Function: Armored fighting vehicle









Description: The BFVS is a lightly armored, fully tracked fighting vehicle that provides cross-country mobility, mounted firepower and protection from artillery and small-arms fire. It is used in mechanized infantry and armored cavalry combat.



It possesses sufficient cross-country mobility to keep up with the Abrams Main Battle Tank, medium and long-range firepower capable of defeating any vehicle on the battlefield, and is adequately armored to protect the crew from artillery and small arms threats. The Bradley is able to close with and destroy enemy forces in support of mounted and dismounted Infantry and Cavalry combat operations. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle family currently consists of two vehicles: the M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle. Just as with its predecessor, the M113 family, the Bradley will eventually be the platform for a wide range of support vehicles.



Infantry can fight from inside the vehicle by using modified M-16 rifles mounted in firing ports or may dismount from the M-2 version to fight on foot. The vehicle is armed with a 25mm cannon, effective against most armored targets, and with the TOW missile, effective against lightly armored targets out to its maximum range of 3,750 meters (2.3 miles).











General Characteristics, M-2/M-3





Contractors:

United Defense, LP







Power Train:

600 HP Cummins Turbo diesel engine







Length:

21.5 feet (6.5 meters)







Height:

9.92 feet (3 meters)







Width:

10.5 feet (3.2 meters)







Weight (Combat Loaded):

67,000 pounds (30,391 kilograms)







Range:

330 miles (528 kilometers)













Crew:

Three plus infantry squad







Road Speed:

38 mph (60.8 kph)







Armor:

Layered aluminum with interior anti-fragmentation lining







Main Armament:

25mm cannon







Muzzle velocity:

1,500 meters (4,950 feet) per second







Rate of fire:

120 rounds per minute







Secondary armament:

TOW missile

7.62mm machine gun







Unit Cost:

$1.3 million