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60-472: The M901 ITV provides the crew and weapon system protection from small-arms fire and artillery fragments. The squad leader has a 270-degree range of view through the squad leader's periscope (SLP). The turret launcher has the capability for day and night acquisition and tracking of targets, and it provides firing coverages of 360 degrees in azimuth and +35 to −30 degrees in elevation. The ITV has stowage provisions for tripod-mounted TOW components configured so

120-585: A TOW missile system . This was modified to fire TOW II missiles from the M2A1 model onward. M2 infantry Bradleys have firing ports for M231 Firing Port Weapons (FPWs), providing a means for the occupants to fire from within the vehicle and replacing the top-side gunners on the M113-based Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicles, although the M231 is rarely employed. Initial variants had six ports, but

180-632: A shirt-sleeve environment until the passengers dismounted. After that they could not repressurize without fear of contamination, but they could plug their suits into the vehicle's filtration system. The vehicle was 9 ft (2.7 m) high, 20 ft (6.1 m) long, and 10 ft (3.0 m) wide. The rising costs of the Vietnam War left less money to go around in the Pentagon's procurement budget. The XM701 project had several technical shortcomings. It had poor mobility relative to upcoming designs such as

240-647: A 20 mm autocannon, relatively strong steel armor, and full CBR protection. The U.S. Army rejected it due to it not being amphibious, too large and heavy for air transport, and too expensive. The MICV program continued on, and in 1972, the Army solicited proposals for the MICV. In November 1972, the Army awarded FMC a contract to develop the XM723. This vehicle was similar to the XM765, but had improved armor and speed. It shared components with

300-552: A 360° view outside, and an improved fire extinguisher system. This system was supposed to enter service in 2012, but the Bradley became too heavy and the kit did not make it survivable enough. A newer BUSK III kit is now available for Bradleys incorporating a blastproof fuel cell, a blast-resistant driver seat, a turret survivability system, and an emergency ramp release. This kit was recently installed on 236 M2A3 Bradleys in South Korea and

360-542: A M2 Bradley had killed Russian infantrymen during fighting in the Zaporizhzhia region. She further claimed that using TOW missiles the M2 Bradley was able to destroy two Russian T-72 tanks. The Bradley was assigned to the 47th Mechanized Brigade . These claims could not be independently verified. On 12 January 2024, video emerged of a pair of Ukrainian M2A2 Bradleys from the 47th Mechanized Brigade engaging and disabling

420-664: A Russian T-90M tank at close range with their autocannons in Stepove , Ukraine. As of 20 October 2024, 105 of the donated Bradleys had been confirmed destroyed, damaged, abandoned or captured (50 destroyed, 25 damaged, 26 damaged and abandoned, 4 captured) by the Dutch open-source intelligence website Oryx . U.S. Army began efforts to replace the Bradley in the mid-1980s under the Armored Systems Modernization program. The Army studied creating several vehicle variants under

480-551: A common heavy chassis to replace main battle tanks and Bradleys. This effort was canceled in 1992 due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The U.S. Army began the Future Combat Systems (FCS) Manned Ground Vehicles program in 1999. This family of 18-ton lightweight tracked vehicles centered around a common chassis. It would consist of eight variants, including infantry carriers, scouting vehicles and main battle tanks. FCS

540-774: A deliberate effort to make it less conspicuous on the battlefield. The M901 is similar to the NM142 used by the Norwegian Army and the ZT3 Ratel IFV variant used by South African National Defence Force . The YPR-765 PRAT uses the same turret as the M901 but on the hull of the AIFV, an improved M113. The M1134 , based on the Stryker , is the current armored tank destroyer of the U.S. M981 FISTV The M981 FISTV (Fire Support Team Vehicle)

600-446: A finned depleted uranium penetrator similar in concept to armor-piercing munitions used in modern tanks. The M919 was used in combat during the 2003 invasion phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom . An M240C medium machine gun is mounted coaxially to the M242 , with 2,200 rounds of 7.62×51mm ammunition. For engaging heavier targets, such as acting as an anti-tank gun, the Bradley carries

660-546: A flotation curtain around the vehicle, allowing it to "swim" at a speed of 4.5  mph (7.2  km/h ). Later armor upgrades have negated this capability. One of the early issues that drove the development of the infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) was the need to have a vehicle that could serve in a high-intensity conflict in Europe, which was feared might include the use of nuclear, biological or chemical (NBC) type weapons . To work in such an environment, an IFV would have to have

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720-452: A lased target. When combined with directional control from an inertial navigation system and vehicle coordinates from the GPS , the system is able to obtain precise coordinates of a designated target. The FISTV also had four SINCGARS radios to track the numerous voice and data radio nets pertinent to fire support operations. The FISTV identifies targets and sends their description and location to

780-483: A life support system that protected from outside contaminants, while allowing the soldiers to fight from inside the vehicle. The earliest specification, from 1958, called for a vehicle of no more than 8 tons, mounting a turret with a 20 mm autocannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun, with sealed firing ports for five infantry gunners. In December 1963, the Army Combat Developments Command studied

840-582: A series of " overmatch " tests in which weapons would be fired at the Bradley that were known to be able to easily penetrate its armor, including Russian ordnance. Burton saw attempts to avoid such tests as dishonest, while the BRL saw them as wasteful, as they already knew the vehicle would fail. The disagreements became so contentious that testing was suspended, while a congressional inquiry resulted. Additional improvements to vehicle survivability were added to production vehicles by 1988. Though Burton's actions accelerated

900-605: Is a United States Army armored vehicle designed to house an artillery observer team in mechanized units. It was based on the M901 Improved TOW Vehicle (ITV) – itself based on the ubiquitous M113 armored personnel carrier chassis. The principal equipment on the FISTV is the Ground/Vehicular Laser Locator Designator (G/VLLD), pronounced "glid". This device obtains precise range information to

960-558: Is a single-barrel chain gun with an integrated dual-feed mechanism and remote feed selection. The cannon carries 300 rounds of ammunition in two ready boxes (one of 70 rounds, the other of 230 rounds), with an extra 600 rounds in storage for the M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle variant or 1,200 stowed rounds for the M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle variant. The two ready-boxes allow a selectable mix of rounds, such as

1020-494: Is an upgrade similar to the M1 Abrams TUSK kit. It decreases the vulnerability of Bradleys in urban environments. The kit includes a more powerful spotlight, a wire mesh protector to keep the optics from getting scratched, and nonconductive arched strips of nylon that push away fallen electrical wires (power line protection) that would endanger crews, additional armor on the underside, and a bullet-resistant transparent shield for

1080-417: Is armed with a TOW missile launcher capable of carrying two loaded missiles. The missiles, capable of destroying most tanks to a maximum range of 13,000 ft (4,000 m), can only be fired while the vehicle is stationary. The Bradley carries a coaxial 7.62 mm medium machine gun to the right of the chain gun. The Bradley is equipped with the 25 mm M242 Bushmaster as its main weapon. The M242

1140-606: Is named for U.S. General Omar Bradley . The Bradley is designed to transport infantry or scouts with armor protection, while providing covering fire to suppress enemy troops and armored vehicles . Variants include the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and the M3 Bradley reconnaissance vehicle . The M2 holds a crew of three—a commander, a gunner and a driver—along with six fully equipped soldiers. The M3 mainly conducts scout missions and carries two scout troopers in addition to

1200-470: Is scheduled next to be added to Bradleys of the 4th Infantry Division. As of late July 2023, Ukrainian Bradleys have been fitted with BUSK upgraded armor and Bradley Reactive Armor Tiles. The Bradley is highly capable in cross-country open terrain, in accordance with one of the main design objectives of keeping pace with the M1 Abrams main battle tank. The Bradley was initially designed to float by deploying

1260-474: Is to move the vehicle while the turret is in the loading position, thereby reducing the amount of time to get the turret in a fire position as opposed to the stow position. Moving from the firing to the stowed position is a procedure that takes several seconds and some skill on the part of the operator. The M981 FISTV (fire support team vehicle) armored vehicle is based on the M901 ITV and closely resembles it, in

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1320-512: The LVTP-7 rather than the M113. FMC began construction of the XM723 prototype, which was completed in 1973. The XM723 weighed 21 tons, had spaced aluminum armor proofed against 14.5 mm fire, had a crew of three plus eight infantry, firing ports for the infantry, and a one-man turret with a 20 mm gun. The commander sat inside the hull. To adapt the XM723 to a reconnaissance role, as well as an IFV,

1380-520: The M1 Abrams . A few kills against Iraqi T-72 tanks at close range are reported. A total of 20 Bradleys were lost—three by enemy fire and 17 due to friendly fire incidents. Another 12 were damaged. The gunner of one Bradley was killed when his vehicle was hit by Iraqi fire, possibly from an Iraqi BMP-1 , during the Battle of 73 Easting . To remedy some problems that were identified as contributing factors in

1440-531: The 1973 Yom Kippur war . The added political advantage was that the TOW missiles made it an easier sell to Congress, as it was a new capability not possessed by the M113. General Donn Starry wrote: We in TRADOC… decided to put the TOW on the MICV because we realized that if we did not put the TOW on the MICV, we would probably never have a MICV. In October 1976, the Army accepted a number of recommendations put forward by

1500-556: The Aberdeen Proving Ground's Ballistic Research Laboratory (BRL), which preferred smaller, more controlled, "building block" tests. They claimed such limited, and according to Burton, completely unrealistic, testing would improve the databases used to model vehicle survivability, as opposed to full tests with random shots that would provide a far more accurate picture of its performance under real battlefield conditions, but produce less useful statistical data. Burton insisted on

1560-484: The Bradley additional problems occurred after production started. Air Force Col. James G. Burton , an Office of the Secretary of Defense official, advocated the use of comprehensive live fire tests on fully loaded military vehicles to evaluate their survivability. The Army and Air Force agreed and established the joint live fire testing program in 1984. When testing the Bradley, disagreements occurred between Burton and

1620-415: The Bradley in 1989 and began importing the vehicle in 1990. Bradley production concluded in 1995, with a total of 6,724 Bradleys (4,641 M2s and 2,083 M3s) produced for the U.S. Army. The total cost of the program was $ 5.7 billion, and the average unit cost $ 3.2 million. This was despite an unmet requirement by the U.S. Army for 8,709 Bradleys as of 1992. Remanufacture of A0 variants to A2 standard began at

1680-600: The Fire Direction Center. Each armor or mechanized infantry company in the US Army has one M981, with a crew consisting of a lieutenant, a noncommissioned officer, and two soldiers. This crew also serves as advisors to the company commander on fire support issues. FISTVs are also used by Combat Observation and Lasing Teams (COLTs), a Brigade asset positioned to support the Brigade fires plan. Among its several advantages,

1740-522: The M107 and M110 self-propelled howitzers. The prototypes had the following characteristics: a weight of 25–27 tons, depending on an aluminum or steel hull; a 425 hp diesel engine; a two-man turret with a 20 mm gun; a crew of three plus nine infantry equipped with firing ports; a built-in toilet; armor that was proof against Soviet 14.5 mm MG fire beyond a certain range; a collective and overpressure CBR system; amphibious. The filtration system provided

1800-612: The M2/3 IFV. Their conclusion was that extensive redesign would be necessary for even marginal improvements in M113 derivatives. In October 1978, Congress reauthorized procurement funds. FMC delivered eight XM2 prototypes to the Army beginning in December 1978 and progressing through March 1979. The XM2/3 passed the Army Systems Acquisition Review Council Milestone III review in 1979. In December 1979,

1860-586: The M791 APDS-T (Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot (with) Tracer) and M792 HEI-T (High Explosive Incendiary (with) Tracer) rounds. The tungsten APDS-T rounds proved effective in Desert Storm , capable of knocking out many Iraqi vehicles, including several T-55 tanks. Subsequent ammunition developments resulted in the M919 APFSDS-T ( armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (with) tracer ) round containing

M901 ITV - Misplaced Pages Continue

1920-522: The MBT-70, and it could not be carried aboard a C-141 Starlifter . The project was canceled, and new specifications were written in 1965. In 1967, the public display of the BMP-1 caused additional interest in the MICV program, which concluded its studies in 1968. Continued disagreements on specifications slowed down development. In 1968, an Army task force headed by Major General George Casey recommended that

1980-462: The MICV Task Force formed earlier that year. The Army would combine the roles of scout and IFV, as the previous Armored Reconnaissance Scout Vehicle had been canceled. The Army agreed to make the armor protection comparable to the XM723. The TBAT-II turret with its 25 mm cannon and a TOW-missile launcher in the two-man turret would be used for the both vehicles. In 1977, the MICV was renamed

2040-576: The OMB deleted M2/3 funding from the budget for the 1979 financial year. In 1978, the Crizer report asserted that the basic design was consistent with doctrine, and that development of an IFV with superior characteristics would be costly and pose significant developmental risks. An additional study, the IFV/CFV Special Study Group, evaluated whether an improved version of the M113 could be used instead of

2100-471: The Soviet BMP family of infantry fighting vehicles. The Bradley was meant to serve as an armored personnel carrier and a tank-killer. One design requirement specified that it should be as fast as the M1 Abrams main battle tank, so the vehicles could maintain formation. The M2/M3's primary armament is a 25 mm chain gun using either 100 or 300 rounds per minute, accurate to 1.9 mi (3,000 metres). It

2160-557: The U.S. and West German governments began work on the MBT-70 main battle tank design and an IFV companion project called MICV-65 , Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle. In 1964, the Army solicited bids for the MICV-65, awarding the contract for the Pacific Car and Foundry Company . The first XM701 prototype was delivered in 1965 and testing was completed in 1966. The XM701 shared components with

2220-555: The XM2 and XM3 were type classified as the M2 and M3 respectively. Final approval for production came from the Secretary of Defense in February 1980. In October 1981 the vehicle was named the "Bradley" for World War II Army General Omar Bradley , who had died earlier that year. The Bradley consists of two types of vehicles, the M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle. The M3 CFV

2280-696: The XM2. The scout version became the XM3. These comprised the two variants of the Fighting Vehicle System. A third variant, called the General Support Rocket System, which later entered production as the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System , was added to the portfolio in 1977. Congress was questioning the development of the XM2 due to the high losses incurred by Soviet built BMP-1s in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Congress suggested

2340-426: The commander outside the turret. It includes sensors and a software package to quickly detect when components are wearing out, and simulation software so gunners can train more realistically. The BUSK kit adds 3 tons to the vehicle's weight. Because of this, a major upgrade was planned. Additional upgrades included a stronger, 800 horsepower engine, a larger main gun, lighter armor, improved sensors and cameras to give

2400-604: The concept for a "Post 1965 Infantry Combat Vehicle", later the MICV. In the interim, the Army planned upgrades to the M113 that would bridge the gap to the MICV. One such upgrade was the XM734 which added firing ports. The .50 caliber machine gun was replaced with a twin machine gun cupola or an M139 20 mm autocannon. This test bed saw limited service in Vietnam, from 1967 to 1972, where it received positive feedback from troops. In 1963,

2460-439: The crew can reach the turret through the carrier's rear roof hatch. The missile launcher targeting head is at the end of a pivoting arm which raises the launcher assembly for firing. When stowed, the turret is aimed down and to the rear of the vehicle. A major limitation of the M901 is that it is practically unable to move while the turret is in firing position and unable to fire while it is in the stowed position. A common workaround

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2520-698: The development of a more heavily armored vehicle. The Army argued against this due to concerns about cost, weight, and development time. In 1977, Congress ordered two new evaluations of the IFV program, one by the Government Accounting Office (GAO) and one by the Department of the Army , under General Pat Crizer. The GAO report released in early 1978 was critical of the XM2's height, mobility, complexity, lack of clear doctrinal use, and lack of chemical/biological/radiological protection. Based upon this criticism,

2580-507: The friendly fire incidents, infrared identification panels and other marking/identification measures were added to the Bradleys. In the Iraq War, the Bradley proved vulnerable to improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenade attacks, but casualties were light with the crew able to escape. In 2006, total losses included 55 Bradleys destroyed and some 700 others damaged. By the end of

2640-455: The ground system can be dismounted and set up in three to five minutes. In addition, the ITV is completely amphibious and is air transportable. It has the following characteristics: The system is capable of firing two missiles without reloading and carries ten TOW rounds in the missile rack. Reloading is performed under armor protection and is accomplished by tilting the launching apparatus back so that

2700-408: The hammerhead could be raised from behind protective terrain or concealing cover. Although gyroscopes had their weaknesses, these systems were replaced or supplemented with other location & positioning systems, such as GPS. Should gyros or technology fail, the crew could also use basic land navigation skills, like triangulating from known terrain features. The FISTV had several limitations, including

2760-503: The implementation of these changes, the changes themselves were almost wholly the work of the BRL. Burton was ordered to transfer from his post at OSD, prompting yet more congressional scrutiny. Burton retired from the Air Force rather than accept the new post. The House Armed Services Committee found that Burton's claims of malfeasance were rather due to "a long-standing fundamental disagreement over testing methodology and, more importantly,

2820-561: The inability of OSD and the Army to reach an agreement on how the test is conducted. ...The Army has complied with many of Colonel Burton's issues of concern over the past several years." In 1993, Burton released his book The Pentagon Wars: Reformers Challenge the Old Guard . The book was adapted into the black comedy film The Pentagon Wars in 1998. During the Persian Gulf War , M2 Bradleys destroyed more Iraqi armored vehicles than

2880-550: The production line in May 1980. The Army accepted delivery of the first production vehicles in May 1981. The first combat unit to be equipped with Bradleys (four M2s and six M3s), in March 1983, was the 1st Battalion, 41st (Mechanized) Infantry, 2nd Armored Division. Several years later, the unit commander, Lt. Col. Franklin W. Trapnell, Jr., became the Army's system manager for the Bradley program. Saudi Arabia stated an interest in acquiring

2940-636: The raised position and had a planning time of 3 minutes, 30 seconds plus the time it took the north-seeking gyrocompass (NSG) to align. The M981 FISTV has been supplanted by the M7 Bradley and M1131 Stryker fire support vehicles. Bradley Fighting Vehicle#M7 Bradley Fire Support Vehicle The Bradley Fighting Vehicle ( BFV ) is a tracked armored fighting vehicle of the United States developed by FMC Corporation and now manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments , formerly United Defense . It

3000-400: The regular crew of three, with space for additional BGM-71 TOW missiles. In 2014, the U.S. Army selected BAE Systems ' Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) proposal of a turretless variant of the Bradley to replace over 2,800 M113 armored personnel carriers . Some 2,907 surplus Bradleys will be modified to become AMPVs for the U.S. Army. The Bradley was developed largely in response to

3060-468: The same time. As of 2017, 2,907 Bradleys are slated to be modified to become Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles for the U.S. Army. 1,600 to 2,000 older Bradleys remain in Army depots as of 2017. Some of these Bradleys will be taken from these stocks. The Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas, is responsible for maintenance and repair of the Bradley system. Even after the troubled development history of

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3120-574: The service once again pursue the development of an MICV. The Army opened a new program manager's office later in 1968. From 1969 to 1970, the Army looked at two alternate vehicles that could be fielded more quickly. The FMC Corporation had developed the XM765 Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle , an IFV version of the M113A1. It had a one-man turret mounting a 25 mm gun, a sealed environment, and firing ports. The vehicle weight

3180-524: The side ports were plated over with the armor configuration on the A2 and A3 variants, leaving only the two rear-facing mounts in the loading ramp. No versions of the M3 CFV carry firing port weapons. Early versions had all six firing port mounts fitted and plated over. Newer versions retain the two ramp-mounted firing ports, though plated over. The use of aluminum armor and the storage of large quantities of ammunition in

3240-453: The turret was replaced in 1976 with a two-man turret mounting a 25 mm Bushmaster cannon and TOW missiles. This was the TBAT-II (Tow Bushmaster Armored Turret, Two Man) design. A two-man turret design put the commander in a position with a better view of the battlefield. The TOW missiles give the vehicle a strong antiarmor capability. The value of anti-tank missiles had been well established in

3300-476: The vehicle initially raised questions about its combat survivability. Spaced laminate belts and high-hardness steel skirts have been added to improve the side protection of later versions, while overall weight was increased to 33 tons. All versions are equipped with two four-barreled smoke grenade launchers on the front of the turret for creating defensive smoke screens , which can also be loaded with chaff and flares . The Bradley Urban Survival Kit (BUSK)

3360-458: The vehicle's poor performance compared to the M2 Bradleys and M1 Abrams tanks with which it maneuvered, forcing the other vehicles to wait while the FISTV labored to keep up. Its top-heavy design made it prone to rollovers. The lack of a heavy weapons system or enhanced armor meant that the crew depended solely on the supported element for protection. It could not move with the hammerhead deployed in

3420-670: The war, about 150 Bradleys had been destroyed. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine , the US donated about 190 Bradleys to Ukraine's armed forces. Ukraine's first documented use of Bradleys occurred in the Zaporizhzhia region after Ukraine launched its southern counteroffensive in June 2023. An early assault near Mala Tokmachka on June 8 was unsuccessful, and imagery showed that Ukraine lost at least 17 Bradleys of M2 variant. On 19 July, Hanna Maliar , Ukraine's deputy defense minister, claimed on Telegram that

3480-428: Was 15 tons. The upper sides of the vehicle were sloped and spaced steel armor plates were added to improve protection. Firing ports for the passengers were added and a M139 20 mm cannon was added to the commander's cupola. The U.S. Army rejected it due to limited mobility, which would have prevented it from keeping pace with the proposed MBT-70. The other alternate vehicle was the West German Marder , which mounted

3540-402: Was canceled in 2009 due to budget cuts. In 2010, the Army began the Ground Combat Vehicle program to replace the M2 Bradley. Entries from BAE Systems and General Dynamics were selected for evaluation. Concerns grew around the vehicle's proposed weight of around 70 tons. The GCV was cancelled in 2014 due to sequestration budget cuts. The Army's Bradley replacement effort was restarted under

3600-447: Was originally planned to be named after General Jacob L. Devers , but it was decided the Bradley name would apply to both, since both vehicles are based on the same chassis. They differ in only some details. The M2 carries a crew of three and a six-man infantry squad . The M3 carries the crew of three and a two-man scout team and additional radios, the BGM-71 TOW and M47 Dragon or FGM-148 Javelin missiles. The first BFVs came off

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