The US Army's Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) has been effective in its role of transporting infantry while providing fire, proving itself in combat with three powerful weapon systems.

Since its introduction in 1981, the Bradley has taken part in numerous conflicts, most notably during Operation Desert Storm. More than 2,000 BFVs were in the Persian Gulf in 1991, where they destroyed more Iraqi armored vehicles than the Abrams Main Battle Tank did.

Variants of the BFV include the M2 Bradley, whose mission is to transport an infantry squad securely, and the M3 Bradley, which is designed as a cavalry/scout vehicle.

3 weapon systems

The BFV has three powerful weapon systems: the M242 Bushmaster chain gun, the BGM-71 TOW antitank missile and soldiers who can quickly dismount the vehicle with lethal FGM-148 Javelins.

This trifecta of weaponry allows the Bradley to engage a wide range of targets, from heavily armored tanks to fortified positions and low-flying aircraft.

The M242 Bushmaster chain gun is a 25mm single-barrel auto-cannon capable of firing up to 500 rounds per minute with an effective range of 2,000 meters.

The Bushmaster can utilize various types of ammunition, including armor-piercing and high-explosive rounds, making it effective against lightly armored vehicles, helicopters or entrenched troops.

The BGM-71 TOW missile system is a precision-guided munition designed to destroy maneuvering tanks at a range of up to 3,750 meters.

The TOW missile has been a staple of anti-tank warfare for decades, with its ability to deliver precision strikes against moving targets.

The M2 Bradley can also dismount up to six fully equipped soldiers, who are more flexible and agile than equipment is in complex terrain and can carry the FGM-148 Javelin, the premier shoulder-fired anti-armor system.

The Javelin's high-explosive anti-tank warhead is designed to defeat modern tanks by targeting their thinner top armor, delivering devastating effects.

Force protection

The BFV has an automatic infrared guidance system that allows soldiers to seek cover immediately after launch, increasing their survival chances in combat.

The effectiveness of the Javelin missile shone through during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the system itself becoming a symbol of Ukrainian resistance to Russia's aggression.

The United States has provided Ukraine with more than 10,000 Javelin anti-armor systems that have been instrumental in enabling Ukrainian infantry to annihilate Russian mechanized forces.

The Russian vehicles destroyed are the same type used by Iranian forces today.