An intriguing photograph has emerged of an M2 Bradley infantry preventing automobile (IFV) captured by Russia and fitted with a Russian-made 30mm cannon rather than the automobile’s unique Bushmaster M242 25mm computerized cannon. Whether or not the set up is meant for operational use, for trials, or for some completely different function is unclear, however different unorthodox modifications to armored autos have appeared because the begin of the conflict in Ukraine.
The Bradley seen within the photograph is among the examples captured largely intact by Russia from the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The situation and date of the photograph are unknown, as is the unique supply, however the Bradley in query appears to be in a depot alongside different Western-supplied armor captured from the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
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Some puzzled how can Russians use the Bradley if they do not have ammo for it. Nicely, that is how:
“Russian repairmen put in a home 30mm 2A72 cannon on a captured Bradley as an alternative of the chain-driven Bushmaster.” pic.twitter.com/m4SZhfVKQe
— SIMPLICIUS Ѱ (@simpatico771) June 12, 2025
You possibly can learn all in regards to the Bradley and what it brings to the combat in Ukraine on this previous function of ours.
Most apparently, Russian technicians have changed the Bushmaster with what seems to be a 30mm 2A72 cannon, most likely finest generally known as the principle gun of the BTR-82 wheeled armored personnel provider.
The 2A72 is a reduced-weight growth of the extensively used 2A42, additionally a 30mm weapon, which arms the BMP-2 infantry fight automobile, BMD-2 and BMD-3 airborne fight autos, BTR-90 armored personnel provider, in addition to Ka-52 Hokum and Mi-28 Havoc assault helicopters.
The 2A72 has a price of fireside of 330 rounds per minute, sending its ammunition to an efficient vary of virtually a mile in opposition to an armored automobile. It is a notably sooner price of fireside than the already spectacular 200 rounds per minute achieved by the Bushmaster.
Towards delicate targets, reminiscent of infantry, the efficient vary of the 2A72 is elevated to round 1.2 miles. Ammunition choices embrace armor-piercing-tracer (AP-T), high-explosive fragmentation-incendiary (HEF-I), and high-explosive-tracer (HE-T) ammunition.
A Russian Ministry of Protection video reveals the 2A72 gun in motion on a BTR-82A throughout an train:
As for the Bushmaster, it is a weapon that we now have mentioned earlier than, within the context of the Bradley being utilized in Ukraine. The Bushmaster can hearth two various kinds of ammunition, fed from packing containers through chutes into the autoloader. The gunner, sitting to the left of the tank commander, can flip a swap to pick out between high-explosive (HE) rounds to strike evenly armored autos or depleted uranium (DU) armor-piercing sabot rounds to hit extra closely armored autos like IFVs and even tanks. The gunner can even choose between single- or multiple-shot modes.
“Our DU rounds can actually hit one aspect of an armored personnel provider or infantry preventing automobile (like a BRDM or BMP) and exit the opposite aspect and could have sufficient kinetic power to disable one other one,” one armor knowledgeable instructed TWZ, talking on situation of anonymity.
Nicely-known movies present Ukrainian Bradleys firing 25mm rounds from their Bushmaster weapons at a Russian T-90M predominant battle tank from comparatively shut vary:
There are three issues you may watch perpetually. Like this Ukrainian M2 Bradley IFV obliterating a «no-analogue» russian T-90M tank.
— Protection of Ukraine (@DefenceU) January 18, 2024
Increased high quality footage of a pair of Ukrainian M2A2 Bradley IFVs from the forty seventh Mechanized efficiently dueling a Russian T-90M in Stepove, disabling it, with a comply with up FPV munition strike inflicting the crew to desert the broken automobile. pic.twitter.com/Vor8IuVlBZ
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) January 13, 2024
Greater than 300 examples of the M2A2 ODS model of the Bradley have been offered to Ukraine by america from April 2023 onwards. Based on the Oryx open-source monitoring group, which solely information losses that it has visible affirmation of, at the least 12 Ukrainian Bradleys have been captured by Russian forces, and lots of extra have been deserted after having been broken or have been outright destroyed. A minimum of among the deserted however nonetheless intact autos may have discovered their means into Russian palms, too, and should have been repaired.
One doable purpose behind the modification may relate to the Russian operational use of captured Bradleys.
There’s proof that Russia has been making some restricted use of captured Bradleys on the battlefield. A minimum of one official video reveals Russian troops from the Heart Military Group working a captured Bradley, after it was returned to operating order, having been disabled by a mine. As soon as in Russian service, the automobile was fitted with further anti-drone safety ‘cope cage’ across the high of the hull.
A screencap from a video displaying a captured Bradley in Russian service. Russian Ministry of Protection screencap
The ruSSian military is utilizing captured Bradley IFV pic.twitter.com/Vp41JMy4rE
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝕯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝕯𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔱△
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(@TheDeadDistrict) November 12, 2024
In that very same video, a Russian soldier explains that the Bradley is prized, above all, for its heavy armor, the dimensions of its troop compartment, and its refined fire-control system.
One other soldier states that they like the 30mm gun on the BMP-2 to the Bushmaster, indicating that the unique American gun continues to be fitted to the automobile, though its use could be restricted by the restricted provide of the suitable ammunition.
Gunner ‘Molfar’, 39, a Bradle crew member of the forty seventh Magura Mechanized Brigade who took half within the preventing to liberate Robotyne village from Russian forces, is pictured inside his automobile, Zaporizhzhia path, southeastern Ukraine. Photograph by Ukrinform/NurPhoto through Getty Pictures
Clearly, at the least some frontline Russian models contemplate it worthwhile to function captured Bradleys, even when they might be only a few in quantity, with no supporting logistics chain or ammunition stockpiles.
We’d even be taking a look at a take a look at set up to look at whether or not it’s possible to re-arm the Bradley with a Russian predominant gun.
It may even be meant for propaganda functions, with the Russian gun standing in for the Bushmaster in order that the automobile might be demonstrated in parades or in collections of captured Western gear.
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