The US Congress has approved the sale of 76 M2A2 BRADLEY IFVs (ODS version) to Croatia, as notified by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 1 December 2020. The cost of these plans, first reported at the end of 2019, is estimated at around €630M.
The IFVs requested by Croatia are currently in storage and are to be overhauled for €2-4M per vehicle. The procurement will be supported with €20M from the European Recapitalisation Incentive Programme (ERIP), through which the US Government is promoting the switch to Western technology of NATO states from the former Warsaw Pact. This is part of a desire to strengthen the development of interoperable structures.
The M2A2 BRADLEY is armed with a 25 mm BUSHMASTER cannon and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun while being ballistically protected against projectiles up to 30 mm. The ODS variant has been equipped with additional command and protection elements based on the findings of Operation Desert Storm.
The equipment includes:
- M240 machine guns
- TOW Anti-Tank Guided Missiles in several versions
- smoke launchers
- radios
- fire control units
- spare parts
- special tools.
The package is supplemented by training as well as technical and logistic support. Since the vehicle’s introduction in 1981, BAE Systems has built some 6,700 BRADLEYs, which have been kept technically modern by various measures. The replacement of a large part of the BRADLEY fleet by the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle programme is currently being initiated. The re-tendering after the first failed attempt is expected for 18 December 2020.
Gerhard Heiming
