M2A2 Bradley IFV assigned to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, conduct a river crossing mission with Polish troops at Buchierz Range, Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, June 10, 2020. (U.S. Army Photo, by Sgt. Andres Chandler)
On February 16, video footage surfaced online showing a train in Poland carrying dozens of American-made M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) which are destined for Ukraine.
Some 60 Bradley IFVs were delivered by the vehicle-carrier ARC Integrity to the German port of Bremerhaven on the North Sea coast earlier this week. The U.S. decision to supply the IFVs was not surprising, considering the key role the country has been playing in supporting Kiev forces since the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine last year.
The footage from Poland confirmed that Kiev forces will be getting the M2A2 ODS version of the Bradley, which includes major improvements based on lessons learned during the first Gulf War in 1991.
The Bradley is armed with a 25 mm M242 chain gun with 900 rounds, a 7.62 mm coaxial M240C machine gun with 2,200 rounds and a dual TOW anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) launcher with seven missiles.
The basic M2A2 version features an improved Cummins VTA-903T 8-cylinder diesel engine that generates 600 hp along with an HMPT-500-3 Hydromechanical transmission.
The IFV’s protection was improved, with both passive armor and the ability to mount explosive reactive armor. The new armor protects the Bradley against 30 mm armor-piercing rounds and rocket-propelled grenades, or similar anti-armor weapons. However, it eliminates the trim vane that made the Bradley amphibious and covered up the side firing ports. It also raised the cumulative gross weight of the vehicle to 30,519 kg.
The ODS upgrade, which is named after Operation Desert Storm, includes an eye-safe laser rangefinder, a tactical navigation system incorporating the Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver and the Digital Compass Systems, and the Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below Battlefield Command Information System.
The internal stowage was further improved in the ODS and a thermal imaging system was added for the driver. The infantry squad was increased to seven men, six of whom sat facing each other on two three-man benches in the passenger compartment, with the seventh back in the position behind the turret.
Early on in January, the U.S. announced that it will supply 50 Bradley IFVs with 500 TOW ATGMs and 250,000 rounds of 25 mm ammunition to Kiev forces. An additional 59 vehicles along with a further 590 TOW missiles and 250,000 rounds of 25 mm ammunition were pledged later in the month.
While the Bradleys being supplied to Ukraine are heavily armed and equipped with modern targeting systems, they remain vulnerable to most anti-tank missiles and shells in service with the Russian military, including older systems which were made in the Soviet Union.
The supply of these IFVs is meant to prepare Kiev forces for large-scale offensive against the Russian military next spring. The vehicles could make up for some of the Ukrainian losses. However, their characteristics and numbers are not significant enough to make a change in the battlefield.
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Putin says tank you!
I’m waiting to see first news about how an ordinary 500$ 152mm artillery shell will fry that multimillion dollar shit !
Kornets will do the job or they may try their luck on the wrong end of a TOS -1 barage.
Looks like Biden have money for war in UA, but no money for seniors and disabled Americans!!!
30mm goes through.
Wherever they are being parked shall be highly likely visited by an Iskander or two.
They’re most likely “Hot Wheels” products or from those balsam “build it yourself” replica kits.
Yo Rusia, los destruia en los almacenes, antes de entrar en servicio
Aluminum Coffin still.
LMUR Fudd will be paying these things a visit
Better paint these things to blend into the terrain. With that desert paint job they will stick out like a sore thumb… unless they plan on hiding them in wheatfields in the spring.
Russian civilians are already pooling money to acquire Bradleys on the Ukrainian black market, believe it or now.
Ďalší kvalitný šrot, ktorý putuje na Ukrajinu. Po skončení ŠVO bude RF môcť vyvážať oceľ do celého sveta. Verím, že už teraz generáli Ruských ozbrojených síl plánujú ako tieto monštrá zničiť. Verím, že na to aj dostatočne pripravujú vojakov a dodávajú im potrebnú vojenskú výbavu na splnenie týchto bojových úloh.
Track them and send demolition companys to Poland, Romania, Germany. Ones they find them, accidents happen on railroads, planes falling out of the sky……etc…
* Russian OSNAZ should sink the Bradleys’ transport ship in the harbor…!
Вряд ли pronounced Bvradley…..
The word “unlikely” in Russian is translated as Вряд ли, pronounced Bradley. Nomen est omen.
Bring on the sardine cans and pack em tight with fish meat. The grill is ready.
Z