Q&A · 1:10:37-1:12:56

Amphibious vehicles for NATO water crossings

An amphibious-mobility answer separates assault crossing needs from the less visible problem of sustaining forces across water.

Question

Do NATO armies need more vehicles able to cross rivers and lakes under their own power?

Short answer

Yes; self-swimming combat vehicles reduce dependence on bridges, while modern equivalents of the DUKW would address an especially important logistics gap.

Notes

Independent swimming capability creates more routes and makes an opponent's denial problem harder, even if it is not always the preferred way to move. Logistics vehicles comparable to the World War II DUKW may matter even more because supplies must keep flowing after the first crossing.