MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. US Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) that the Biden administration intends to hand over to the Kiev regime have weak points and are insufficiently maneuverable on local terrain, Sergey Suvorov, retired colonel and armor expert, Candidate of Military Sciences, told TASS on Friday.
In early January, the US administration announced a new military aid package for Ukraine, topping $3 billion, that would include Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
"The weak points [of the Bradley IFV] is its heavy weight after all and the absence of the capability to surmount water obstacles. It is a big question of how it will perform on Ukrainian soil, on black earth," the expert said, pointing out that the vehicle’s modern modifications have a mass comparable to that of the Soviet-era T-55 tank (it weighed about 36 metric tons), which reduces its cross country capability.
Any theater of military operations implies the presence of water obstacles along the armor’s path and early Bradley models could be supplied with special pontoons, the expert said.
"One of the earliest modifications could overcome obstacles with the help of a pontoon. This was the lightest version without any extra protection. The vehicle’s modification slated for delivery comes with additional protection and won’t be able to float with these supports," he explained.
The military expert also pointed to the difficulties of using pontoons. They must be delivered to the area of their use separately from the vehicle and be mounted on the IFVs right before surmounting water obstacles.
However, the Bradley combat vehicle is distinguished by its armor protection, acceptable firepower and the presence of a modern fire control system, Suvorov said.
Although the Bradley IFVs had a scant number of chances to demonstrate their potential in combat conditions in Iraq where the Americans employed them after all, these vehicles "went up in flames like any other armor," the expert pointed out.
"There is one weak point, considering the experience of the Iraq war: the vehicle would break down when its frontal part, namely, its transmissions on both sides of the hull, were hit by a large-caliber machine gun," he explained.
Bradley IFV
According to the data of the vehicle’s producer, BAE Systems, and also open sources, modern Bradley modifications (A2 ODS, A3, A4) have a mass of 32-36 metric tons. The vehicle is outfitted with a 25mm automatic gun capable of firing high-explosive fragmentation and armor-piercing sub-caliber munitions and a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, and also a TOW anti-tank missile launcher with two missiles.
The vehicle’s motor-transmission compartment is located in the hull’s front section. The 600 hp engine (the 675 hp capability in the A4 modification) accelerates the IFV to 61 km/h (66km/h for the A4 version). The vehicle has an endurance range of 400 km.
The A3 modification features situational awareness within an armored brigade combat team and can be outfitted with extra reactive armor for urban warfare. The A4 version offers better digital communications to exchange data on the battlefield in real time and electronic warfare equipment.
US Department of Defense Press Secretary Pat Ryder said in an interview with The Drive online media outlet that Ukraine would receive Bradley A2 ODS fighting vehicles. This modification is based on the results of the vehicle’s performance in the 1991 US operation in Iraq codenamed Desert Storm and is supplied with an eye-safe laser range finder, satellite navigation and improved driver visibility.