BAE receives contract for Bradley Fighting Vehicle upgrades

Sept. 14 (UPI) -- BAE Systems Land & Armaments has received a $91.2 million contract for eight Bradley Fighting Vehicle common module logic items for the U.S. Army.

The contract, announced Thursday by the Department of Defense, will last for five years with no options. Work will be performed in Alabama and California and is expected to be completed by July 2024. Army fiscal 2018 through 2023 working capital funds will be used for the program.

The M2 Bradley is the primary tracked armored infantry fighting vehicle of the U.S. Army and has been produced in many variants such as the M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle.

Standard models have a crew of three, plus up to six fully equipped troops, and are armed with a 25mm Bushmaster autocannon, TOW anti-tanks missiles and machine guns. Combat engineer, air-defense and command-and-control variants have also been produced.

A turretless version of the Bradley called the Armored Multi Purpose vehicle is slated to replace the M113 series of light armored personnel carriers currently in use.

The Bradley has been upgraded many times and has seen active service since 1981. It has been exported across the world with over 6,700 being built.