According to information published on September 30, 2021, General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) has announced that it and its partner, Hanwha Defense Corporation (HDC), have been selected by the Republic of Korea’s Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to jointly produce 110 M3 amphibious bridging vehicles for the Republic of Korea Army.
Under the Korean Amphibious Bridging Vehicle (KABV) program, the GDELS M3 Amphibious Bridge & Ferry System will be localized to meet specific Korean requirements and will be designated M3K. The M3K was chosen in a competitive selection process.
The M3 is a self-propelled, amphibious bridging vehicle that is used for the projection of tanks and other vehicles across water obstacles. The M3 is self-deployable by road, operating as a 4×4 wheeled vehicle with a maximum road speed of 80 km/h. Before it is driven into the water for an amphibious operation, two large aluminum pontoons are deployed, unfolding them along the length of its hull. The crew exits the vehicle cab to maneuver the pontoon using controls located on top of the hull. In water, the M3 is propelled and steered by 2 fully traversable pump jets at speeds of up to 14 km/h