The United States Department of Defense (DoD) on January 5, 2023, officially announced the delivery of Bradley IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) vehicles to Ukraine. Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder said the Bradleys are part of a larger shipment of equipment to Ukraine that will be announced later.
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A U.S. Army M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle crew heads to the range during gunnery training at the Doña Ana Range Complex.(Picture source U.S. DoD)
The United States has not yet mentioned the number of Bradley IFVs (Infantry fighting Vehicles) that could be delivered to Ukraine, but according to some American media, the Ukrainian army could receive 50 IFVs.
During a press conference that was held on January 5, 2023, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder said, the Bradleys are armored vehicles that can transport infantry in combat zones. They have both offensive and defensive capabilities and provide "a level of firepower and armor that will bring advantages on the battlefield as the Ukrainian military continues to defend their homeland," Ryder said during a news conference.
The Ukrainian soldiers must learn how to use the Bradley IFvs armored vehicles and maintain them, which will be part of the training that Ukrainian soldiers receive from U.S. and partner nations, he added.
The Bradley is an IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) based on a tracked armored chassis which was designed to carry infantrymen on the battlefield and provide direct-fire support using its onboard automatic cannon and anti-tank missiles. The development of the Bradley began in the 1970s and the first vehicles were delivered in the early 1980s. Currently, the U.S. Army had around 2,500 Bradley IFVs in A2 and A3 configurations.
Since entering service with the US Army, the Bradley IFV has undergone several modifications and improvements in terms of mobility, firepower, and protection. The Bradley M2A4 is the latest version in the Bradley family and the first vehicles were recently delivered to the U.S. Army.
The Bradley is armed ATK Gun Systems Company M242 25 mm Bushmaster Chain Gun with a 7.62 mm M240C machine gun mounted coaxially to the right of the main armament. The 25 mm cannon has dual-feed rate capability and the gunner can select single shots, 100 or 200 rds/min rates of fire.
The Bradley is also able to conduct anti-tank combat operations thanks to the two TOW launchers mounted to the left side of the turret. The TOW system enables the Bradley M2 vehicles to engage main battle tanks and armored vehicles to a maximum range of 3,750 m. The TOW missile launcher has an elevation of +30º and a depression of -20º.
