The war in Ukraine is the perfect war to showcase the capabilities of the M2 Bradley IFV for these reasons:

- The Russian army sucks in so many ways that it can't be counted to fight well. It is quite often incapable of maintaining the presence and use of weapons systems to destroy the M2s. The advantages of the M2s would be diminished if Ukraine was facing a competent military.

- The multipurpose of the M2s lends itself to the chaos of warfare in Ukraine. It can defeat enemy tanks, provide fire support, go on the attack, and deliver infantrymen in relative safety.

- The M2s gives Ukrainian mechanized infantry a great advantage over the Russian mechanized and light infantry. If the Ukrainians are able to destroy Russian vehicles, then the residual force will often be Russian soldiers or infantrymen who stand little chance against the Bradleys.

Viva Bradleys!!!!!!!!!!! M2 Bradleys

The armored vehicle that has the propensity to breakdown frequently?

clarythedrill said:

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Tanker123 said:

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The war in Ukraine is the perfect war to showcase the capabilities of the M2 Bradley IFV for these reasons:

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You are right since the Brad never showcased those capabilities during Op Desert Shield/Storm or damn near 15 years of combat in Iraq. Come on man.

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There were many Bradleys in Desert Storm and they took out T-72s and older model Russian tanks as well. The rapidity of the ground war precluded any need to use light infantry in the Iraqi desert.

Perhaps someone can make the rational argument the use of the M2s in various roles in Ukraine and in such numbers has been replicated in past wars instead of whining about it. Personal attacks do nothing for the argument.

Aggie Therapist said:

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Thank goodness for your response.

I was a PL and XO in a Mechanized Infantry Company. I was responsible for 4 and then 18 of Bradley IFVs. I served with Clarythedrill in Korea!

But as an XO, I had to kick my PSGs and PLs asses in order to make sure those Bradley's ran smoothly! You don't show love to those things and they will **** the bed so quickly! We would come back from overseas or a rotation and the Bradley's in the motor pool were hot trash until we could get them working again!

Like Clary said, they just get the infantrymen to the attack positions or SBF locations. If you aren't dismounting as soon as your Bradley is stationary then you might as well be a catastrophic kill. You are either moving and shooting everything in sight or tucked away somewhere.

I spent endless nights in the back of the Bradley planning and sleeping. It was not a very fun platform but it gets the job done.

I feel like every tanker123 thread is just mindless rambling of a cool video he saw on YouTube

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I served with Clarythe drill, too!

Commanded an Armor Cavalry Troop in the 90s, and the M3 Bradleys were a bear. Transmission issues, turret issues, and fuel leaks were the three things I remember most.

Was on M1A1s in Germany, M1A1 and M1A2 in with 3ACR, and M1A2SEP w/1CD in Iraq. They take effort to maintain at 100%, but no more than the Brads.

My biggest issue with Bradleys wasn't the maintenance, it was the design of the fuel tanks, and their propensity to burn when hit.

Trinity Ag said:

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Aggie Therapist said:

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Thank goodness for your response.

I was a PL and XO in a Mechanized Infantry Company. I was responsible for 4 and then 18 of Bradley IFVs. I served with Clarythedrill in Korea!

But as an XO, I had to kick my PSGs and PLs asses in order to make sure those Bradley's ran smoothly! You don't show love to those things and they will **** the bed so quickly! We would come back from overseas or a rotation and the Bradley's in the motor pool were hot trash until we could get them working again!

Like Clary said, they just get the infantrymen to the attack positions or SBF locations. If you aren't dismounting as soon as your Bradley is stationary then you might as well be a catastrophic kill. You are either moving and shooting everything in sight or tucked away somewhere.

I spent endless nights in the back of the Bradley planning and sleeping. It was not a very fun platform but it gets the job done.

I feel like every tanker123 thread is just mindless rambling of a cool video he saw on YouTube

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I served with Clarythe drill, too!

Commanded an Armor Cavalry Troop in the 90s, and the M3 Bradleys were a bear. Transmission issues, turret issues, and fuel leaks were the three things I remember most.

Was on M1A1s in Germany, M1A1 and M1A2 in with 3ACR, and M1A2SEP w/1CD in Iraq. They take effort to maintain at 100%, but no more than the Brads.

My biggest issue with Bradleys wasn't the maintenance, it was the design of the fuel tanks, and their propensity to burn when hit.

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I was a Mech PL and XO in Germany back in the 1990s (C/1-6 out of Baumholder) in the late 1990s. We had M2A2s, then started fielding the ODS upgrades right when I left in 2000.

I honestly don't think the Brads were any better or worse, maintenance-wise, than the Abrams. I do remember, on my second CMTC rotation, my PSG and I got awards for having the only platoon in the battalion (we were cross attached to a tank battalion for that one) that had a OR rate 100% for every mission. (Doesn't mean all our tracks were good to go the whole time, but we crossed the LD with all 4 on every mission.)

My company had a cross attached tank platoon during both CMTC rotations I did, and we never started a mission with all 4 tanks up and running. On one movement to contact mission, we rolled out with 3, and we were down to 1 operational by the time we made contact with the OPFOR. (One got stuck, and the other had one of those fuel system reset malfunctions. They got it back up, but not before most of the company was dead.)

Combat vehicles need lots of maintenance, and even then they break down. My second assignment was to 3/2 BCT when they were first fielding the Strykers. The necessity for serious maintenance was a major eye opener for all those career 11B PSGs in my battalion.

I will add that it would be interesting to see how the Brads in Ukraine are fairing as compared to German Marders and any other NATO IFVs they've received. (Did the Brits give them Warriors? I don't know.)

I remember leaving the RUBA at 1800 to start our box rotation and finally establishing the company AA at 0500 the next morning. The scouts lead us through a mud pit and my Brad got stuck. My XO buddy drug me out with his tank.

I no longer made fun of tankers after that night.

Man, respect to all of yall. At least on foot, there was always a small chance we could at least still die with our fingers on the trigger. Not so much rolling around in our up-armoreds. Which were always breaking down of course. I think I'd rather go Navy than full on mechanized...

I think the more cogent point is that there are a long list of IFV's in Ukraine that are serving well and doing what the Ukrainians need because just about any IFV is better than no IFV when the Russians show up. NATO/EU 1990's era IFV's are effectively countering any Russian IFV that they come in contact with.

You are seeing all the media flowing out of Ukraine about the Bradley because they are seeding the internet with positive media about US weapons systems. This is done to make US politicians feel good about continuing support for Ukraine.

If the Bradley is a super weapon that is winning the war then it's easier to argue that without US support and more Bradley's they will lose. As opposed to the Bradley being "good enough" which doesn't inspire a lot of interest in sending more support and make no mistake, Ukraine will not exist as a country or a people as soon as we stop sending Bradley's and munitions.

Who doesn't love a treadhead argument?

But we all can agree, death before dismount, amirite?

I dunno if it was me, but I went from an SBCT to a HBCT and I could get out of it fast enough. Hated being heavy. Loved being in an IBCT. Granted I was field artillery and enlisted but I loathed being on tracked vehicles with the fire of a million suns…..or maybe it was just being in Korea.

Camp Casey Alumni
2016

Camp Hovey 2011-2012.

Ahhhhh

I remember running through the "hovey cut" for PT.

Good times. EDREs and MOPP 4 Mondays in the motor pool

Only times I went through the cut on foot was 1) drunk back from the Ville and no more cabs and 2) the Manchu Mile.

JABQ04 said:

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Only times I went through the cut on foot was 1) drunk back from the Ville and no more cabs and 2) the Manchu Mile.

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My Commander and I would use our SUVs to shuttle Soldiers from the front gate to their barracks in Casey and Hovey when they were about to violate curfew. We saw too many fights at the buses where the last three or four Soldiers who missed a seat on the bus would try to drag other Soldiers off to get a ride, so we became a pseudo bus service so Soldiers would not have to stand in front of the 2ID Commander.

I spent my entire career avoiding Korea, but thoroughly enjoyed my time there on that deployment.

Were they considered in violation of curfew if they weren't in their barracks at curfew or just not back on post? Our curfew in 2012 was 0100 but whatever the club on Casey and the Iron Triangle on Hovey were open until 0300. Very cool y'all gave rides to folks. I was picked up by my 1SG after one of my dudes busted curfew and went to the MP station to get him, afterwards we were dropped off at the TMC to have his BAC checked and the 1SG left and we had to walk back to Hovey dragging a drunk pissed off dude back. Right when we got to the softball fields at Hovey the brigade FDO picked us up and drove us the last 1/4 mile to the barracks where I was informed 1SG was waiting on my
counseling statement and i couldn't go back to bed until it was complete. (This was around 0330 on a Saturday morning).

I also tried to avoid Korea but couldn't shake the orders, I even volunteered for airborne to get out of it but no luck. I enjoyed my time there when I wasn't working, wasn't very impressed with 1-2 HBCT. Made some great friends, traveled a lot with our Battery softball team and started playing golf there but was glad to leave after my year was up.

You know they lifted curfew after the 2016 rotation.

It's probably back in place now

Aggie Therapist said:

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You know they lifted curfew after the 2016 rotation.

It's probably back in place now

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Yes I heard that, but I am sure too many Soldiers mucked it up and got it put back into place.

JABQ04 said:

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Were they considered in violation of curfew if they weren't in their barracks at curfew or just not back on post? Our curfew in 2012 was 0100 but whatever the club on Casey and the Iron Triangle on Hovey were open until 0300.

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I don't remember for sure but I believe it was 0100 on camp and 0300 in your room, but not completely sure.

Prince_Ahmed said:

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Oh gawd, it took me a minute to realize this was the guy from a finance unit making hot breakfasts on the wrong side of a 4 mile run.

Whatcha doing now, Tanker? It seems you talk about your time in the Army as past tense?

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You ever serve in the military?