Forty-Year-Old Troop Carrier Proving Its Worth in Ukraine

By Corona Borealis @Adobe Stock

Alistair MacDonald and Ievgeniia Sivorka of The Wall Street Journal report that the Bradley fighting vehicle, a 40-year-old troop carrier, and other infantry-fighting vehicles have been the surprise stars of Ukraine’s campaign. They write:

Ukrainian Pvt. Viktor Khamets has tattooed on his arm an image of one of the great loves of his life: the Bradley troop carrier that saved it.

One of the standout Western-provided vehicles in Ukraine is a 40-year-old troop carrier with thick armor and a gun like a buzz saw that despite its age turned out to be well adapted to Ukraine’s battlefield.

The Bradley infantry-fighting vehicle has won iconic status among Ukrainian troops for its ability to protect them against drones, mines and antitank weapons.

Such high regard shows how military operators become emotionally attached to a vehicle that shields them from danger, but also how these IFVs have come into their own in Ukraine. In this war, both sides have needed highly mobile vehicles that can quickly deposit troops and protect them from the plethora of drones that have added an extra layer of risk for infantry. Meanwhile, the Bradley’s cannon has helped attack Russian positions at a time when tanks have had less success in their traditional roles.

Bradleys are no longer being produced, but the market for their newer peers has become a competitive one, as countries, particularly in Europe, rush to make orders. As drones become increasingly deadly, their makers have also had to adapt these vehicles.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the U.S. sent over 300 Bradleys. Many were decades old and some arrived in such poor condition they needed to be refitted.

But the vehicle soon proved its worth. […]

Ukrainian Bradleys are now equipped with electronic-warfare devices, which down drones by interrupting their signals.

The CV90 has become a big business for BAE Systems. Sales of the vehicle helped drive profit in the first half of this year, and last year the company signed a $2.2 billion contract to sell 246 of them to the Czech Republic. BAE currently has contracts in place to make more than 1,700 CV90s. South Korea’s Hanwha and Germany’s Rheinmetall have also talked extensively of increased opportunities for the IFVs they produce.

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