American Bradley IFVs praised by Ukrainians: Game-changer in conflict

Ukrainians highly praise the M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles provided by the Americans. They withstand machine gun fire and artillery fragments like rain, and the M242 Bushmaster cannon is compared to a "sniper rifle."

Ukrainians received several hundred M2A2 Bradley ODS (Operation Desert Storm) vehicles, which have become one of the Russians' greatest nightmares. In an interview with United24 journalists, Ukrainian crews highlighted several advantages of these vehicles.

The M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) provide excellent protection against machine gun fire and shrapnel, giving crews immense confidence in performing daring raids on Russian positions. During the first stage of the Zaporizhzhia counteroffensive, the crew of one Bradley IFV initially mistook Russian fire for rain.

Ukrainians also praise the mobility of American vehicles, which turned out to be even better than the specifications suggested. For example, one Ukrainian reported achieving higher speeds on both asphalt and off-road than the declared speeds of 37 and 31 mph, respectively. Additionally, the driver highlights that everything is intuitive and can be learned in 15 minutes. Another crew during combat fell into a crater created by the explosion of a 1,102-pound FAB aerial bomb, from which the Bradley managed to drive out.

The armament is also praised. The fire control system, paired with the M242 Bushmaster automatic cannon, caliber 25 mm, enables a Ukrainian to hit a target the size of a soldier at a distance of up to 1.9 miles. Additionally, they mention that the ballistic computer automatically calculates all adjustments for the tracked object, so all that’s needed is to keep sight of the target and shoot. The only complaint from Ukrainian crews is the lack of air conditioning.

The M2A2 Bradley ODS weighs 59,500 pounds, making it lighter compared to newer vehicles such as the CV90 or Puma, which weigh around 88,000 pounds. Nevertheless, the M2A2 still offers very good protection for the three-person crew and seven dismounted soldiers. It is worth noting that in Ukraine, some footage even showed eight soldiers being transported.

The basic armor protects against heavy machine gun fire of 14.5×114 mm caliber, while the front armor can withstand 30 mm caliber rounds fired from 2A42 automatic cannons. The Bradley can also be equipped with reactive BRAT armor, which offers high resistance to fire from handheld anti-tank weapons or FPV drones. The Bradley also demonstrated good crew protection in the event of mine detonations.

In addition to the aforementioned M242 Bushmaster automatic cannon, caliber 25 mm, with a rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute, capable of firing either armor-piercing or high-explosive incendiary M792 HEI-T ammunition, the M2A2 Bradley is also equipped with a dual launcher for BGM-71F (TOW 2B) anti-tank guided missiles.

These missiles can destroy tanks at a distance of up to 2.3 miles, targeting the weakest top armor. Although an older generation system requires manual guidance to the point of impact and can only be fired while stationary, it remains effective.