Ukrainian brigade uses American Bradley IFV to target Russian forces
The famous Ukrainian 47th Independent Mechanized Brigade continues to raid Russian positions in the Donetsk region. The American M2A2 Bradley ODS infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) is the critical vehicle enabling relatively safe conduct of these raids.
10:46 AM EDT, July 19, 2024
The 47th Independent Mechanized Brigade has continuously fought in the Donetsk region and is one of the most effective Ukrainian units. A video has surfaced online showing an M2A2 Bradley ODS IFV raid on Russian positions in a tree line near Pokrovsk, which became a target for the invaders after capturing Avdiivka.
In the video below, the M2A2 Bradley ODS's 25 mm main gun fires at Russian positions from about 110 to 220 yards. Upon hitting the target, these rounds have a destructive force comparable to a grenade.
M2A2 Bradley ODS — the nightmare of the Russians on the front
The Ukrainians received several hundred M2A2 Bradley ODS IFVs, a variant from the 1990s that stemmed from Operation "Desert Storm." Compared to the A2 variant from the 1980s, this vehicle received a new laser rangefinder and newer generation thermal imaging optoelectronics.
The M2A2 Bradley is an IFV weighing 60,000 pounds. Three soldiers operate it and can carry a six-person assault team. The M2A2 Bradley effectively protects and supports the crew due to its good armor and immense firepower. The vehicle's armor provides protection against fire from large-caliber machine guns KPW 14.5×114 mm and 2A42 automatic cannons 30 mm (from the front). After adding BRAT reactive armor blocks, it can also withstand fire from handheld anti-tank weapons.
These fully cover critical parts of the IFV and the crew compartment, so even hits from FPV drones (which usually carry PG-7VL grenades and can penetrate 20 inches of steel armor) do not cause catastrophic effects. There have been instances of several drones hitting Bradleys without damaging or immobilizing them, where the crew survived and was evacuated by another IFV. The same cannot be said for post-Soviet BMPs, where a hit from similar weapons usually means the death of everyone inside.
Heavily armed vehicle
The weaponry of the M2A2 Bradley IFV allows for combating a wide range of targets, from infantry soldiers to tanks. The primary weapon is the M242 Bushmaster 25 mm automatic cannon with a firing rate of 200 rounds per minute and an effective range of about 1.2 miles. It can fire armor-piercing or M792 HEI-T high-explosive incendiary ammunition.
The M792 HEI-T ammunition contains a projectile weighing 0.41 pounds, about 0.07 pounds of robust RDX explosive material. The rest includes a steel body as a fragmentation source and incendiary material. The projectile's lethal range is a few meters, and the tracer, or burning material at the back of the projectile, provides visual feedback to the gunner regarding where it hits, making it easier to adjust fire.
Additionally, the M2A2 Bradley is equipped with a dual launcher for BGM-71F (TOW 2B) anti-tank guided missiles, allowing it to destroy tanks at distances up to 2.3 miles. However, this system is of an older generation, requires the missile to be guided until it hits the target, and can only be used when stationary.
