Inside Russia: Captured report reveals M2A2 Bradley's dominance
Extensive excerpts from a Russian report have surfaced on social media. The report showcases the findings of a study on the M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, which was captured during battles in Ukraine. The report confirms that the American vehicle is significantly superior to the BMP-3.
The Ukrainian portal Militarnyj highlights the assessment of blogger and tank expert Andrij Tarasenko, who pointed out on his Telegram profile that the Russian report seems to offer only a superficial analysis, yet still clearly shows the American M2A2's significant advantage over the BMP-3, exposing the flaws inherent in the Soviet and Russian approach to designing infantry fighting vehicles.
M2A2 Bradley better than BMP-3
The report, prepared by the 38 Research and Development Institute of Armored Vehicles of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, indicates that the M2A2 Bradley greatly surpasses the BMP-3 regarding crew safety, thanks to better armour and higher mine protection.
The American vehicle also received higher ratings for firepower. The main gun, an M242 Bushmaster with a 25 mm calibre, provides double the accuracy of the 30 mm guns found in the BMP-3. Furthermore, the report's authors believe that the M2A2 Bradley offers higher comfort for the crew and the infantry soldiers it transports. At the same time, the maintenance of its main components is faster and requires less labour. The only aspects where the BMP-3 is favoured in the analysis are its mobility and range (as it is significantly lighter), and its ability to overcome water obstacles.
Some of the best vehicles in service with the Ukrainians
According to Western analysts and Ukrainian soldiers, the M2A2 Bradley is among the best vehicles that have reached the frontlines under NATO support. Numerous accounts and recordings on social media have shown successful attacks against Russian forces, alongside evidence of the high durability of these American vehicles' armour.
Kremlin propagandists have repeatedly claimed that the BMP-3 surpasses other vehicles, including the German Marders and M2A2 Bradley. The released report could be even more disheartening for them, given that the BMP-3 is Russia's most modern infantry fighting vehicle. Meanwhile, the Americans have provided Ukraine with the M2A2 Bradley ODS from the early 1990s, variants reminiscent of Desert Storm.
In addition to the 25 mm calibre automatic gun M242 Bushmaster (with a firing rate of up to 200 rounds per minute), the M2A2 Bradley is also equipped with a 7.62 mm calibre machine gun and a TOW anti-tank missile launcher.
