BMP vs. Bradley - what the Russians think

For more than 50 years the US and NATO faced off against the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact without ever coming to blows. In the years since, the West has had plenty of opportunities to evaluate Soviet / Russian combat vehicles captured during operations against satellite states like Iraq. The war in Ukraine however has also provided the Russians with an opportunity to get their hand on some US and NATO combat vehicles captured from the Ukrainians. 

One outcome of this is a report titled "Results of Research Tests of the BMP Bradley" M2A2 ODS SA (USA)" which has now been published in the Russian Federation. The authors are A.V. Muschin, V.V. Konjutschenko from Research Institute N. 38. 

Without going into the details of the figures provided by the authors, and the superficial nature of their comparison, here are some excerpts:

• The Bradley M2A2 ODS SA exceeds the BMP-3 in terms of projectile resistance.
• In terms of mine protection, the Bradley, with its two aluminum and steel plates installed on the hull floor, an internally mounted polymer mine protection mat, and shock-absorbing troop seats, surpasses the BMP-3.
• The side armor of the Bradley provides protection against a 30mm projectile of the 3UBR6 cartridge but does not protect against a 30mm projectile of the 3UBR8 cartridge.
• The frontal armor of the Bradley provides protection against a 30mm projectile of the 3UBR8 cartridge, exceeding the protection level of the frontal armor of the BMP-3.
• The frontal armor of the Bradley, combined with explosive reactive armor (ERA), provides protection against shaped charge grenades such as PG-9VS and PG-7VL.
• The side armor of the Bradley, with ERA blocks, provides protection against shaped charge grenades like PG-9VS, but does not protect against grenades like PG-7VL.
• The firepower of the Bradley M2A2 ODS SA exceeds that of the BMP-3 due to the following features: The accuracy of the 25mm M242 chain gun is twice that of the 30mm 2A42 and 2A72 chain guns, increasing the effective firing range. 
• The armor-piercing effect of the 25mm APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot) projectile is also twice as high as that of the 30mm APS projectile of the 3UBR8.
• The Bradley M2A2 ODS SA surpasses the BMP-3 in its operational and technical characteristics due to: 
  • The ability to access the combat compartment from the troop compartment. 
  • Improved repairability of the engine, generator, combat compartment, and gun barrel. 
  • Reduced duration of technical maintenance of key components and assemblies due to easier access. 
  • Reduced time and effort required to replace key components and assemblies.
• The Bradley M2A2 ODS SA surpasses the BMP-3 in its ergonomic properties due to its larger crew and passenger volume, the presence of a ramp in the troop compartment, and the absence of structural elements between the commander's and gunner's workstations that would hinder the crew's movement from the combat compartment to the troop compartment. 
• The Bradley M2A2 ODS SA is however inferior to the BMP-3 in terms of mobility, range, cross-country ability, and the ability to swim across water obstacles
   

Recommendations

The Russian authors proposed several recommended design improvements for future armored combat vehicle models:

• Protection: 
  • Use of protective shields, including in the front area, and ready-to-use ATGM launchers (anti-tank guided missiles). 
  • Deployment of a commander's protection cabin with armored glass for march operations (observation).
• Firepower: 
  • Inclusion of the domestically produced 30mm cartridge 3UBR8 with a subcaliber armor-piercing projectile in the ammunition load. 
  • Development of a grenade with an armor-piercing, fin-stabilized depleted uranium projectile (APFSDS) for 30mm chain guns. 
  • Development of a 30mm chain gun with improved accuracy and armor-piercing capabilities, ensuring guaranteed defeat of IFVs like the M2A2 ODS SA (M2A3) and including design features found in foreign chain guns (e.g. barrel reinforcement ribs).