The Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle
[11M MOSQ] [Canadian Invasion] [Abrams]
Story by SSG Jeff Clayton - Photos courtesy Washington Army National Guard and the U.S. Army
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The Bradley Fighting Vehicle, or BFV, is a fully armored, fully tracked vehicle designed to carry Mechanized Infantry into close contact with the enemy.
This vehicle possesses sufficient cross-country mobility to keep up with the Abrams Main Battle Tank, medium and long-range firepower capable of defeating any vehicle on the battlefield, and is adequately armored to protect the crew from artillery and small arms threats.
The Bradley is able to close with and destroy enemy forces in support of mounted and dismounted Infantry and Cavalry combat operations. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle family currently consists of two vehicles: the M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle. Just as with its predecessor, the M113 family, the Bradley will eventually be the platform for a wide range of support vehicles.
Unlike the M113 family of vehicles the Bradley replaces, this is not simply a "battle taxi". The Bradley is a sophisticated weapons platform capable of providing tremendous firepower in direct support of the Infantry it carries. The role of the Bradley is to…
- Safely transport Infantry to critical locations on the battlefield
- Provide fire support to cover their dismounted operations, and
- Destroy enemy tanks and other vehicles that may threaten the Infantry it carries
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During World War II, the vehicles namesake, General Omar Bradley, became known as the "GI General". His legacy, the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle is a testimony to his strong desire to provide his soldiers with finest firepower, protection, and mobility possible.
Today the M2 Bradley carries its crew of three (Commander, Gunner & Driver) and a six-man Infantry section into combat with these three principles in mind.
The Bradley’s main armament is the M242 25mm "Bushmaster" Chain Gun, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The M242 has a single barrel with an integrated dual-feed mechanism and remote ammunition selection. Either armor piercing (AP) or high explosive (HE) ammunition may be selected with the flick of a switch. The Gunner may select from single or multiple shot modes. The standard rate of fire is 200 rounds per minute, and has a range of 2,000 meters (depending on the ammunition used). A wide range of ammunition has been developed for this weapon, making it capable of defeating the majority of armored vehicles it is likely to encounter, up to and including some main battle tanks. The M240C machine gun, mounted to right of the Bushmaster, fires 7.62mm rounds.
When facing heavier enemy armor the Bradley relies on the formidable TOW Anti-Tank Missile, manufactured by the Hughes Aircraft. The name TOW is an abbreviation for Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire guided missile. Launched from a smooth tube launcher, the missile’s wings and tail fins are folded inside its body until launch. Two of these missiles are carried ready to fire in a collapsible, armored launch rack on the left of the turret. The Bradley must stop in order to fire these missiles, which are them reloaded by the Infantrymen in the back of the vehicle, using a special hatch which provides armor protection during the reload operation. The missile is equipped with a massive shaped charge, high explosive warhead and is propelled by a two-stage solid propellant motor. The range of the TOW missile is nearly 4 kilometers and the missile will reach a speed of almost Mach 1 on its way to the target. This weapon is capable of destroying any armored vehicle in existence today and is deadly accurate.
The hull of the Bradley is constructed of welded aluminum and supplemented at critical locations by spaced laminate armor. The latest version of the Bradley, the M2A2, has additional applique steel armor to help defeat ballistic ammunition, with provision for explosive reactive armor for increased protection against shaped charge weapons. This latest variant is not yet in service with the Washington Army National Guard.
The wide tracks and 600 horsepower turbo-diesel power plant give the vehicle the mobility it needs to keep up with the Abrams, and keep the soldiers it carries out of harms way.
In order to fulfill the requirement for rapid worldwide deployability, the Bradley can be transported by truck, rail, ship and transporter aircraft.
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In addition, all Bradleys are amphibious. The model in current use with the Washington Army National Guard is equipped with a water barrier, which is erected by the crew before entering the water – a procedure that takes about 30 minutes. Later models have an inflatable pontoon, which fits on the front and sides of the vehicle. This pontoon is inflated in about 15 minutes, and is continuously pressurized during operation. The pontoon is compartmentalized to provide protection against sinking in the event of rupture of the pontoon. Water propulsion is provided by tracks which propel the vehicle at about 4 MPH.
The vehicles reliability, survivability and lethality has surpassed all expectations. Following Operation Desert Storm, the United States army issued a report that reflected this. Of the 2,200 Bradleys involved in that operation, only three were disabled. In fact, more enemy armored vehicles were destroyed by Bradleys than by the Abrams Main Battle Tanks! Today, with the down-sizing of the active Army, the Washington Army National Guard has been strengthened by many of the same soldiers who took these vehicles into combat and brought them back safely.
In late 1993, Washington began to field this vehicle to the soldiers of the states 81st Infantry Brigade, headquartered in Seattle. A total of 115 Bradleys have been issued to the states two Mechanized Infantry brigades, the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 161st Infantry, and to several other units throughout the brigade. Currently our state has the original version of the Bradley – the M2A0. The M2A2 is scheduled to replace these older vehicles in the near future.
Characteristics
- Main Armament: 25mm Chain Gun
- Secondary Armament: TOW Missiles & a 7.62mm Machine Gun
- Weight: 67,000 LB (Combat Loaded)
- Crew: 3 man crew, 6 man Infantry Section (or 2 man scout team)
- Length: 21.5 Ft
- Power Train: 600 HP
- Height: 9.92 Ft
- Width: 10.5 Ft
- Range: 260 Miles
- Road Speed: 38 MPH
- Swim Speed: 4 MPH (aprox)
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