US Army awards $440 million contract for additional Bradley Fighting Vehicles

News, US September 17, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

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The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a $440 million contract to BAE Systems to produce more than 200 A4 variants of Bradley Fighting Vehicles. The Army will receive modernized replacements for some of the Bradley Fighting Vehicles that the U.S. government delivered to Ukraine.

The United States donated dozens of Bradley Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine for its fight against Russia. Most of these vehicles came from the inventory of the U.S. Army. The latest contract aims to replenish the Army’s inventory of infantry support vehicles.

Director of ground vehicle production for BAE Systems’ Combat Mission Systems business, Dan Furber said, “The Bradley Fighting Vehicle brings game-changing capabilities to the Army and our allied nations.” He added that the Bradleys “dominates in today’s battlefields and is ready for future fights.”

Furber highlighted, “Because of the support for additional production of the modern Bradley A4 variant, this enduring capability continues to make a difference for troops all over the world, ensuring they have the firepower, mobility and survivability they need to achieve their missions.”

The poduction and support for the Bradley A4 vehicles are carried out across BAE Systems’ extensive industrial network, which includes facilities in Aiken, South Carolina; Anniston, Alabama; Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Jose, California; Sterling Heights, Michigan; and York, Pennsylvania.

In August 2023, the U.S. Army awarded a $190 million extension contract to BAE Systems to produce 70 units of Bradley Fighting Vehicles, including 70 M2A4 Infantry Fighting Vehicles and M7A4 Fire Support Vehicles.

U.S. Army M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle — ^{A Bradley Fighting Vehicle assigned to First Battalion, Eighth Infantry Regiment “Fighting Eagles,” Third Armored Brigade Combat Team, Fourth Infantry Division, moves into position as UH-60 Blackhawks conduct a fly over during an air-assault demonstration on July 30, 2022. (Image Credit: U.S. Army/Staff Sergeant Malcolm Cohens-Ashley)}

Bradley M2A4 Vehicles

Badley M2 is an infantry fighting vehicle designed to carry soldiers or conduct reconnaissance operations. The U.S. Army relies on the M2 Bradley vehicles for warzone logistics and personnel movement.

The reliable Bradley vehicles have been in use since the 1980s. M2A2 variant of Bradley vehicles have seen action in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Persian Gulf, and most recently in Ukraine as the U.S. and other Western allies provided the vehicles to the Ukrainian forces.

The upgraded M2A4 variant features advanced mobility, survivability, and firepower capabilities along with a more powerful engine. The A4 variant is equipped with upgraded fire suppression and IED jammer components reducing its detectability.

According to BAE Systems, “The Bradley A4 is a critical, next-generation capability in the Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) formation. It’s a proven system that enhances battlefield performance to meet a variety of mission requirements in various combat situations.”

The Bradley A4 is built for superior durability and streamlined logistics, incorporating a common design that reduces maintenance complexity. Its advanced digitized electronics provide enhanced situational awareness, seamless network connectivity, and robust communication capabilities for the Army’s ABCT.

The upgraded computing system enhances situational awareness for soldiers and improvements to onboard diagnostics systems provide increased fault detection and isolation capabilities that help keep the Bradley Fighting Vehicle in the fight.