How a political compromise created one of America's most iconic armored vehicles

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Bradley Fighting Vehicle wasn't just an engineering feat; it was a survival story. Faced with budget cuts and Congressional skepticism, designers used a high-stakes addition—the TOW missile—to ensure the program’s survival and redefine the role of the modern infantry fighting vehicle.

The Bradley's lineage traces back to the 1958 requirement for a lightweight, 8-ton vehicle capable of protecting soldiers from nuclear, biological, and chemical threats. Early prototypes like the XM701, delivered in 1965, struggled with mobility and high costs, leading to the project's cancellation. The program's true turning point came in 1976 with the TBAT-II turret design, which integrated the BGM-71 TOW missile system. This addition was a calculated political move; as one official noted, without the anti-tank capability, the program likely would never have been approved by Congress.

The vehicle's development was marked by intense scrutiny. In 1978, a GAO report criticized the XM2's complexity and lack of clear doctrine, prompting the OMB to strip funding for the 1979 fiscal year. However, the design was eventually type-classified as the M2 and M3 in December 1979. Named in 1981 after U.S. General Omar Bradley, the vehicle entered production in 1980, with the first combat units receiving the vehicles in March 1983.

While designed to keep pace with the M1 Abrams tank, the Bradley has undergone significant transformations. Early versions were even designed to 'swim' at 4.5 mph, a capability later lost to heavier armor upgrades. To address vulnerabilities in urban combat, the Bradley Urban Survival Kit (BUSK) was introduced, adding features like power line protection and enhanced sensors. Today, the legacy continues through the Armored Multi-Surplus Vehicle (AMPV) program, which aims to modify 2,907 surplus Bradleys to replace the aging M113 fleet.

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