BAE Systems wins $440m Bradley Contract from U.S. Army
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More than 200 A4 versions of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle will be built for the U.S. Army in deal worth $440 million to BAE Systems.
The tracked combat vehicles — variants of which have been in service since 1981 — will replace older models which the U.S. government has provided to Ukraine, as per a recent press release posted on the firm's website.
The Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) is designed to be employed in a variety of close-combat, urban scenarios and open-combat situations. It was conceived as an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) that could engage and destroy enemy tanks, as well as being able to keep up with the force's M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank (MBT).
Its main armament is a 25mm chain gun, firing rounds accurately to a range of almost 2 miles. It is also equipped with a Tube-launched Optically-tracked Wire-guided (TOW) missile launcher and two missiles.
In 2014 a turretless variant of the Bradley was selected as the U.S. Army's preferred choice for an Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV); almost 3,000 of these vehicles were set to be modified under the AMPV programme.
The Bradley A4 features digitized electronics for optimum situational awareness, network connectivity and communication. Its newest iteration, the M2A4E1 also features an Active Protection System (APS), an improved gunnery sight, and an upgraded air conditioning system.
“The Bradley Fighting Vehicle brings game-changing capabilities to the Army and our allied nations,” said Dan Furber, director of ground vehicle production for BAE Systems’ Combat Mission Systems business.
He added: “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.”
A4 systems are manufactured at various BAE Systems centres, but the bulk of the vehicle is constructed at its production facility in York, Pennsylvania.
- You can read more details about the deal on the BAE Systems website