Bradley leads the charge: American vehicle withstands Russian assault

The American infantry fighting vehicle M2 Bradley has repeatedly saved the lives of Ukrainians on the front lines. The Ukrainian armed forces can add another incident to the list of situations where U.S. equipment withstood Russian weaponry. Bradley endured a drone strike and was still able to continue operations effortlessly.

The M2 Bradley machine is rightly considered one of the best-armoured vehicles in the world. In Ukraine, the vehicle has repeatedly proven to be virtually indestructible. Numerous examples exist, including a situation in which the American vehicle easily faced off against one of the best Russian tanks, the T-90M Proryv.

Moreover, the M2 Bradley has, in the past, survived fire from BM-21 Grad launchers and T-72 tanks and even remained operational after hitting a mine. Despite the explosion, the vehicle could move across the front, allowing its crew to retreat to a safe location. In May this year, Bradley's crew heroically saved allies under the fire of Russian forces – all while still being targeted by the Russians.

Another incident in which the American machine saved Ukrainians involved soldiers from the 47th Independent Mechanised Brigade, which was attacked by a Russian kamikaze drone while shelling enemy positions.

The Bradley, in motion, was hit on the left side of the vehicle (front), one of the most armoured points on the chassis. This area has BRAT reactive armour tiles (Bradley Reactive Armour Tiles). At first glance, the Russian drone did not cause any damage to the American vehicle – it continued to move despite the impact.

Let's recall that the M2 Bradley's basic armour is made of steel, aluminum, and composites. The exact armour composition varies depending on the vehicle variant and intended use.

This vehicle dates back to the 1970s and is notable for its defensive capabilities, including the 25 mm M242 Bushmaster cannon. A 7.62 mm machine gun accompanies it, but the former plays the lead role in attacking enemy units. The M242 cannon's shells can disable even the most armoured units, including tanks.

The American infantry fighting vehicle's mobility is provided by an engine with 373 to 447 kilowatts (depending on the production year). The engine accelerates the Bradley to a maximum speed of 69 kilometres per hour, while in water, it can move up to 10 kilometres per hour.