The Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) is a fighting vehicle platform of the United States manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments, formerly United Defense. It was named after U.S. General Omar Bradley.
It possesses sufficient cross-country mobility to keep up with the M1 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.
Infantry can fight from inside the vehicle by using modified M-16 rifles mounted in firing ports or may dismount from the M2 version to fight on foot. The vehicle is armed with a 25mm cannon, effective against most armored targets, and with the TOW missile, effective against lightly armored targets out to its maximum range of 3,750 meters (2.3 miles).
The Bradley A2 ODS incorporates improvements identified after Operation Desert Storm, including an eye-safe laser rangefinder, global positioning and navigation systems and an enhanced driver’s vision device.
An optional Appliqué configuration provides situational awareness via the Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) Appliqué computer system.
The Bradley A2 ODS is equipped with the Bushmaster 25mm cannon and TOW missile system, which delivers increased lethality and accuracy, especially under the toughest battlefield conditions.
| Type | Armored fighting vehicle |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1981–present |
| Used by | See Operators below |
| Production history | |
| No. built | 6,720 |
| Variants | See Variants below |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 27.6 t (4,350 st) |
| Length | 6.55 m (21.5 ft) |
| Width | 3.6 m (12 ft) |
| Height | 2.98 m (9.8 ft) |
| Crew | 3 + variable number of passengers depending on variant |
| Armor | Spaced laminate armor: 30 mm AP and RPG all around protection.explosive reactive armor. |
Main
armament |
25 mm M242 chain gun TOW anti-tank missile |
Secondary
armament |
7.62 mm M240 machine gun |
| Engine | Cummins VTA-903T diesel 600 hp (450 kW) |
| Power/weight | 19.74 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
Operational
range |
400 km (250 mi) |
| Speed | 56 km/h (35 mph) |
sources: wikipedia, military
Bradley Fighting Vehicle
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