Bradley fighting vehicles: A boost for Ukraine's frontline resilience
It appears that more Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles are en route to Ukraine. Experts from the so-called white intelligence, operating the OSINTNic Twitter account, have reported that these vehicles were spotted being loaded onto trucks in Rzeszow, roughly 100 kilometers from the Polish-Ukrainian border. An online video also showcased these American-made machines. Here's a reminder of what the Bradley IFVs entail.
The Bradley IFV is well recognized by Ukrainians, having notably saved countless lives and played a pivotal role in victorious encounters with Russian forces. Notable incidents include the engagement of two M2A2 vehicles against Russia's top tank, the T‑90M, near Avdiivka and a standoff between one such vehicle and three Russian MT-LBs north of Avdiivka. Both skirmishes concluded successfully for the Ukrainians.
Bradley for Ukraine
In early January 2024, Forbes revealed that the United States had dispatched 186 Bradley IFV units and four fire support team vehicles to Ukraine. This figure is anticipated to increase as speculation mounts over additional vehicles poised for transport at the Polish-Ukrainian border, visible in the video below. The precise date of the footage remains unknown.
The Bradley vehicles play a crucial role in supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine, enhancing soldiers' chances of survival in areas of intense conflict and on the front line. As quoted by Forbes, Daniel Rice, a former advisor to the Chief Commander of Ukraine, General Valery Zaluzhny, even stated that "the M2 Bradley fighting vehicle continues to affirm its long-standing reputation as an excellent infantry fighting vehicle".
Special Purpose Vehicle
The M2 Bradley is an American infantry fighting vehicle developed in the late 1970s by FMC Corporation (now BAE Systems). It typically houses a crew of three people (driver, commander, and gunner) alongside up to seven infantry soldiers.
The vehicle boasts a combat weight of about 28 tons, measures over 6 meters in length, about 3.2 meters in width, and nearly 3 meters in height, and has a primary weaponry of a 25 mm M242 Bushmaster cannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun.
Powered by a Cummins VTA-903T engine, generating roughly 600 horsepower, and coupled with its tracked chassis, the M2 Bradley IFV exhibits remarkable mobility. It can reach speeds of up to 69 km/h and is adept at crossing trenches and moving through water bodies at speeds of around 7 km/h.
