US Army Awards BAE Systems $288.2 Million Contract for Bradley M2A4 and M7A4 Vehicle Production.

BAE Systems has been awarded a significant contract by the U.S. Army for the production of Bradley M2A4 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) and M7A4 Fire Support Vehicles. As reported by Yahoo Finance, the contract is valued at $288.2 million and is expected to be fulfilled by January 31, 2026. The Army Contracting Command, based in Detroit Arsenal, MI, is overseeing the deal. Specific work locations will be determined as each order is placed.
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U.S. Army M7A4 Bradley Fire Support Team armored vehicle. (Picture source U.S. Army)

The Bradley M2A4, often referred to as the Bradley A4, stands out for its proven durability. Its design, which shares common features with other models, simplifies logistics and enhances its performance on the battlefield. This makes it adept at handling a range of mission requirements, from close-combat and urban scenarios to open-combat situations. One of the key features of the Bradley A4 is its enhanced survivability. This is achieved through improvements to its Fire Suppression and IED jammer components, which minimize the system's detectability and reduce the chances of target acquisition by external systems. These enhancements also help in defeating external threats.

Mobility is another strong suit of the Bradley A4. Thanks to an increase in engine horsepower, the system can maximize its acceleration, allowing for rapid movement in response to combat or other challenging situations. This enhanced mobility also offers the driver better situational awareness and updates on the mobility functionality status.

In terms of firepower, the Bradley A4 is formidable. It leverages the lethality features from its predecessor and introduces a full ballistic fire control system hosted on a new central processing unit. This is complemented by dual-target tracking, automatic gun target adjustment, automatic bore sighting, and hunter-killer capabilities. The vehicle's armament includes the Bushmaster 25mm cannon, which can fire both explosive and armor-piercing rounds. For tackling enemy armor, it's equipped with TOW missiles, and for close-range high-volume firing, it has a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.

The Bradley A4 also emphasizes networkability. It integrates an improved computing system that can house robust software applications, providing soldiers with near real-time networking situational awareness on both platform variants. Lastly, supportability has been enhanced. On-board diagnostic systems have been improved to better detect and isolate faults, and the addition of interactive electronic manuals boosts maintenance capability.

The M7A4 Bradley Fire Support Team (BFIST) Vehicle, equipped with the Fire Support Sensor System (FS3), is a Bradley-based platform designed for fire support. It's an evolution of the A3 BFIST vehicle, aiding company Fire Support Teams (FIST) and their officers in orchestrating precise indirect artillery and mortar strikes. This vehicle offers enhanced automated surveillance, target tracking, and communication capabilities under armor. When dismounted, it can acquire and designate targets.

The M7A4 BFIST with FS3 accommodates four FIST members and is armed with an M242 25 mm Automatic Cannon and a 7.62 Coaxial Machine Gun. Future upgrades under the Bradley ECP program encompass an enhanced engine, transmission, track system, torsion bars, road arms, and shock absorbers. The BFIST is deployed with the Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and Combined Arms Battalions within the Armored Brigade Combat Team.

Defense News October 2023