US Army equips its first armored unit with modernized M2A4 Bradley tracked IFVs.

According to information published by the United States Army on April 23, 2022, the “Hound Battalion,” 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, is the first U.S. Army unit to complete field-level maintenance and operator new equipment training on the modernized M2A4 Bradley tracked armored IFV Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
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U.S. soldiers assigned to the "Hound Battalion," 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, operate the newly modernized M2A4 Bradley Fighting Vehicles at Fort Stewart, Georgia, April 12, 2022. (Picture source U.S. DoD)

The near decade-long effort to upgrade the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) culminated in the first unit, 3rd Bn., 67th AR, 2nd ABCT, 3rd ID, equipped with, and trained on the M2A4 variant, upgraded with enhanced mobility and power generation capabilities. The enhancements include power modernization to regain speed performance and increased power in the turret, allowing the platform to host future technologies.

The Army plans to roll out five brigade sets. The first unit equipped, 3rd Bn., 67th AR, will receive 21 M2A4 BFVs. The Army is planning and coordinating to roll out more than 700 M2A4 BFVs through 2029. The average cost of an M2A4 BFV is $4.35 million.

As the Army enhanced survivability on the previous versions of the BFV, mobility was negatively impacted because of the extra weight. Designers could not integrate additional capabilities because there was no more power. Now it can keep up with M1A2 Abrams tank acceleration requirements.

The Bradley M2A4 armored tracked IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) features the latest digitized electronics for optimum situational awareness, network connectivity and communication within the Armored Brigade Combat Team. Bradley A4’s proven durability and commonality of design reduce the logistics burden while enhancing battlefield performance to meet a variety of mission requirements in close-combat, urban scenarios and open combat situations.

The Bradley M2A4 IFV is improved with new Fire Suppression and IED (Improvised Explosive Device) jammer components further to enhance survivability by reducing the likelihood of system detectability and target acquisition by external systems and defeats external threats.

In terms of mobility, the Bradley M2A4 is capable of maximizing its acceleration capabilities due to the increased engine horsepower in order to provide rapid movement of the vehicle in reaction to combat or other adverse situations. Enhanced mobility function provides a driver with improved situational awareness and mobility functionality status.

The Bradley M2A4 is fitted with a two-man turret and keeps the armament of the previous version of the Bradley family that consists of one Bushmaster 25mm cannon and TOW anti-tank missile system. It has a weight of 36,287 kg and can accommodate up to 10 soldiers including the driver, commander, and gunner. It can run at a maximum road speed of 66 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 402 km.

Defense News April 2022