×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Infantry Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024)
HOME
ARMOR INDEX
MODERN ARMIES
ARMOR BY COUNTRY
VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE VEHICLES
VEHICLES BY CONFLICT
VEHICLES BY TYPE
VEHICLES BY DECADE
COLD WAR VEHICLES
GULF WAR VEHICLES
MODERN TANKS
MODERN ARTILLERY
Land Systems / Battlefield

M3 Bradley


Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (CFV) / Armored Reconnaissance Scout Tracked Combat Vehicle [ 1983 ]



The M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle is a dedicated armored scout variant of the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.



Authored By: Dan Alex | Last Edited: 03/21/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
The M3 Bradley CFV (Cavalry Fighting Vehicle) is very similar in most respects to the M2 Bradley IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) and varies in a few subtle ways and by defined battlefield role. While the original M2 is designed for the IFV role - carrying troops under protection and supplying support firepower - the M3 is intended for the armored scout/reconnaissance role, doing away with side firing ports and seating for six/seven infantry. Two scout positions are added as is additional communications equipment. The M3 also holds more ammunition storage (25mm, 7.62mm and TOW missiles) while fielding the same multi-purpose, two-man powered 25mm-armed turret. The 7.62mm coaxial machine gun is retained as an infantry defense measure.

The Bradley family as a whole was originally intended to support the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) detailed elsewhere on this site and appeared as a direct counter to the Soviet BMP series of 1966. Adopted in 1980 and fielded beginning in 1981, the M2 Bradley forms a companion vehicle to the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank - able to keep up for fast-moving mechanized formations and providing much-needed firepower to disembarking infantry.

During the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the Bradley accounted for more tanks destroyed than the M1 Abrams itself though at least seventeen of the M2s were lost to friendly fire however (three lost to enemy fire). Improvements to the Bradley family have included enhanced identification features as well as anti-tank missile countermeasures (for first generation wire-guided missiles) and improved armor protection through explosive-reactive armor.

The M3 Bradley CFV is powered by a Cummins VTA-903 diesel engine coupled to a General Electric HMPT-500 series transmission system. Road speeds reach 40 miles per hour with an operational range out to 300 miles. A typical operating crew is three - driver, commander and gunner - with two scouts.

Original models were the M3 and heavily based on a modified M2 Bradley. The M3A1 improved the NBC protection of the crew with other subtle changes added. The M3A2 increased armor protection through ERA block kits while a GPS and laser-rangefinder were added after the 1991 Gulf War. The M3A3 is an all-digital variant which improved situational awareness of the crew and their survivability as well as communications with participating fighting forces. All variants are directly tied to their corresponding M2 Bradley variants and their respective changes.

Armament remains largely the same on the M3 as on the M2 vehicle - 1 x 25mm main gun, 1 x 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, TOW-2 Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) support (though with 12 missiles).©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



Service Year
1983

Origin
United States national flag graphic
United States

Status
ACTIVE
In Active Service.
Crew
5
CREWMEN
Production
500
UNITS


United Defense LP Ground Systems - USA
(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)
National flag of the United States United States
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Infantry Support
Support allied ground forces through weapons, inherent capabilities, and / or onboard systems.
Reconaissance
Can conduct reconnaissance / scout missions to assess threat levels, enemy strength, et al - typically through lightweight design.


Track-and-Wheel Arrangement
Vehicle utilizes a track-and-wheel arrangement to provide enhanced cross-country travel capability.
Primary Turret
A modern tank quality, this vehicle sports its main armament in a single turret.
Traversable Main Armament
Armament is situated in a traversing component, allowing for all-around engagement of enemy threats.
Recoil Enhancement
Main weapon has an integral recoil mechanism, allowing the system to remain trained-on-target after firing.
Firing On-the-Move
A modern quality, onboard systems provide accuracy to primary armament allowing for firing on-the-move.
NBC Protection
Crew is provided (either as standard or optional) protection against Nuclear-Biological-Chemical agents for enhanced survivability in contaminated zones.
Nightvision
Crew has access to night-vision equipment, allowing for low-light or night time operations.
Anti-Tank Capable
Onboard solution provides ability to neutralize armored or fortified targets at range through missile or penetrating ballistic weapons.
Anti-Infantry
Vehicle features an in-built anti-infantry capability for local defense of the vehicle or general troop suppression.
Versatility
Vehicle's proven running gear and overall makeup lends itself well to fulfill other battlefield roles by way of specialized designs.


Length
21.0 ft
6.4 m
Width
10.2 ft
3.1 m
Height
9.7 ft
2.95 m
Weight
49,946 lb
22,655 kg
Tonnage
25.0 tons
MEDIUM
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base M3 Bradley production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
Powerplant: 1 x Cummins VTA-903T turbocharged 8-cylinder diesel engine developing 600 horsepower at 2,600rpm driving conventional track-and-wheel arrangement.
Speed
41.0 mph
(66.0 kph)
Range
298.3 mi
(480.0 km)
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base M3 Bradley production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)
1 x 25mm automatic main gun in turret.
1 x 7.62mm machine gun in co-axial mounting in turret.
2 x TOW-2 Anti-Tank Guided-Missile (ATGM) launchers.
2 x 4 Smoke grenade dischargers.


Supported Types


Graphical image of a tank cannon armament
Graphical image of a tank anti-tank guided missile
Graphical image of a tank medium machine gun
Graphical image of tank /armored vehicle smoke grenade dischargers


(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
1,500 x 25mm projectiles.
4,400 x 7.62mm ammunition.
12 x TOW-2 ATGM missiles.
8 x Smoke grenades.


M3 Bradley CFV - Cavalry Fighting Vehicle variant of the original M2 Bradley IFV series.
M3A1 - Improved NBC; introduction of fire suppression system; periscope rearrangement.
M3A2 - Improved armor protection; revised NBC suite; GPS navigation; missile countermeasures suite; identification friend or foe.
M3A3 - Improved digital capabilities; improved communications with other battlefield systems including air support; improved weapons performance.


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War
Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2
Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War
Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles


Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery



1 / 7
Image of the M3 Bradley
Image courtesy of the United States Department of Defense image database.
2 / 7
Image of the M3 Bradley
Image courtesy of the United States Department of Defense image database.
3 / 7
Image of the M3 Bradley
Image courtesy of the United States Department of Defense image database.
4 / 7
Image of the M3 Bradley
Image courtesy of the United States Department of Defense image database.
5 / 7
Image of the M3 Bradley
Image courtesy of the United States Department of Defense image database.
6 / 7
Image of the M3 Bradley
Image courtesy of the United States Department of Defense image database.
7 / 7
Image of the M3 Bradley
Image courtesy of the United States Department of Defense image database.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies


2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)