The Bradley Fighting vehicle system comprises the M2 infantry fighting vehicle and the M3 cavalry fighting vehicle manufactured by the BAE Systems Land and Armaments. The Bradley vehicles were designed both to transport troops in the battle field and to act as tank-killers. The first models appeared in the early `80s and while the first prototype couldnt pass many resistance test, later models though would prove to be particularly efficient and resistant to missile attacks.
In few words, Bradley Fighting vehicles are capable of transporting troops right at the heart of the battlefield, are invulnerable to missile attacks and at the same time they can break through the enemy lines as well as destroy enemy armored vehicles such as tanks. In spite of weighing about 30 thousands Kg, being about 6m long and 3m high, these bulky vehicles can reach the 66km/h on ground and the 7-8km/h in water. This is all ensured by a powerful diesel engine which produces approximately 600hp(100 hp more than Ferrari Scaglietti!!).
Moreover there are seven antitank missiles installed in it. Each missile has a radius of about 4 km and can destroy almost any kind of tank. This is the main reason they were widely employed in the Gulf War to hit the Iraqi tanks, where they proved deadly. It is evident that operative experience does teach that Bradley is what any tank should fear most and approach less.
Apart from the antitank missiles (model: TOW2B), apparently, there was also room for a deadly 25 mm cannon with an action radius of 2500m.
Aware of the hatred this titanic monster would arise in the enemy lines, its designers designed for it an aluminum-steel armor which is resistant to 30 mm cannons. As for self protection, smoke grenade dischargers have been added, each can be loaded with 4 smoke grenades.
The M2 and M3 share many of the characteristics depicted previously, still there are some differences. Besides the crew which consists of three, a commander, a driver and a gunner, in the M2 there is space for other 6 fully equipped infantrymen, the M2 is designed for in-battle missions. In M2 there are specialized antitank missiles such as Dragon and Javelin, both man-portable antitank missiles. On the other hand, the M3, is specialized in scouting missions and besides the crew, may carry two additional unit which are generally scouts.
The Bradley armored vehicles were adopted by the US Army in 1981, later on they would be sold to Saudi Arabia, the only foreign country to have been allowed to buy Bradleys from the US. The Bradleys have been widely employed in the Gulf war against Iraq and proved to be deadly as well as life-saving.
Bradleys are being continually upgraded and modified, still they remain one of the most successful and dangerous armored vehicles the US Army has ever experimented. Their efficiency might be the very reason they are produced almost exclusively for the US Army(except Saudi Arabia).