Unique vehicle acts as a bridge for the U.S. military

The M104 Wolverine is a unique vehicle that provides the U.S. military with a bridge when needed during foreign operations and in combat situations.

Bridging the Divide
The Wolverine provides a mobile and deployable bridge to help ensure that U.S. forces are able to continue transporting soldiers, supplies and equipment across hostile and often unknown terrain. The Wolverine was developed by General Dynamics Land Systems and is an M1A2 tank with bridge laying gear on top rather than a turret. This means that the Wolverine shares many of the same characteristics of an M1 tank in terms of speed armor and mobility. The Wolverine is not an armed vehicle, seats two crew members, and has an advanced communication system to keep it in contact with field operations.

The Wolverine can deploy and retract a bridge in less than 10 minutes. The vehicle can insert itself into a ditch, ravine or other sunken area. An anchor system holds the vehicle securely in place. The bridge is then extended and dropped into place, allowing other vehicles such as tanks, jeeps and armored carriers to safely cross an obstacle.

The Wolverine can support up to 70 tons of weight, making it able to accommodate the heaviest military vehicles. And, the Wolverine can be placed over a damaged bridge in a combat environment.

A Military Priority
The first Wolverines were put into active duty with the U.S. Army in 2003.Today, the U.S. Army is using 44 Wolverines around the world. The U.S. Department of Defense had initially planned to purchase as many as 450 Wolverines, but scaled back production due to budget constraints. U.S. Army spokespeople have stated that they have reserved the right to order more Wolverines in the future, and have stated that the vehicles are a military priority for operations that span the globe.

Bridge-laying has long been a priority of the U.S. military. Ensuring that vehicles are safely able to cross ditches, craters, ravines and broken bridges has long been a problem for militaries around the world. Before the Wolverines entered service, the U.S. military used the M60 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge.