At 40 years old, the Bradley armored personnel carriers sent by the West to Kiev have been prominent in the battle against the Russians, as despite their age they have proven to be successfully integrated on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Ukrainian soldier Viktor Khamets tattooed on his arm the image of one of the great loves of his life, who saved him from Russian fire.
Last June, the Bradley he was driving was hit by a kamikaze drone and a helicopter-dropped bomb. The crew survived inside the carriage which was named Mavka, after a mythical Ukrainian forest creature.
Mavka is now engraved on Khamets’ hand, as reported by the Wall Street Journal in its report, which also published the relevant photograph.
The Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle has gained iconic status among Ukrainian troops for its capabilities to protect them from drones, mines and anti-tank weapons, with the fighters becoming emotionally attached to him.
In this war, both sides need highly maneuverable vehicles that can quickly transport troops to the battlefield, but also protect them from the multitude of drones that have increased the level of danger for infantry.
Ukrainian Bradleys are now equipped with electronic warfare devices, which shoot down drones by disrupting their signals.
At the same time, the Bradley gun helped attack Russian positions at a time when heavy tanks were less successful.
Bradleys are no longer produced, but the market for newer equivalent tanks has become competitive, as countries, mostly European, rush to place orders amid geopolitical instability.
As drones become increasingly lethal, Bradley manufacturers have had to adapt them to new needs.
In poor condition, but… immortal
After Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the US sent more than 300 Bradleys. Many of them were decades old and some they arrived in such poor condition that they had to be repaired.
But the vehicle soon proved its worth.
Ukrainian soldiers on the Eastern Front spoke of Bradley’s ability to withstands almost any impact.
Survived a savage crash
Sergeant Oleksiy Yanyshpilsky’s unit in the 47th Motorized Brigade had seven Bradley and in eight months after being hit by drones, anti-tank weapons and mines, none of them were completely destroyed.
On a mission, Yanyshpilsky’s 1986 Bradley was targeted by seven drones. Even so, he managed to “survive”.
Sergeant Mykhaylo Kotsyurba, from another brigade, once saw a Bradley next to him take a direct hit from a Russian Grad missile.
“It’s destroyed” he said he remembers thinking as he watched the smoke cloud. But the fog lifted and the Bradley kept moving.”
On the contrary, Ukrainian operators complain for those of Russian manufacture, of the IFVs (infantry fighting vehicle) that inherited but also the Abrams tanks donated to them by the USA.
They lead an army’s “most precious resource” into battle
US Lieutenant General Ross Coffman says IFVs, and the way they are protected, are important because they carry an army’s “most precious resource” into battle – its infantry. An IFV like the Bradley is generally better protected than other types of armored personnel carriers.
Coffman, who served with Bradley and Abrams in Iraq, said dIt is not uncommon for American operators to form close ties with their vehicles as well.
The Bradley weighs almost 28 tons, has a crew of three, can carry six soldiers and is armed with a 25mm cannon and often an anti-tank missile launcher.
The American Abrams tank weighs more than 70 tons and consumes large amounts of fuel.
“Faster and a little wiser than the enemy”
“This war is all about maneuveryou have to be faster and a little wiser than the enemy”, Janispilski said, commenting that his 1986 Bradley was more agile than other vehicles.
The versatility of the Bradley and some other IFVs is valuable in a war where the proliferation of drones means vehicles can be located and targeted in minutes.
“IFVs like Bradley They are useful in both offensive and defensive operations.”said Nicholas Drummond, a former British army officer who runs a defense industry consultancy.
“In Ukraine, IFV stood out,” concluded Drummond.
naftemporiki.gr