The United States Army has continued to seek a replacement for its long-controversial M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, yet this month it extended the production contract for the platform. BAE Systems Land & Armaments has received a $12.2 million modification to support the manufacture of M2A4 models.
The Army Contracting Command at the Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, will oversee the effort, with work locations to be determined with each order, and could include BAE Systems’ facilities in Aiken, South Carolina; Anniston, Alabama; Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Jose, California; Sterling Heights, Michigan; and York, Pennsylvania.
Work is expected to be completed by November 11, 2007.
The Army Sticking With the Bradley
It was just a year ago that BAE Systems was awarded $440 million to produce additional Bradley IFVs for the U.S. Army. It followed a $274.1 million contract that called for the production of 109 M2A4 Bradleys, along with six M7A4 Bradley Fire Support Team Vehicles, which were modified from existing vehicles.
According to the company, the A4 variants feature the same proven durability and commonality of design as the original M2 models. Still, they are outfitted with digitized electronics for optimal situational awareness, network connectivity, and communication within the U.S. Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT).
“It greatly improves Soldier safety and the ability to defeat the adversary no matter the terrain, temperature or threat,” BAE Systems explained.
The A4 upgrades also enhance the platform’s mobility, architecture, and power management, while the Bradleys are receiving new Active Protection Systems (APS) and updates to their communication technology.
The A4 version first entered service in April 2022.
The U.S. Army is reported to maintain a fleet consisting of more than 2,500 Bradley IFVs. Since it was first fielded in the early 1980s, there have been repeated questions about whether it was the right platform for the job. At issue was how it was transformed from a fully-fledged armored personnel carrier (APC) into a light tank/scout. However, past efforts to replace the platform, named for World War II’s General Omar Bradley, have proven unsuccessful.
Instead, the Bradley remains in service and likely will be for many more years to come.
Combat Proven fighting machine
The M2 Bradley was first employed in combat during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, where it was responsible for destroying more Soviet-made Iraqi-operated main battle tanks (MBTs) than the U.S. military’s M1 Abrams MBT. It was later used in the Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The United States has supplied Ukraine with more than 300 M2 Bradley IFVs, which, according to some reports, have been integral to Ukraine’s defenses. However, Kyiv’s forces have also sustained combat losses, with nearly one-third damaged, destroyed, or abandoned. To counter the threat from unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and loitering munitions (kamikaze drones), Ukrainian troops have upgraded the Bradley with additional armor packages.
New Variants Born from the bradley
The U.S. Army continues to operate the M2A3 and M2A4 variants, as well as the older M2A2 Bradley Operation Desert Shield-Situational Awareness (ODS-SA) version. The A4 models are replacing the ODS-SA, and vehicles in the Army’s fleet are now being upgraded to the new A4 models.
The upgrades are meant to extend the service life of the Bradley IFV while further allowing it to integrate emerging defense technologies.
It was also two years ago that BAE Systems was issued a full-rate production (FRP) contract for the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV), which leverages some of the proven capabilities of the M2 Bradley and the M108A7 Self-propelled Howitzer. The AMPV utilizes the Bradley’s durable hull and chassis, along with the powertrain and suspension. It offers modularity, allowing it to serve in five unique roles, includinggeneral-purposee troop carrier, mortar carrier, medical evacuation vehicle, medical treatment vehicle, and as a mission command platform.
