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Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The U.S. Army’s Bradley Fighting Vehicle Dilemma

Bradley Fighting Vehicle
Troopers with 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division firing the 25mm canon on a Bradley fighting vehicle in order to zero the vehicles weapons systems at a range in Poland. Ranges such as these familiarize troopers with the vehicles systems in order to ensure combat readiness.

Key Points and Summary: The M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle has proven its worth over decades, from spearheading assaults in Operation Desert Storm to aiding Ukrainian forces in modern warfare.

-While the vehicle is aging, with roots in the 1980s, it remains vital thanks to updates like improved situational awareness, enhanced armor, and modern weaponry like TOW anti-tank missiles.

-Despite vulnerabilities during counter-insurgency operations in Iraq, Bradleys continue to excel in armored combat formations and recon missions.

-With new A4 models entering service, the Bradley is expected to remain a crucial part of U.S. mechanized forces until the XM30 fully replaces it in the 2030s.

Is the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Too Old for Sustained Combat?

Those who served in the U.S. Army during Operation Desert Storm – a war that happened 34 years ago – have fond memories of the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle

It drove along in a spearhead with M1 Abrams tanks to form a deadly combat force against Saddam Hussein’s hordes in Iraq. But that was over three decades ago. 

Is the Bradley Fighting Vehicle getting too old for the Army?

 It has been updated several times, and the model with TOW anti-tank missile launchers is still relevant on modern battlefields.

They Are Not Too Old for the Ukrainians

Just ask the Ukrainian army that used the Bradley significantly during the war. 

A Bradley can take out a Russian tank with aplomb, especially the older model tanks with lighter armor. 

It can also rush troops to the battlefield and defend them while dismounted.

Ukrainian soldiers are convinced the Bradley is pound for pound, one of the most effective armored vehicles in the war. They are surprisingly fast and maneuverable.

 They transport troops for quick and effective skirmishes. The Bradley can survive against Russian tanks and destroy them when needed. 

The Bushmaster 25mm chain gun is powerful and has a long enough range to punish Russian positions.

They Have Been in Service Since the Cold War

Admittedly, the Bradley is getting long in the tooth. It was a part of the Reagan military build-up and came into service in 1981. 

Envisioned as a critical component for combined arms warfare against the Soviet Union, it quickly became a mainstay in armored battalions.

Now, the Army is working on replacing the legendary armored personnel carrier.

 This is called the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle

Until the XM30 is ready to take over, Bradleys will still be the backbone of the U.S. Army for armored warfare.

The Bradley Fighting Vehicle cuts loose several rounds from the 25mm main gun on the orchard Combat Training Center Range.

The Bradley Fighting Vehicle cuts loose several rounds from the 25mm main gun on the orchard Combat Training Center Range.
Soldiers completed training this week of the Bradley Commanders Course with the 204th Regional Training Institute, (RTI), of the Idaho Army National Guard on Gowen Field. The course is designed to train active duty, reserve and national guard officers and non-commissioned officers in combat critical M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle Commander Skills. Field exercises were conducted on the newest Range 10, the Digital Air Ground Integrated Range (DAGIR), on the Orchard Combat Training Center grounds.

The Bradley can survive in a multi-threat environment against enemy tanks, armored personnel carriers, light artillery, and mortars.

Mechanized infantry and armored cavalry units depend on the Bradley for the main thrust into enemy tank columns or for scouting and reconnaissance missions.

Bradley Fighting Vehicle: Great Specs Make It Relevant

Its Cummins VTA-903T diesel engine pushes out 760 horsepower. Top speed is an impressive 41 miles per hour with a range of 300 miles. It has a three-man crew with room for a 6 to 7-member infantry squad. These soldiers could at first fire their rifles out of side ports in the vehicle, but the firing ports were eventually removed. Armament includes that chain gun and the two TOW launchers discussed above, along with a M240C 7.62mm machine gun.

Feared by the Iraqi Army

In Operation Desert Storm, many Bradleys sped around the battlefield. U.S. forces deployed 2,200 of the infantry fighting vehicles. Only three were damaged or destroyed.

The Army conducted an after-action review and determined that Bradley could be improved with a new GPS. 

Engineers with the 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion conduct M2A3 Bradley fighting vehicle gunnery qualification on March 27, 2018, Orchard Combat Training Center, south of Boise, Idaho. Combat engineers with the 116th BEB trained through gunnery table XII, evaluating their ability to execute collective platoon-level tasks in a tactical live-fire environment; including integrating dismounted soldiers with their assigned BFV. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 1LT Robert Barney)

Engineers with the 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion conduct M2A3 Bradley fighting vehicle gunnery qualification on March 27, 2018, Orchard Combat Training Center, south of Boise, Idaho. Combat engineers with the 116th BEB trained through gunnery table XII, evaluating their ability to execute collective platoon-level tasks in a tactical live-fire environment; including integrating dismounted soldiers with their assigned BFV. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 1LT Robert Barney)

The service branch also added defenses against anti-tank missiles, more room for ammunition, and better seats.

Updated M2A3 and M3A3s focused on improving situational awareness, and display screens were integrated for the crew and the soldiers riding in the rear.

The Second Gulf War Was Different for the Bradley 

During the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the counter-insurgency in subsequent years, the Bradleys were a big part of the fight. Unfortunately, they were susceptible to IEDs and RPG fire in urban combat. 

The Army lost around 150 Bradleys. 

New Models on the Way 

But the infantry fighting vehicle is not going away. In September 2024, the Army and BAE Systems agreed to a $440 million contract for 200 A4 models. 

This means Bradleys will still provide that firepower and mobility that is so needed in mechanized warfare.

I prefer Bradleys to serve in Armored Cavalry Regiments, where they can function as recon and scouting vehicles or run on the flanks of advancing tanks with drones and attack helicopters overhead. This arrangement is tough for opposing forces to defend against. 

Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Soldiers fire a 25mm tracer round from an M2A3 fighting vehicle during an integrated night live-fire exercise at Camp Adazi, Latvia, Nov. 25, 2021.

The Bradleys can also serve as a “finding and fixing” vehicle to make initial contact with the enemy and hold a column in place while the Abrams tanks, drones, and Apache attack helicopters plink the bad guys’ tanks.

Parting Thoughts on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle: The Army Can’t Retire Them Yet 

Thus, the Bradley is an older vehicle, but the updates have kept it relevant in today’s armored combat formations. The war in Ukraine shows that the Bradley when used by a determined group of soldiers, can stem the flow of enemy armored vehicles and quickly get soldiers to the fight, let them bring doom to the enemy, and drive them to another location to repeat the process. 

The TOW anti-tank missile launchers have also been effective in Ukraine

This vehicle just doesn’t want to go away. They will eventually be phased out in the 2030s, but the Americans are learning that the Bradley is still a tough customer in a mechanized fight. The vehicles may be old, but they are stubborn fighters who bring the violence of action to a battle.

 So, the Army should keep these armored vehicles around until they can’t blaze a trail anymore.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.

Written By

Now serving as 1945s Defense and National Security Editor, Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer.

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