Corrosion Prevention and Control (CPC).

TM-5-5420-279-10

1.1.2

Corrosion Prevention and Control (CPC).

1.1.2.1

The DSB System has a total service life of twenty years, which allows for extended

periods of operation in a corrosive environment. A corrosive environment includes

exposure to high humidity, salt spray, road-deicing chemicals, gravel, and atmospheric

contamination. No action beyond normal washing and repair of damaged areas is

necessary to control corrosion. However, it is recommended that to prevent moisture

accumulation during periods of low use, the launcher should be periodically exercised to

allow water to drain and hinge joints and cylinders to be exercised.

1.1.2.2

Strong detergents should not be used on the bridge or the launch beam modules, as

these can be corrosive to aluminum. Particular care should be taken to ensure that all

traces of salt spray and deicing chemicals are removed from exposed areas of aluminum,

particularly in the jaw bores of the launch beam modules.

General Description

NOTE

When an item on the vehicle or launcher is referred to as front or rear, left or right, the cab is

taken as the front of the launcher vehicle, all references are taken as if personnel are looking

forward towards the cab. Therefore if the left hand side A-frame leg is being discussed, the A-

frame leg on the launcher vehicle's left hand side is the item being described, i.e. the driver's

side.

When talking about the launch beam, the front of the beam is to be taken as the far bank and

the rear is taken as the home bank. Similarly the far bank carriage is the one nearest the far

bank and the home bank carriage is the one nearest the home bank.

1.1.3.1

The DSB system consists of a launch vehicle and launcher, launch beam and bridging

modules including end beams and approach ramps. It is compatible with the pallet loading

system (PLS) and is transported on a total of seven PLS flatracks. It is lightweight in

construction and easy to construct by a crew of eight personnel. It is capable of bridging

spans of up to 131.23 ft (40 m) and the deck is 14 ft 1 in (4.3 m) wide. Table 1. 1 lists the

capacity of the bridge and Table 1. 2 lists the vehicle crossing speeds.

Table 1. 1 Bridge Capacity

NORMAL CROSSING

CAUTIOUS CROSSING

BRIDGE CAPACITY

MLC96W (wheeled)

MLC100W (wheeled)

MLC70T (tracked)

MLC80T (tracked)

Approach ramp angle 1:9