The M2 Bradley is an American tracked infantry fighting vehicle built by BAE Systems Land and Armaments, formerly FMC Corporation, and adopted by the United States Army in 1981 to replace the earlier M113 armored personnel carrier in a role combining troop transport with direct fire support. It carries a crew of three plus a compartment of infantry soldiers, and is armed with a 25mm M242 Bushmaster chain gun and TOW anti-tank guided missiles, giving Bradley-equipped mechanized infantry the ability to fight from or alongside the vehicle rather than simply being carried to the battlefield in it. The Bradley saw extensive combat during the 1991 Gulf War, where it destroyed more Iraqi armored vehicles than the more heavily publicized M1 Abrams tank, and it has continued in service through the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and, via variants transferred to Ukraine beginning in 2023, the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Facts
Classification
Service Status Weapon ClassInfantry fighting vehicle 1 Introduced Year Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category) FAQs
How did the Bradley change in its first two upgrades after the original M2?
The M2A1 of 1986 improved NBC protection and added TOW II support; the M2A2 of 1988 added a 600 horsepower engine and ERA armor.
The original M2 of the early 1980s was followed in 1986 by the M2A1, which brought an improved NBC protection system, an additional passenger seat and support for the TOW II anti-tank missile. The M2A2 of 1988 received an uprated 600 horsepower Cummins engine with a revised transmission, and its armor was improved through support for ERA blocks, although it lost its side firing ports and the additional seventh passenger seat. Military Factory describes the M2A2 as the variant that became the Bradley standard.
Connections
Associated With
Gulf War, Wars The M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle proved itself in armored engagements against Iraqi forces during the Gulf War
Operated By
Source Wikipedia: M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle
Used In
Gulf War, Wars Source Wikipedia: M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle
Iraq War, Wars Source Wikipedia: M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle
Source Wikipedia: M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle
Source Wikipedia: M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle
Source Wikipedia: M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle
In the Other Atlases
Manufactured By
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Source Wikipedia: M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicletier 4
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Source Wikipedia: M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicletier 4
Sources
1. Wikipedia: M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle
WikipediaLead section, first sentence
The M2 Bradley, or Bradley IFV, is an American infantry fighting vehicle that is a member of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family.
Lead section, first paragraph, sentence on 1981 service entry
It is manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments (formerly United Defense) and entered service in 1981, with fielding beginning in 1983.
Lead section
It is manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments (formerly United Defense) and entered service in 1981, with fielding beginning in 1983.
- Weapon class classified from the entity's own sourced description text.
Lead and body text
The Bradley is equipped with the M242 25 mm autocannon as its main weapon.
Infobox: service
1981-present
Caliber attribute (m2-bradley-fighting-vehicle)
It carries a crew of three plus a compartment of infantry soldiers, and is armed with a 25mm M242 Bushmaster chain gun and TOW anti-tank guided missiles, giving Bradley-equipped mechanized infantry the ability to fight from or alongside the vehicle rather than simply being carried to the battlefield in it.
- Used In: Gulf War, infobox wars field: 'Gulf War'
- Used In: Iraq War, infobox wars field: 'Iraq War'
- Used In: Yemeni Civil War, infobox wars field: 'Yemeni Civil War'
- Used In: Syrian Civil War, infobox wars field: 'Syrian Civil War'
- Used In: Russo-Ukrainian War, infobox wars field: 'Russo-Ukrainian War'
Operated By: United States Army, Wikipedia article text
The M2A3 variant began to replace the M3A3 cavalry fighting vehicles in US Army armored reconnaissance units in 2014, as the increased ammunition loads carried by the M3A3s reduced the number of scouts that could be transported.
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