M3A2 Bradley – WalkAround

The M3A2 Bradley is an American tracked armored fighting vehicle, a major variant within the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family. Developed to operate in conjunction with the M1 Abrams main battle tank, the M3 series fulfills a dedicated reconnaissance and anti-armor support role.

• Role: The M3A2 is designated as a Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (CFV), primarily conducting armored **reconnaissance and scout** missions. It detects and tracks enemy forces, relaying critical information to friendly armored formations.
• Crew: It operates with a crew of **five** personnel: a Commander, a Gunner, a Driver, and two dedicated Scouts.
• Internal Configuration: Unlike its sister vehicle, the M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), the M3A2 sacrifices space for a large infantry squad to carry **significantly more ammunition and anti-tank missiles**, increasing its combat autonomy and duration for deep reconnaissance missions. The firing ports found on some M2 models are sealed or eliminated on the M3.

The M3A2 is equipped with a two-man turret featuring a mix of anti-personnel and anti-armor weaponry:

• Main Gun: A fully stabilized **25 mm M242 Chain Gun (Bushmaster)** with a dual-feed system that allows the gunner to switch rapidly between armor-piercing and high-explosive rounds.
• Anti-Tank Weapon: A **Dual-Tube TOW Anti-Tank Missile Launcher** mounted on the left side of the turret, used to engage and destroy main battle tanks and heavy armor at ranges exceeding $4,000 \text{ meters}$. It fires the powerful TOW 2 series of missiles.
• Coaxial Weapon: A **7.62 mm M240C machine gun** mounted coaxially (parallel) to the main gun for use against light vehicles and personnel.
• Self-Protection: Two four-barreled **M257 smoke grenade dischargers** on the turret front for creating defensive smoke screens.

The “A2” designation represents a major survivability and mobility upgrade, driven by lessons learned in early conflicts:

• Armor: The original aluminum armor was significantly bolstered with the addition of **appliqué steel armor plates** on the hull and turret, providing enhanced protection against heavy machine guns and small cannon fire (up to 30 mm munitions).
• Reactive Armor Capability: It has the structural capability to mount **Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA)** tiles, providing increased defense against shaped-charge weapons like Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs).
• Internal Safety: **Kevlar spall liners** were added to the interior surfaces to protect the crew and equipment from fragments and splinters generated by impacts on the outer armor.
• Engine Upgrade: To compensate for the significant weight increase from the added armor, the engine was upgraded from 500 hp to a **600 hp Cummins VTA-903T diesel engine**, coupled with a stronger transmission and suspension components.