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141-665: The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System ( M270 MLRS ) is an American armored self-propelled multiple launch rocket system . The U.S. Army variant of the M270 is based on the chassis of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle . The first M270s were delivered in 1983, and were adopted by several NATO and non-NATO militaries. The platform first saw service with the United States in the 1991 Gulf War . It has received multiple improvements since its inception, including

282-553: A GPS -aided inertial navigation system and extended range. Flight control is accomplished by four forward-mounted canards driven by electromechanical actuators. GMLRS rockets were introduced in 2005 and can be fired from the M270A1 and M270A2, the European M270A1 variants ( British Army M270B1, German Army MARS II, French Army Lance Roquette Unitaire (LRU), Italian Army MLRS Improved (MLRS-I), Finnish Army M270D1), and

423-433: A diesel engine ; modern technology, including the use of turbo-charging , helps to overcome the lower power-to-weight ratio of diesel engines compared to petrol. Gas turbine (turboshaft) engines offer a very high power-to-weight ratio and were starting to find favour in the late 20th century – however, they offer very poor fuel consumption and as such some armies are switching from gas turbines back to diesel engines (i.e.

564-447: A main battle tank will normally be designed to take hits from other tank guns and anti-tank missiles , whilst light reconnaissance vehicles are often only armoured "just in case". Whilst heavier armour provides better protection, it makes vehicles less mobile (for a given engine power), limits its air-transportability, increases cost, uses more fuel and may limit the places it can go – for example, many bridges may be unable to support

705-643: A shirt-sleeve environment until the passengers dismounted. After that they could not repressurize without fear of contamination, but they could plug their suits into the vehicle's filtration system. The vehicle was 9 ft (2.7 m) high, 20 ft (6.1 m) long, and 10 ft (3.0 m) wide. The rising costs of the Vietnam War left less money to go around in the Pentagon's procurement budget. The XM701 project had several technical shortcomings. It had poor mobility relative to upcoming designs such as

846-494: A turret or cupola. The greater the recoil of the weapon on an AFV, the larger the turret ring needs to be. A larger turret ring necessitates a larger vehicle. To avoid listing to the side, turrets on amphibious vehicles are usually located at the centre of the vehicle. Grenade launchers provide a versatile launch platform for a plethora of munitions including, smoke , phosphorus, tear gas , illumination, anti-personnel, infrared and radar-jamming rounds. Turret stabilization

987-663: A 20 mm autocannon, relatively strong steel armor, and full CBR protection. The U.S. Army rejected it due to it not being amphibious, too large and heavy for air transport, and too expensive. The MICV program continued on, and in 1972, the Army solicited proposals for the MICV. In November 1972, the Army awarded FMC a contract to develop the XM723. This vehicle was similar to the XM765, but had improved armor and speed. It shared components with

1128-563: A 360° view outside, and an improved fire extinguisher system. This system was supposed to enter service in 2012, but the Bradley became too heavy and the kit did not make it survivable enough. A newer BUSK III kit is now available for Bradleys incorporating a blastproof fuel cell, a blast-resistant driver seat, a turret survivability system, and an emergency ramp release. This kit was recently installed on 236 M2A3 Bradleys in South Korea and

1269-744: A British Army engineer. They were very popular with smaller countries. Some saw some combat (with limited success) in World War II. However, the vulnerability of their light armour eventually caused the concept to be abandoned. However, the German Army uses a modern design of air-transportable armoured weapons carriers, the Wiesel AWC , which resembles the concept of a tankette. The term "super-heavy tank" has been used to describe armoured fighting vehicles of extreme size, generally over 75 tonnes. Programs have been initiated on several occasions with

1410-578: A GMLRS rocket with a new cluster munition warhead developed under the Alternative Warhead Program (AWP), aimed at producing a drop-in replacement for DPICM bomblets in M30 guided rockets. It was fired by an M142 HIMARS and traveled 35 km (22 mi) before detonating. The AWP warhead will have equal or greater effect against materiel and personnel targets, while leaving no unexploded ordnance behind. In October 2013, Lockheed conducted

1551-650: A July 2008 Department of Defense policy directive, issued under President George W. Bush, that US cluster munitions that leave more than 1% of submunitions as unexploded ordnance must be destroyed by the end of 2018. (The United States is not a party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions , which prohibits them). The last use of the M26 rocket prior to its use with the GLSDB occurred during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Guided multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS) rockets have

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1692-554: A M2 Bradley had killed Russian infantrymen during fighting in the Zaporizhzhia region. She further claimed that using TOW missiles the M2 Bradley was able to destroy two Russian T-72 tanks. The Bradley was assigned to the 47th Mechanized Brigade . These claims could not be independently verified. On 12 January 2024, video emerged of a pair of Ukrainian M2A2 Bradleys from the 47th Mechanized Brigade engaging and disabling

1833-685: A Russian T-90M tank at close range with their autocannons in Stepove , Ukraine. As of 20 October 2024, 105 of the donated Bradleys had been confirmed destroyed, damaged, abandoned or captured (50 destroyed, 25 damaged, 26 damaged and abandoned, 4 captured) by the Dutch open-source intelligence website Oryx . U.S. Army began efforts to replace the Bradley in the mid-1980s under the Armored Systems Modernization program. The Army studied creating several vehicle variants under

1974-763: A Vickers QF-1 "Pom-Pom" gun of 40 mm. The Germans fielded the Sd.Kfz. 10/4 and 6/2, cargo halftracks mounting single 20 mm or 37 mm AA guns (respectively) by the start of the war. Rocket launchers such as the Soviet Katyusha originated in the late 1930s. The Wehrmacht fielded self-propelled rocket artillery in World War II – the Panzerwerfer and Wurfrahmen 40 equipped half-track armoured fighting vehicles. Many modern multiple rocket launchers are self propelled by either truck or tank chassis. The level of armour protection between AFVs varies greatly –

2115-747: A candidate for the Feux Longue Portée-Terre (FLP-T) or Land Long Range Fires procurement program, the Thundart guided artillery rocket is designed to have a range of 150 km and the ability to be fired from the French version of the M270, the Lance-Roquettes Unitaire (LRU). In April 2012, Lockheed Martin received a $ 79.4 million contract to develop a GMLRS incorporating an Alliant Techsystems -designed alternative warhead to replace DPICM cluster warheads. The AW version

2256-455: A cannon battalion over an hour to fire. In early February 1991, 4-27 FA launched the biggest MLRS night fire mission in history, firing 312 rockets in a single mission. When ground operations began on 24 February 1991, 414 rockets were fired as the U.S. VII Corps advanced. Out of the 57,000 artillery rounds fired by the end of the war, 6,000 were MLRS rockets plus 32 ATACMS. The MLRS has since been used in numerous military engagements, including

2397-566: A common heavy chassis to replace main battle tanks and Bradleys. This effort was canceled in 1992 due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The U.S. Army began the Future Combat Systems (FCS) Manned Ground Vehicles program in 1999. This family of 18-ton lightweight tracked vehicles centered around a common chassis. It would consist of eight variants, including infantry carriers, scouting vehicles and main battle tanks. FCS

2538-550: A flotation curtain around the vehicle, allowing it to "swim" at a speed of 4.5  mph (7.2  km/h ). Later armor upgrades have negated this capability. One of the early issues that drove the development of the infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) was the need to have a vehicle that could serve in a high-intensity conflict in Europe, which was feared might include the use of nuclear, biological or chemical (NBC) type weapons . To work in such an environment, an IFV would have to have

2679-435: A highly mobile and protected fighting unit has been around for centuries; from Hannibal 's war elephants to Leonardo 's contraptions , military strategists endeavoured to maximize the mobility and survivability of their soldiers. Armoured fighting vehicles were not possible until internal combustion engines of sufficient power became available at the start of the 20th century. Modern armoured fighting vehicles represent

2820-496: A life support system that protected from outside contaminants, while allowing the soldiers to fight from inside the vehicle. The earliest specification, from 1958, called for a vehicle of no more than 8 tons, mounting a turret with a 20 mm autocannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun, with sealed firing ports for five infantry gunners. In December 1963, the Army Combat Developments Command studied

2961-495: A maximum range of about 90 km (56 mi). In 2009 Lockheed Martin announced that a GMLRS had been successfully test fired 92 km (57 mi). During the Russo-Ukrainian War , Russian forces have relied on electronic warfare to jam GPS signals. The inertial navigation system is immune to jamming, but less accurate than when paired with GPS coordinates and can miss the target. Ukraine attempted to mitigate

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3102-543: A minimum engagement range of 15 km (9.3 mi) and can hit a target out to 70 km (43 mi), impacting at a speed of Mach 2.5. In 2009 Lockheed Martin announced that a GMLRS had been successfully test fired out to 92 km (57 mi). In April 2011, the first modernized MLRS II and M31 GMLRS rocket were handed over to the German Army's Artillery School in Idar Oberstein. The German Army operates

3243-422: A minute. One launcher firing twelve rockets can completely blanket one square kilometre with cluster munitions ; a typical MLRS cluster salvo would involve three M270 vehicles firing together. With each rocket containing 644 M77 submunitions, the entire salvo would drop 23,184 submunitions in the target area. However, at a two percent dud rate, that would leave approximately 400 undetonated bombs scattered over

3384-537: A number of platforms and countries. These include: M26 and M28 rocket production began in 1980. Until 2005 they were the only rockets available for the M270 system. When production of the M26 series ceased in 2001, a total of 506,718 rockets had been produced. Each rocket pod contains 6 identical rockets. The M26 rocket and its derivatives were removed from the US Army's active inventory in June 2009, as they did not satisfy

3525-548: A range of up to 300 kilometres (190 mi). Each rocket pod contains one ATACMS missile. As of 2022 only the M48, M57, and M57E1 remain in the US military's active inventory. The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is a new series of GPS-guided missiles, which will begin to replace ATACMS missiles from 2024. PrSM carries a newly designed area-effects warhead and has a range of 60–499 kilometres (37–310 mi). PrSM missiles can be launched from

3666-405: A result, U.S. rocket artillery was limited to the remaining stock of World War II -era systems. This mindset began to change following the 1973 Yom Kippur War , which saw heavy casualties, especially from rear-area weapons like surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). Israel effectively employed rocket artillery against these targets. The United States predicted that this requirement would persist in

3807-585: A series of " overmatch " tests in which weapons would be fired at the Bradley that were known to be able to easily penetrate its armor, including Russian ordnance. Burton saw attempts to avoid such tests as dishonest, while the BRL saw them as wasteful, as they already knew the vehicle would fail. The disagreements became so contentious that testing was suspended, while a congressional inquiry resulted. Additional improvements to vehicle survivability were added to production vehicles by 1988. Though Burton's actions accelerated

3948-467: A tank being first deployed as a medium tank, but in later years relegated to light tank roles. Tanks were also classified by roles that were independent of size, such as cavalry tank , cruiser tank , fast tank , infantry tank , "assault" tank, or "breakthrough" tank. Military theorists initially tended to assign tanks to traditional military infantry, cavalry, and artillery roles, but later developed more specialized roles unique to tanks. In modern use,

4089-414: A tank chassis. During World War II, most major military powers developed self-propelled artillery vehicles. These had guns mounted on a tracked chassis (often that of an obsolete or superseded tank) and provided an armoured superstructure to protect the gun and its crew. The first British design, "Bishop" , carried the 25 pdr gun-howitzer in an extemporised mounting on a tank chassis that severely limited

4230-484: A turretless variant of the Bradley to replace over 2,800 M113 armored personnel carriers . Some 2,907 surplus Bradleys will be modified to become AMPVs for the U.S. Army. The Bradley was developed largely in response to the Soviet BMP family of infantry fighting vehicles. The Bradley was meant to serve as an armored personnel carrier and a tank-killer. One design requirement specified that it should be as fast as

4371-450: A very large movable siege tower, the helepolis , as early as 340 BC, and Greek forces used such structures in the Siege of Rhodes (305 BC). The idea of a protected fighting vehicle has been known since antiquity. Frequently cited is Leonardo da Vinci 's 15th-century sketch of a mobile, protected gun-platform ; the drawings show a conical, wooden shelter with apertures for cannons around

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4512-488: A wide variety of both ground targets and air targets. Despite significant advances in anti-tank warfare , it still remains the most versatile and fearsome land-based weapon-systems of the 21st-century, valued for its shock action and high survivability . A tankette is a tracked armed and armoured vehicle resembling a small "ultra-light tank" or "super-light tank" roughly the size of a car, mainly intended for light infantry support or scouting . Tankettes were introduced in

4653-561: Is a tank fulfilling the role of a main battle tank, but using only anti-tank surface-to-surface missiles for main armament. Several nations have experimented with prototypes, notably the Soviet Union during the tenure of Nikita Khrushchev (projects Object 167, Object 137Ml, Object 155Ml, Object 287, Object 775), A flame tank is an otherwise-standard tank equipped with a flamethrower , most commonly used to supplement combined arms attacks against fortifications , confined spaces, or other obstacles. The type only reached significant use in

4794-445: Is an armed combat vehicle protected by armour , generally combining operational mobility with offensive and defensive capabilities. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked . Examples of AFVs are tanks , armoured cars , assault guns , self-propelled artilleries , infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), and armoured personnel carriers (APC). Armoured fighting vehicles are classified according to their characteristics and intended role on

4935-430: Is an important capability because it enables firing on the move and prevents crew fatigue. Modern AFVs have primarily used either petrol (gasoline) or diesel piston engines. More recently, gas turbines have been used. Most early AFVs used petrol engines , as they offer a good power-to-weight ratio . However, they fell out of favour during World War II due to the flammability of the fuel. Most current AFVs are powered by

5076-501: Is an upgrade similar to the M1 Abrams TUSK kit. It decreases the vulnerability of Bradleys in urban environments. The kit includes a more powerful spotlight, a wire mesh protector to keep the optics from getting scratched, and nonconductive arched strips of nylon that push away fallen electrical wires (power line protection) that would endanger crews, additional armor on the underside, and a bullet-resistant transparent shield for

5217-457: Is caused to a large area while leaving behind only solid metal penetrators and inert rocket fragments from a 90 kilograms (200 lb) warhead containing approximately 182,000 preformed tungsten fragments. The unitary GMLRS also has an airburst option, but while it produces a large blast and pieces of shrapnel, the AW round's small pellets cover a larger area. In May 2013, Lockheed and ATK test fired

5358-705: Is composed of two primary subsystems; the M269 Launcher-Loader Module (LLM) houses the electronic fire-control system and sits atop the M993 Carrier Vehicle. The M993 is the designation of the M987 carrier when it is used in the MLRS. The M987/M993 is a lengthened derivative of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle chassis, in which the ground contact length is increased from 154 inches (390 cm) to 170.5 inches (433 cm). Originally called

5499-419: Is designed as a drop-in replacement with little modification needed to existing rockets. An Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) program was to last 36 months, with the alternative warhead GMLRS expected to enter service in late 2016. The AW warhead is a large airburst fragmentation warhead that explodes 30 ft (9.1 m) over a target area to disperse penetrating projectiles. Considerable damage

5640-426: Is distinguished by its high level of firepower, mobility and armour protection relative to other vehicles of its era. It can cross comparatively rough terrain at high speeds, but its heavy dependency on fuel, maintenance, and ammunition makes it logistically demanding. It has the heaviest armour of any AFVs on the battlefield, and carries a powerful precision-guided munition weapon systems that may be able to engage

5781-475: Is scheduled next to be added to Bradleys of the 4th Infantry Division. As of late July 2023, Ukrainian Bradleys have been fitted with BUSK upgraded armor and Bradley Reactive Armor Tiles. The Bradley is highly capable in cross-country open terrain, in accordance with one of the main design objectives of keeping pace with the M1 Abrams main battle tank. The Bradley was initially designed to float by deploying

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5922-711: The 2003 invasion of Iraq . In March 2007, the British Ministry of Defence decided to send a troop of MLRS to support ongoing operations in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand , using newly developed guided munitions. In September 2005, the GMLRS was first used in Iraq, when two rockets were fired in Tal Afar over 50 kilometres (31 mi) and hit insurgent strongholds, killing 48 Iraqi fighters. During

6063-498: The 2023 Israel–Hamas war , Israel used the M270 for the first time since 2006, to fire on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip . During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , the United States considered sending the MLRS as part of military aid to Ukraine. Concerns were raised that this system could be used to hit targets inside Russia. US President Joe Biden initially declined to send it to Ukraine, but on May 31 he announced that

6204-755: The Hussite Wars . These heavy wagons were given protective sides with firing slits; their heavy firepower came from either a cannon or from a force of hand-gunners and crossbowmen , supported by light cavalry and infantry using pikes and flails . Heavy arquebuses mounted on wagons were called arquebus à croc . These carried a ball of about 3.5 ounces (100 g). By the end of World War II , most modern armies had vehicles to carry infantry, artillery and anti-aircraft weaponry . Most modern AFVs are superficially similar in design to their World War II counterparts, but with significantly better armour, weapons, engines, electronics, and suspension. The increase in

6345-520: The LVTP-7 rather than the M113. FMC began construction of the XM723 prototype, which was completed in 1973. The XM723 weighed 21 tons, had spaced aluminum armor proofed against 14.5 mm fire, had a crew of three plus eight infantry, firing ports for the infantry, and a one-man turret with a 20 mm gun. The commander sat inside the hull. To adapt the XM723 to a reconnaissance role, as well as an IFV,

6486-478: The M1 Abrams main battle tank, so the vehicles could maintain formation. The M2/M3's primary armament is a 25 mm chain gun using either 100 or 300 rounds per minute, accurate to 1.9 mi (3,000 metres). It is armed with a TOW missile launcher capable of carrying two loaded missiles. The missiles, capable of destroying most tanks to a maximum range of 13,000 ft (4,000 m), can only be fired while

6627-473: The M1 Abrams . A few kills against Iraqi T-72 tanks at close range are reported. A total of 20 Bradleys were lost—three by enemy fire and 17 due to friendly fire incidents. Another 12 were damaged. The gunner of one Bradley was killed when his vehicle was hit by Iraqi fire, possibly from an Iraqi BMP-1 , during the Battle of 73 Easting . To remedy some problems that were identified as contributing factors in

6768-570: The M142 HIMARS , another vehicle capable of firing GMLRS rockets, would be supplied. On 7 June 2022, British defence secretary Ben Wallace announced that the UK would send three (later increased to six) MLRS to aid Ukrainian forces. On 15 June, Germany announced it would send three of its MARS vehicles from German Army stocks. Ukraine announced they had received the first M270s on 15 July. The German defence secretary Christine Lambrecht announced

6909-466: The M3 Bradley reconnaissance vehicle . The M2 holds a crew of three—a commander, a gunner and a driver—along with six fully equipped soldiers. The M3 mainly conducts scout missions and carries two scout troopers in addition to the regular crew of three, with space for additional BGM-71 TOW missiles. In 2014, the U.S. Army selected BAE Systems ' Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) proposal of

7050-607: The MOWAG Piranha , originally designed as an APC, has been adapted to fill numerous roles such as a mortar carrier , infantry fighting vehicle, and assault gun. Armoured fighting vehicles began to appear in use in World War I with the armoured car, the tank, the self-propelled gun, and the personnel carrier seeing use. By World War II, armies had large numbers of AFVs, together with other vehicles to carry troops this permitted highly mobile manoeuvre warfare . The concept of

7191-776: The Russian Marines with the PT-76 , the British Army with the Scimitar , and the Chinese Army with the Type 63 . Modern main battle tanks or "universal tanks" incorporate recent advances in automotive, artillery, armour, and electronic technology to combine the best characteristics of the historic medium and heavy tanks into a single, all-around type. They are also the most expensive to mass-produce. A main battle tank

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7332-484: The Second World War (1939–1945). The armoured personnel carrier, designed to transport infantry troops to the frontline, emerged towards the end of World War I. During the first actions with tanks , it had become clear that close contact with infantry was essential in order to secure ground won by the tanks. Troops on foot were vulnerable to enemy fire, but they could not be transported in the tank because of

7473-534: The Second World War , during which the United States, Soviet Union , Germany , Italy , Japan and the United Kingdom (including members of the British Commonwealth ) all produced flamethrower-equipped tanks. Usually, the flame projector replaced one of the tank's machineguns, however, some flame projectors replaced the tank's main gun. Fuel for the flame weapon was generally carried inside

7614-573: The "Menatetz", an upgraded version of the M270 MLRS. As part of the circa £2bn Land Deep Fires Programme (LDFP), the British Army intends a large scale modernization effort of its GMLRS capability involving both a increase in the number of launchers and an expansion in the variety of effectors available. The British Army launchers will be upgraded to the M270A2 standard and additional launchers will be purchased and upgraded from stockpiles likely from

7755-538: The 1973 Yom Kippur war . The added political advantage was that the TOW missiles made it an easier sell to Congress, as it was a new capability not possessed by the M113. General Donn Starry wrote: We in TRADOC… decided to put the TOW on the MICV because we realized that if we did not put the TOW on the MICV, we would probably never have a MICV. In October 1976, the Army accepted a number of recommendations put forward by

7896-788: The 41st Field Artillery Brigade (Babenhausen) and 4/27th FA (MLRS) (Wertheim) deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield from their bases in Germany and 1/ 158th Field Artillery from the Oklahoma Army National Guard deployed in January 1991. MLRS launchers were deployed during Operation Desert Storm. Its first use was on 18 January 1991, when Battery A of the 6th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery fired eight ATACMS missiles at Iraqi SAM sites. In one engagement, three MLRS batteries fired 287 rockets at 24 separate targets in less than five minutes, an amount that would have taken

8037-628: The 6th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield . Assigned to the XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery, the unit played a critical role in the early defense of Saudi Arabia. As Desert Shield turned into Desert Storm , the Battalion was the first U.S. Field Artillery unit to fire into Iraq. Over the course of the war, the 6th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery provided timely and accurate rocket and missile fires for both U.S. corps in

8178-566: The Aberdeen Proving Ground's Ballistic Research Laboratory (BRL), which preferred smaller, more controlled, "building block" tests. They claimed such limited, and according to Burton, completely unrealistic, testing would improve the databases used to model vehicle survivability, as opposed to full tests with random shots that would provide a far more accurate picture of its performance under real battlefield conditions, but produce less useful statistical data. Burton insisted on

8319-466: The Army. The Army evaluated the MLRS prototypes from December 1979 – February 1980. In May 1980, the Army selected the Vought system. In early 1982, Vought began low-rate initial production. In August 1982, the first production models were delivered. In early 1983, the first units were delivered to the 1st Infantry Division . In March 1983, the first operational M270 battery was formed. In September 1983,

8460-489: The Bradley additional problems occurred after production started. Air Force Col. James G. Burton , an Office of the Secretary of Defense official, advocated the use of comprehensive live fire tests on fully loaded military vehicles to evaluate their survivability. The Army and Air Force agreed and established the joint live fire testing program in 1984. When testing the Bradley, disagreements occurred between Burton and

8601-630: The Bradley carries a TOW missile system . This was modified to fire TOW II missiles from the M2A1 model onward. M2 infantry Bradleys have firing ports for M231 Firing Port Weapons (FPWs), providing a means for the occupants to fire from within the vehicle and replacing the top-side gunners on the M113-based Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicles, although the M231 is rarely employed. Initial variants had six ports, but

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8742-415: The Bradley in 1989 and began importing the vehicle in 1990. Bradley production concluded in 1995, with a total of 6,724 Bradleys (4,641 M2s and 2,083 M3s) produced for the U.S. Army. The total cost of the program was $ 5.7 billion, and the average unit cost $ 3.2 million. This was despite an unmet requirement by the U.S. Army for 8,709 Bradleys as of 1992. Remanufacture of A0 variants to A2 standard began at

8883-543: The ER GMLRS for production in May 2024. When first deployed with the U.S. Army, the MLRS was used in a composite battalion consisting of two batteries of traditional artillery ( howitzers ) and one battery of MLRS SPLLs (self-propelled loader/launchers). The first operational Battery was C Battery, 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, 1st Infantry Division (Ft. Riley, Kansas) in 1982. The first operational organic or "all MLRS" unit

9024-928: The Fighting Vehicle System, the M987 chassis was designed to serve as the basis for many other vehicles. These included the XM1070 Electronic Fighting Vehicle, the M4 Command and Control Vehicle, the Armored Treatment and Transport Vehicle and the Forward Area Armored Logistics System, the latter encompassing three vehicles, including the XM1007 AFARV rearm vehicle. The original GSRS plan called for 210 mm diameter rockets. After European allies became involved with

9165-465: The GSRS could be manufactured in Europe. This was to allow European nations, who had been independently pursuing their own MLRS programs, to buy in to the program. In July 1979, the United States, West Germany , France and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding for joint development and production of GSRS. In November 1979, GSRS was accordingly redesignated the multiple launch rocket system. Both competitors delivered three MLRS prototypes to

9306-526: The Improved Armored Cab project, which provides the vehicle with an enhanced armored cab and windows. In early March 2021, Lockheed announced they had successfully fired an extended-range version of the GMLRS out to 80 km (50 mi), part of an effort to increase the rocket's range to 150 km (93 mi). Later in March the ER GMLRS was fired out to 135 km (84 mi). In September 2023, Lockheed announced an ER GMLRS test achieved its maximum range of 150 km (93 mi). The U.S. Army approved

9447-475: The M107 and M110 self-propelled howitzers. The prototypes had the following characteristics: a weight of 25–27 tons, depending on an aluminum or steel hull; a 425 hp diesel engine; a two-man turret with a 20 mm gun; a crew of three plus nine infantry equipped with firing ports; a built-in toilet; armor that was proof against Soviet 14.5 mm MG fire beyond a certain range; a collective and overpressure CBR system; amphibious. The filtration system provided

9588-491: The M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle variant or 1,200 stowed rounds for the M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle variant. The two ready-boxes allow a selectable mix of rounds, such as the M791 APDS-T (Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot (with) Tracer) and M792 HEI-T (High Explosive Incendiary (with) Tracer) rounds. The tungsten APDS-T rounds proved effective in Desert Storm , capable of knocking out many Iraqi vehicles, including several T-55 tanks. Subsequent ammunition developments resulted in

9729-414: The M2/3 IFV. Their conclusion was that extensive redesign would be necessary for even marginal improvements in M113 derivatives. In October 1978, Congress reauthorized procurement funds. FMC delivered eight XM2 prototypes to the Army beginning in December 1978 and progressing through March 1979. The XM2/3 passed the Army Systems Acquisition Review Council Milestone III review in 1979. In December 1979,

9870-499: The M270A2 and the M142, with rockets pods containing 2 missiles. As of 2022 the PrSM is in low rate initial production with 110 missiles being delivered to the US military over the year. PrSM will enter operational service in 2023. In the Turkish SAGE-227 project A/B/C/D medium-range composite-fuel artillery rocket and SAGE-227 F experimental guided rocket were developed from reverse engineering HIMARS missiles due to trust issues in 2019. Israel developed its own rockets to be used in

10011-404: The M31 rocket up to a range of 90 kilometres (56 mi). A German developmental artillery system, called the Artillery Gun Module , has used the MLRS chassis on its developmental vehicles. In 2012, a contract was issued to improve the armor of the M270s and improve the fire control to the standards of the M142 HIMARS. In June 2015, the M270A1 conducted tests of firing rockets after upgrades from

10152-595: The M919 APFSDS-T ( armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (with) tracer ) round containing a finned depleted uranium penetrator similar in concept to armor-piercing munitions used in modern tanks. The M919 was used in combat during the 2003 invasion phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom . An M240C medium machine gun is mounted coaxially to the M242 , with 2,200 rounds of 7.62×51mm ammunition. For engaging heavier targets, such as acting as an anti-tank gun,

10293-530: The MBT-70, and it could not be carried aboard a C-141 Starlifter . The project was canceled, and new specifications were written in 1965. In 1967, the public display of the BMP-1 caused additional interest in the MICV program, which concluded its studies in 1968. Continued disagreements on specifications slowed down development. In 1968, an Army task force headed by Major General George Casey recommended that

10434-469: The MICV Task Force formed earlier that year. The Army would combine the roles of scout and IFV, as the previous Armored Reconnaissance Scout Vehicle had been canceled. The Army agreed to make the armor protection comparable to the XM723. The TBAT-II turret with its 25 mm cannon and a TOW-missile launcher in the two-man turret would be used for the both vehicles. In 1977, the MICV was renamed

10575-419: The MLRS able to be used in urban environments. The M31 had a dual-mode fuse with point detonation and delay options to defeat soft targets and lightly fortified bunkers respectively, with the upgraded M31A1 equipped with a multi-mode fuse adding a proximity airburst mode for use against personnel in the open; proximity mode can be set for 3 or 10 meters (9.8 or 32.8 ft) Height of Burst (HOB). The GMLRS has

10716-514: The MLRS. In 2006, MLRS was upgraded to fire guided rounds. Phase I testing of a guided unitary round (XM31) was completed on an accelerated schedule in March 2006. Due to an Urgent Need Statement, the guided unitary round was quickly fielded and used in action in Iraq . Lockheed Martin also received a contract to convert existing M30 Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) GMLRS rockets to

10857-594: The OMB deleted M2/3 funding from the budget for the 1979 financial year. In 1978, the Crizer report asserted that the basic design was consistent with doctrine, and that development of an IFV with superior characteristics would be costly and pose significant developmental risks. An additional study, the IFV/CFV Special Study Group, evaluated whether an improved version of the M113 could be used instead of

10998-514: The Russian T-80 used a gas turbine engine, whereas the later T-90 does not). The US M1 Abrams is a notable example of a gas turbine powered tank. Notable armoured fighting vehicles extending from post-World War I to today. The tank is an all terrain AFV incorporating artillery which is designed to fill almost all battlefield roles and to engage enemy forces by the use of direct fire in

11139-572: The U.S. and West German governments began work on the MBT-70 main battle tank design and an IFV companion project called MICV-65 , Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle. In 1964, the Army solicited bids for the MICV-65, awarding the contract for the Pacific Car and Foundry Company . The first XM701 prototype was delivered in 1965 and testing was completed in 1966. The XM701 shared components with

11280-605: The US for a total of 76 launchers and 9 recovery vehicles. M270A2 will include a number of British-specific upgrades such as new composite rubber tracks, radar and video sensors, as well as the new jointly developed fire control system from the UK , US , Italy , and Finland . Alongside the procurement of GMLRS-ER and the possible procurement of the PrSM , the UK is also developing two additional effectors under its 'one launcher, many payloads' concept: Developed by MBDA France and Safran as

11421-730: The XM2 and XM3 were type classified as the M2 and M3 respectively. Final approval for production came from the Secretary of Defense in February 1980. In October 1981 the vehicle was named the "Bradley" for World War II Army General Omar Bradley , who had died earlier that year. The Bradley consists of two types of vehicles, the M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle. The M3 CFV

11562-659: The XM2. The scout version became the XM3. These comprised the two variants of the Fighting Vehicle System. A third variant, called the General Support Rocket System, which later entered production as the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System , was added to the portfolio in 1977. Congress was questioning the development of the XM2 due to the high losses incurred by Soviet built BMP-1s in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Congress suggested

11703-526: The XM31 unitary variant. The M31 GMLRS Unitary rocket transformed the M270 into a point target artillery system for the first time. Due to Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance and a single 200 lb (91 kg) high-explosive warhead, the M31 could hit targets accurately with less chance of collateral damage while needing fewer rockets to be fired, reducing logistical requirements. The unitary warhead also made

11844-714: The ability to fire guided missiles . M270s provided by the United Kingdom have seen use in the Russian invasion of Ukraine . In the early 1970s, the Soviet Union had a clear advantage over U.S. and NATO forces in terms of rocket artillery. Soviet doctrine dictated large-scale bombardment of a target area with large numbers of truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers (MRLs), such as the BM-21 "Grad" . By contrast, U.S. artillerists favored conventional large-caliber artillery for its relative accuracy and logistical efficiency. As

11985-600: The aim of creating an invincible siegeworks / breakthrough vehicle for penetrating enemy formations and fortifications without fear of being destroyed in combat. Examples were designed in World War I and World War II (such as the Panzer VIII Maus ), along with a few in the Cold War . However, few working prototypes were built and there is no clear evidence any of these vehicles saw combat, as their immense size would have made most designs impractical. A missile tank

12126-411: The amount charged to the U.S. Army. According to the U.S. Army's budget, it will pay about $ 168,000 for each GMLRS in 2023. Both Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Army report that the GMLRS has a maximum range of 70+ km (43+ mi). According to a U.S. Department of Defense document the maximum demonstrated performance of a GMLRS is 84 km (52 mi), a figure also reported elsewhere. Another source reports

12267-540: The area, which could endanger friendly troops and civilians. Production of the M270 ended in 2003, when a last batch was delivered to the Egyptian Army . In 2003, the U.S. Army began low-rate production of the M142 HIMARS . The HIMARS fires all of the munitions of the MLRS, and is based on the chassis of the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles . As of 2012, BAE Systems still had the capability to restart production of

12408-506: The arrival of the vehicles they contributed on 26 July 2022, and on 15 September Lambrecht announced that Germany would transfer two more. During the Russo-Ukrainian War , Russian forces have relied on electronic warfare to jam GPS signals. The inertial navigation system is immune to jamming, but less accurate than when paired with GPS coordinates and can miss the target. The M270 system can fire MLRS Family of Munitions (MFOM) rockets and artillery missiles, which are manufactured and used by

12549-400: The battlefield. The classifications are not absolute; two countries may classify the same vehicle differently, and the criteria change over time. For example, relatively lightly armed armoured personnel carriers were largely superseded by infantry fighting vehicles with much heavier armament in a similar role. Successful designs are often adapted to a wide variety of applications. For example,

12690-508: The best technical approach for the GSRS. In March 1976, the Army awarded contracts to Boeing , Emerson Electric , Martin Marietta , Northrop and Vought to explore the concept definition of the GSRS. In September 1977, Boeing Aerospace and Vought were awarded contracts to develop prototypes of the GSRS. In 1978, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command made changes to the program so that

12831-737: The best-known infantry tanks was the Matilda II of World War II. Other examples include the French R-35 , the British Valentine , and the British Churchill . Bradley Fighting Vehicle The Bradley is designed to transport infantry or scouts with armor protection, while providing covering fire to suppress enemy troops and armored vehicles . Variants include the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and

12972-409: The bottom of the hull. Weaponry varies by a very wide degree between AFVs – lighter vehicles for infantry carrying, reconnaissance or specialist roles may have only a autocannon or machine gun (or no armament at all), whereas heavy self-propelled artillery will carry howitzers , mortars or rocket launchers. These weapons may be mounted on a pintle , affixed directly to the vehicle or placed in

13113-484: The capacity of transport aircraft makes possible and practicable the transport of AFVs by air. Many armies are replacing some or all of their traditional heavy vehicles with lighter airmobile versions, often with wheels instead of tracks. The first modern AFVs were armed cars, dating back virtually to the invention of the motor car . The British inventor F. R. Simms designed and built the Motor Scout in 1898. It

13254-627: The circumference. The machine was to be mounted on four wheels which would be turned by the crew through a system of hand cranks and cage (or "lantern") gears . Leonardo claimed: "I will build armoured wagons which will be safe and invulnerable to enemy attacks. There will be no obstacle which it cannot overcome." Modern replicas have demonstrated that the human crew would have been able to move it over only short distances. Hussite forces in Bohemia developed war wagons – medieval horse-drawn wagons that doubled as wagon forts – around 1420 during

13395-426: The commander outside the turret. It includes sensors and a software package to quickly detect when components are wearing out, and simulation software so gunners can train more realistically. The BUSK kit adds 3 tons to the vehicle's weight. Because of this, a major upgrade was planned. Additional upgrades included a stronger, 800 horsepower engine, a larger main gun, lighter armor, improved sensors and cameras to give

13536-617: The concept for a "Post 1965 Infantry Combat Vehicle", later the MICV. In the interim, the Army planned upgrades to the M113 that would bridge the gap to the MICV. One such upgrade was the XM734 which added firing ports. The .50 caliber machine gun was replaced with a twin machine gun cupola or an M139 20 mm autocannon. This test bed saw limited service in Vietnam, from 1967 to 1972, where it received positive feedback from troops. In 1963,

13677-719: The development of a more heavily armored vehicle. The Army argued against this due to concerns about cost, weight, and development time. In 1977, Congress ordered two new evaluations of the IFV program, one by the Government Accounting Office (GAO) and one by the Department of the Army , under General Pat Crizer. The GAO report released in early 1978 was critical of the XM2's height, mobility, complexity, lack of clear doctrinal use, and lack of chemical/biological/radiological protection. Based upon this criticism,

13818-423: The equivalent firepower of 33 battalions of cannon artillery. The system can fire rockets or MGM-140 ATACMS missiles, which are contained in interchangeable pods. Each pod contains six standard rockets or one guided ATACMS missile; the two types cannot be mixed. The LLM can hold two pods at a time, which are handloaded using an integrated winch system. All twelve rockets or two ATACMS missiles can be fired in under

13959-527: The event of a war in Europe. Thus, the need had arisen for a system that could engage enemy air defenses and provide counter-battery fire , freeing large-caliber artillery units to provide call-for-fire artillery support for ground forces. The MLRS was initially conceived as the General Support Rocket System (GSRS). In December 1975, the U.S. Army Missile Command issued a request for proposal to industry to assist in determining

14100-649: The first Self-propelled artillery , was fielded in 1917. It was based on the first tank, the British Mark I , and carried a heavy field-gun. The next major advance was the Birch gun (1925), developed for the British motorised warfare experimental brigade (the Experimental Mechanized Force ). This mounted a field gun, capable of the usual artillery trajectories and even anti-aircraft use, on

14241-622: The first unit was sent to West Germany. European nations produced 287 MLRS systems, with the first being delivered in 1989. Some 1,300 M270 systems have been manufactured in the United States and in Western Europe to date, along with more than 700,000 rockets of all kinds, including over 70,000 GMLRS guided munitions as of March 2024. The M270 MLRS weapons system is collectively known as the M270 MLRS Self-Propelled Loader/Launcher (SPLL). The SPLL

14382-517: The friendly fire incidents, infrared identification panels and other marking/identification measures were added to the Bradleys. In the Iraq War, the Bradley proved vulnerable to improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenade attacks, but casualties were light with the crew able to escape. In 2006, total losses included 55 Bradleys destroyed and some 700 others damaged. By the end of

14523-438: The frontal assault role. Though several configurations have been tried, particularly in the early experimental "golden days" of tank development, a standard, mature design configuration has since emerged to a generally accepted pattern. This features a main tank gun or artillery gun , mounted in a fully rotating turret atop a tracked automotive hull, with various additional secondary weapon systems throughout. Philosophically,

14664-690: The gun's performance. It was replaced by the more effective Sexton . The Germans built many lightly armoured self-propelled anti-tank guns using captured French equipment (for example Marder I ), their own obsolete light tank chassis ( Marder II ), or ex-Czech chassis ( Marder III ). These led to better-protected tank destroyers, built on a medium-tank chassis such as the Jagdpanzer IV or the Jagdpanther . The Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon debuted in WWI. The German 88  mm anti-aircraft gun

14805-400: The heavy tank has fallen out of favour, being supplanted by more heavily armed and armoured descendant of the medium tanks – the universal main battle tank . The light tank has, in many armies, lost favour to cheaper, faster, lighter armoured cars ; however, light tanks (or similar vehicles with other names) are still in service with a number of forces as reconnaissance vehicles , most notably

14946-508: The implementation of these changes, the changes themselves were almost wholly the work of the BRL. Burton was ordered to transfer from his post at OSD, prompting yet more congressional scrutiny. Burton retired from the Air Force rather than accept the new post. The House Armed Services Committee found that Burton's claims of malfeasance were rather due to "a long-standing fundamental disagreement over testing methodology and, more importantly,

15087-574: The inability of OSD and the Army to reach an agreement on how the test is conducted. ...The Army has complied with many of Colonel Burton's issues of concern over the past several years." In 1993, Burton released his book The Pentagon Wars: Reformers Challenge the Old Guard . The book was adapted into the black comedy film The Pentagon Wars in 1998. During the Persian Gulf War , M2 Bradleys destroyed more Iraqi armored vehicles than

15228-498: The individual vehicle too, depending on the role of the vehicle and the likely direction of attack. For example, a main battle tank will usually have the heaviest armour on the hull front and the turret, lighter armour on the sides of the hull and the thinnest armour on the top and bottom of the tank. Other vehicles – such as the MRAP family – may be primarily armoured against the threat from IEDs and so will have heavy, sloped armour on

15369-515: The intense heat and noxious atmosphere. In 1917, Lieutenant G. J. Rackham was ordered to design an armoured vehicle that could fight and carry troops or supplies. The Mark IX tank was built by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. , although just three vehicles had been finished at the time of the Armistice in November 1918, and only 34 were built in total. Different tank classifications emerged in

15510-792: The interwar period. The tankette was conceived as a mobile, two-man model, mainly intended for reconnaissance. In 1925, Sir John Carden and Vivian Loyd produced the first such design to be adopted – the Carden Loyd tankette . Tankettes saw use in the Royal Italian Army during the Italian invasion of Ethiopia (1935–1936), the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), and almost everywhere Italian soldiers fought during World War II . The Imperial Japanese Army used tankettes for jungle warfare . The British Gun Carrier Mark I ,

15651-496: The jamming by changes to the software and attacking Russian jamming systems by artillery. The Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb is a weapon made by Boeing and the Saab Group , who modified Boeing's GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) with the addition of a rocket motor. It has a range of up to 150 km (93 mi). The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is a series of 610 mm surface-to-surface missile (SSM) with

15792-431: The lighter M142 HIMARS launchers. M30 rockets have an area-effects warhead, while M31 rockets have a unitary warhead, but the rockets are otherwise identical. By December 2021, 50,000 GMLRS rockets had been produced, with yearly production then exceeding 9,000 rockets. Each rocket pod contains 6 identical rockets. The cost of an M31 missile is estimated at $ 500,000, though this may be the "export price", always higher than

15933-483: The mid-1920s as a reconnaissance vehicle and a mobile machine gun position They were one or two-man vehicles armed with a machine gun. Colloquially it may also simply mean a "small tank". Tankettes were designed and built by several nations between the 1920s and 1940s following the British Carden Loyd tankette which was a successful implementation of "one man tank" ideas from Giffard Le Quesne Martel ,

16074-463: The muddy, pocked terrain and slit trenches of the Battle of the Somme . The tank eventually proved highly successful and, as technology improved, it became a weapon that could cross large distances at much higher speeds than supporting infantry and artillery . The need to provide the units that would fight alongside the tank led to the development of a wide range of specialised AFVs, especially during

16215-484: The opposing force who can often hear and even feel their arrival. Tanks were classified either by size or by role. Classification by relative size was common, as this also tended to influence the tanks' role. Over time, tanks tended to be designed with heavier armour and weapons, increasing the weight of all tanks, so these classifications are relative to the average for the nation's tanks for any given period. An older tank design might be reclassified over time, such as

16356-456: The production line in May 1980. The Army accepted delivery of the first production vehicles in May 1981. The first combat unit to be equipped with Bradleys (four M2s and six M3s), in March 1983, was the 1st Battalion, 41st (Mechanized) Infantry, 2nd Armored Division. Several years later, the unit commander, Lt. Col. Franklin W. Trapnell, Jr., became the Army's system manager for the Bradley program. Saudi Arabia stated an interest in acquiring

16497-655: The project, these were replaced with 227 mm rockets in order to accommodate the AT2 mine . Cold War doctrine for the M270 called for the vehicles to spread out individually and hide until needed, then move to a firing position and launch their rockets, immediately move away to a reloading point, then move to a completely new hiding position near a different firing point. These shoot-and-scoot tactics were planned to avoid susceptibility to Soviet counter-battery fire. One M270 firing 12 M26 rockets would drop 7,728 bomblets, and one MLRS battery of nine launchers firing 108 rockets had

16638-527: The realization of an ancient concept – that of providing troops with mobile protection and firepower. Armies have deployed war machines and cavalries with rudimentary armour in battle for millennia. Use of these animals and engineering designs sought to achieve a balance between the conflicting paradoxical needs of mobility, firepower and protection. Siege engines , such as battering rams and siege towers , would often be armoured in order to protect their crews from enemy action. Polyidus of Thessaly developed

16779-473: The same time. As of 2017, 2,907 Bradleys are slated to be modified to become Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles for the U.S. Army. 1,600 to 2,000 older Bradleys remain in Army depots as of 2017. Some of these Bradleys will be taken from these stocks. The Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas, is responsible for maintenance and repair of the Bradley system. Even after the troubled development history of

16920-593: The service once again pursue the development of an MICV. The Army opened a new program manager's office later in 1968. From 1969 to 1970, the Army looked at two alternate vehicles that could be fielded more quickly. The FMC Corporation had developed the XM765 Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle , an IFV version of the M113A1. It had a one-man turret mounting a 25 mm gun, a sealed environment, and firing ports. The vehicle weight

17061-531: The side ports were plated over with the armor configuration on the A2 and A3 variants, leaving only the two rear-facing mounts in the loading ramp. No versions of the M3 CFV carry firing port weapons. Early versions had all six firing port mounts fitted and plated over. Newer versions retain the two ramp-mounted firing ports, though plated over. The use of aluminum armor and the storage of large quantities of ammunition in

17202-439: The tank is, by its very nature, an offensive weapon. Being a protective encasement with at least one gun position, it is essentially a pillbox or small fortress (though these are static fortifications of a purely defensive nature) that can move toward the enemy – hence its offensive utility. Psychologically, the tank is a force multiplier that has a positive morale effect on the infantry it accompanies. It also instills fear in

17343-613: The tank, although a few designs mounted the fuel externally, such as the armoured trailer used on the Churchill Crocodile . Flame tanks have been superseded by thermobaric weapons such as the Russian TOS-1 . The idea for this tank was developed during World War I by British and French. The infantry tank was designed to work in concert with infantry in the assault, moving mostly at a walking pace, and carrying heavy armour to survive defensive fire. Its main purpose

17484-810: The theater, the 82nd Airborne Division, the 6th French Light Armored Division, the 1st Armored, 1st Infantry Division, the 101st Airborne Division, and the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized). A Battery 92nd Field Artillery (MLRS) was deployed to the Gulf War in 1990 from Ft. Hood Texas. 3/27th FA (MLRS) out of Fort Bragg deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield in August 1990. A/ 21st Field Artillery (MLRS) – 1st Cavalry Division Artillery deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield in September 1990. In December 1990, A- 40th Field Artillery (MLRS) – 3rd Armored Division Artillery (Hanau), 1/27th FA (MLRS) part of

17625-703: The third and final engineering development test flight of the GMLRS alternative warhead. Three rockets were fired from 17 kilometers (11 mi) away and destroyed their ground targets. The Alternative Warhead Program then moved to production qualification testing. The fifth and final Production Qualification Test (PQT) for the AW GMLRS was conducted in April 2014, firing four rockets from a HIMARS at targets 65 kilometers (40 mi) away. Armoured fighting vehicle An armoured fighting vehicle ( British English ) or armored fighting vehicle ( American English ) ( AFV )

17766-458: The turret was replaced in 1976 with a two-man turret mounting a 25 mm Bushmaster cannon and TOW missiles. This was the TBAT-II (Tow Bushmaster Armored Turret, Two Man) design. A two-man turret design put the commander in a position with a better view of the battlefield. The TOW missiles give the vehicle a strong antiarmor capability. The value of anti-tank missiles had been well established in

17907-584: The unit deployed to White Sands Missile Range , New Mexico to conduct the Initial Operational Test and Evaluation of the Army Tactical Missile System. The success of the test provided the Army with a highly accurate, long range fire support asset. The first combat use of the MLRS occurred in the Gulf War. The U.S. deployed over 230 MLRS during Operation Desert Storm, and the UK an additional 16. In September 1990,

18048-476: The vehicle initially raised questions about its combat survivability. Spaced laminate belts and high-hardness steel skirts have been added to improve the side protection of later versions, while overall weight was increased to 33 tons. All versions are equipped with two four-barreled smoke grenade launchers on the front of the turret for creating defensive smoke screens , which can also be loaded with chaff and flares . The Bradley Urban Survival Kit (BUSK)

18189-459: The vehicle is stationary. The Bradley carries a coaxial 7.62 mm medium machine gun to the right of the chain gun. The Bradley is equipped with the 25 mm M242 Bushmaster as its main weapon. The M242 is a single-barrel chain gun with an integrated dual-feed mechanism and remote feed selection. The cannon carries 300 rounds of ammunition in two ready boxes (one of 70 rounds, the other of 230 rounds), with an extra 600 rounds in storage for

18330-529: The war, about 150 Bradleys had been destroyed. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine , the US donated about 190 Bradleys to Ukraine's armed forces. Ukraine's first documented use of Bradleys occurred in the Zaporizhzhia region after Ukraine launched its southern counteroffensive in June 2023. An early assault near Mala Tokmachka on June 8 was unsuccessful, and imagery showed that Ukraine lost at least 17 Bradleys of M2 variant. On 19 July, Hanna Maliar , Ukraine's deputy defense minister, claimed on Telegram that

18471-475: The weight of a main battle tank. A trend toward composite armour is taking the place of steel – composites are stronger for a given weight, allowing the tank to be lighter for the same protection as steel armour, or better protected for the same weight. Armour is being supplemented with active protection systems on a number of vehicles, allowing the AFV to protect itself from incoming projectiles. The level of protection also usually varies considerably throughout

18612-496: Was 15 tons. The upper sides of the vehicle were sloped and spaced steel armor plates were added to improve protection. Firing ports for the passengers were added and a M139 20 mm cannon was added to the commander's cupola. The U.S. Army rejected it due to limited mobility, which would have prevented it from keeping pace with the proposed MBT-70. The other alternate vehicle was the West German Marder , which mounted

18753-472: Was 6th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery . Originally, a battery consisted of three platoons with three launchers each for nine launchers per battery; by 1987, 25 MLRS batteries were in service. In the 1990s, a battery was reduced to six launchers. The 6th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery was reactivated as the Army's first MLRS battalion in October 1984, and became known as the "Rocket Busters". In March 1990,

18894-474: Was canceled in 2009 due to budget cuts. In 2010, the Army began the Ground Combat Vehicle program to replace the M2 Bradley. Entries from BAE Systems and General Dynamics were selected for evaluation. Concerns grew around the vehicle's proposed weight of around 70 tons. The GCV was cancelled in 2014 due to sequestration budget cuts. The Army's Bradley replacement effort was restarted under

19035-442: Was equipped with a Hotchkiss machine gun , and with 7 mm armour for the gunner. Armoured cars were first used in large numbers on both sides during World War I as scouting vehicles. In 1903, H. G. Wells published the short story " The Land Ironclads ," positing indomitable war machines that would bring a new age of land warfare, the way steam-powered ironclad warships had ended the age of sail . Wells's literary vision

19176-505: Was originally planned to be named after General Jacob L. Devers , but it was decided the Bradley name would apply to both, since both vehicles are based on the same chassis. They differ in only some details. The M2 carries a crew of three and a six-man infantry squad . The M3 carries the crew of three and a two-man scout team and additional radios, the BGM-71 TOW and M47 Dragon or FGM-148 Javelin missiles. The first BFVs came off

19317-607: Was powered by a four-cylinder 3.3-litre 16 hp Cannstatt Daimler engine giving it a maximum speed of around 9 miles per hour (14 kilometres per hour). The armament, consisting of two Maxim guns, was carried in two turrets with 360° traverse. Another early armoured car of the period was the French Charron, Girardot et Voigt 1902 , presented at the Salon de l'Automobile et du cycle in Brussels , on 8 March 1902. The vehicle

19458-645: Was realized in 1916, when, amidst the pyrrhic standstill of the Great War , the British Landship Committee deployed revolutionary armoured vehicles to break the stalemate. The tank was envisioned as an armoured machine that could cross ground under fire from machine guns and reply with its own mounted machine guns and naval artillery . These first British tanks of World War I moved on caterpillar tracks that had substantially lower ground pressure than wheeled vehicles, enabling them to pass

19599-582: Was the first armed, petrol-engine powered vehicle ever built. It consisted of a De Dion-Bouton quadracycle with a Maxim machine gun mounted on the front bar. An iron shield offered some protection for the driver from the front, but it lacked all-around protective armour. The armoured car was the first modern fully armoured fighting vehicle. The first of these was the Simms's Motor War Car , also designed by Simms and built by Vickers, Sons & Maxim in 1899. The vehicle had Vickers armour 6 mm thick and

19740-440: Was to suppress enemy fire, crush obstacles such as barbed-wire entanglements, and protect the infantry on their advance into and through enemy lines by giving mobile overwatch and cover . The French Renault FT was the first iteration of this concept. The British and French retained the concept between the wars and into the Second World War era. Because infantry tanks did not need to be fast, they could carry heavy armour. One of

19881-446: Was truck-mounted and used to great effect against British tanks, and the British QF 3-inch 20 cwt was mounted on trucks for use on the Western Front . Although the Birch gun was a general purpose artillery piece on an armoured tracked chassis, it was capable of elevation for anti-aircraft use. Vickers Armstrong developed one of the first SPAAGs based on the chassis of the Mk.E 6-ton light tank/ Dragon Medium Mark IV tractor , mounting

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