspection of the laid bridge (1').
10. A method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised by the step:

    - discontinuing the approach in the combat zone as soon as optical and/or laser-scanner-assisted environmental detection identifies a topographic gradient which exceeds the hill-climbing ability of the laying vehicle (5).
11. A method according to claim 10, characterised by the steps:

    - switching environmental detection to short distance,

    - resuming or continuing the approach.
12. A method according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterised by the steps:

    - discontinuing the final approach to the obstacle (10) as soon as environmental detection identifies the correct position relative to the laying site,

    - performing a fine scan in the stationary position,

    - starting the laying simulation.
13. A method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterised by the step:

    - transporting the bridge (1) in two longitudinally divided parts (1.1, 1.2) up to the edge of the combat zone.
14. A method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterised by the steps:

    - wireless transmission of environmental detection data to a command vehicle (6),

    - wireless transmission of command data from the command vehicle (6) to the laying vehicle (5).

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