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Posted on 08/30/2004 11:20:12 PM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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Bradley Fighting Vehicle Systems (BFVS)  The M2/M3 BFVS family consists of the M2/M2A1/M2A2/M2A3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, the M3/M3A1/M3A2/M3A3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle and derivatives of these vehicles including: manpads under armor - the integration of the STINGER Missile System into the M2A2/M3A3 vehicles; Bradley fire support team vehicles and the command group vehicle variants.  M2 "Bradley" Prototype The mission of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle [BFV] is to provide mobile protected transport of an infantry squad to critical points on the battlefield and to perform cavalry scout missions. The BFVS will also provide overwatching fires to support dismounted infantry and to suppress or defeat enemy tanks and other fighting vehicles. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle is a fully armored, fully tracked vehicle designed to carry Mechanized Infantry into close contact with the enemy. It possesses sufficient cross-country mobility to keep up with the Abrams Main Battle Tank, medium and long-range firepower capable of defeating any vehicle on the battlefield, and is adequately armored to protect the crew from artillery and small arms threats. During World War II, the vehicle's namesake, General Omar Bradley, was known as the "GI General".  M2 Bradley The Bradley is able to close with and destroy enemy forces in support of mounted and dismounted Infantry and Cavalry combat operations. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle family currently consists of two vehicles: the M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle. Just as with its predecessor, the M113 family, the Bradley will eventually be the platform for a wide range of support vehicles.  M2A2 Bradley Unlike the M113 family of vehicles the Bradley replaces, this is not simply a "battle taxi". The Bradley is a sophisticated weapons platform capable of providing tremendous firepower in direct support of the Infantry it carries. The role of the Bradley is to :
 The Bradley’s main armament is the M242 25mm "Bushmaster" Chain Gun, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The M242 has a single barrel with an integrated dual-feed mechanism and remote ammunition selection. Either armor piercing (AP) or high explosive (HE) ammunition may be selected with the flick of a switch. The Gunner may select from single or multiple shot modes. The standard rate of fire is 200 rounds per minute, and has a range of 2,000 meters (depending on the ammunition used). A wide range of ammunition has been developed for this weapon, making it capable of defeating the majority of armored vehicles it is likely to encounter, up to and including some main battle tanks. The M240C machine gun, mounted to right of the Bushmaster, fires 7.62mm rounds.  When facing heavier enemy armor the Bradley relies on the TOW Anti-Tank Missile, manufactured by the Hughes Aircraft. Launched from a smooth tube launcher, the missile’s wings and tail fins are folded inside its body until launch. Two of these missiles are carried ready to fire in a collapsible, armored launch rack on the left of the turret. The Bradley must stop in order to fire these missiles, which are them reloaded by the Infantrymen in the back of the vehicle, using a special hatch which provides armor protection during the reload operation. The missile is equipped with a massive shaped charge, high explosive warhead and is propelled by a two-stage solid propellant motor. The range of the TOW missile is nearly 4 kilometers and the missile will reach a speed of almost Mach 1 on its way to the target. This weapon is capable of destroying any armored vehicle in existence today and is deadly accurate.  Maximum ground speed is 66km/h. The wide tracks and 600 horsepower turbo-diesel power plant give the vehicle the mobility it needs to keep up with the Abrams, and keep the soldiers it carries out of harms way. In order to fulfil the requirement for rapid worldwide deployability, the Bradley can be transported by truck, rail, ship and transporter aircraft. In addition, all Bradleys are amphibious. Early models were equipped with a water barrier, which is erected by the crew before entering the water – a procedure that takes about 30 minutes. Later models have an inflatable pontoon, which fits on the front and sides of the vehicle. This pontoon is inflated in about 15 minutes, and is continuously pressurized during operation. The pontoon is compartmentalized to provide protection against sinking in the event of rupture of the pontoon. Water propulsion is provided by tracks which propel the vehicle at about 4 MPH. 
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Good morning feather.
Hoorah for Engineers.
Hi miss Feather
ROTFLOL, both of us! Send this to Brit Hume.
Cool patches
ROTFLMAO!
Had a little bit of action here in our town this morning. At the intersection just North of our house there was a two car accident.
Thankfully nobody was hurt and the power pole at the intersection was untouched but there was quite a bit of damamge to the front of both cars and they had to call for a wrecker.
It was an exciting morning here.
I remember the few years before deployment of the Bradley the Army got the idea that P.C.'s should be more than battle taxis and should be fighting vehicles, the idea being the firepower of the P.C. should be added to the infantry squads they carried. Good idea, the only problem being the M113's had thin armor and were only armed with a .50 cal. The Bradley sure filled a need.
Morning Sam,
I have a little Bradley anecdote for you.
Back in 85 or 86 while I was going through the ROTC program at San Jose State, a bunch of us cadets were treated to a tour of the FMC factory where they were building the first run of Bradleys. It was a very impressive tour, complete with a look at the test track out back where a few Brads were putting around.
At the end of the tour were ended up in a conference room where a PR guy asked us if we had any questions. There were several lame questions that made it clear no one had been following the development of the vehicle as I had (I was the only "prior-service" cadet in the bunch and therefore several years older than the rest). If you remember at the time, there was a lot of controversy about the aluminum armor.
So, I asked about it ans stated some of the criticisms I had heard, thinking they would welcome a chance to convince a soon-to-be officer that it was not in fact a "death trap" or mere "tank & RPG bait."
WRONG!
You'd have though I'd dropped my skivvies and taken a dump on the conference room table from the "offended" reaction. Later back at school, the Major that had arranged the tour reprimanded me for asking such an "impolitic" question. Because of this I had a very bad taste in my mouth concerning the Bradley for a long time, one that didn't go away until after the Gulf War where it proved itself.
My reasoning was, if you're gonna ask me to climb in a and ride it into battle, you at least ought to be willing to answer a few tough questions. Anyway, I don't recall any more cadets being asked to come tour their facility during the rest of my time in the SJSU ROTC program.
Hell, they didn't even give us any complimentary t-shirts. Nothing. That PR guy was a total loser.
Since I know absolutely zip about the Bradley..
..someone will have ot confirm or debunk this:
I was told that it handled somewhat like a 1970's VW Bus, that you could get it to fishtail in turns.
(Manueverable, and fun to drive.)
Was I given the 'straight dope' on it?
Thank you, Matthew. I cheered for Poland's Independence more than once. What a strong nation!!
ROLTFLMAO!! I love parody, especually the kind that makes fun of Libs and Kerry.
Afternoon USMCBOMBGUY.
I remember all the complaints about the Bradley when it first was fielded, it's the same with the Stryker today.
Hi Darksheare.
Cross of Iron
Captain Stransky : Alright. I'll do it. I'will show you how a Prussian officer fights.
Sargeant Steiner : And I will show you where the Iron Crosses grow.
Hello!
Not much excitement here but Snippy and I just got two packages we've been sitting around waiting on and we're about to get real busy.
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