Simon Newton – 27th June 2024 at 3:11pm
A video has appeared online showing what’s claimed to be a Ukrainian Bradley infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) shooting down a Russian first-person view (FPV) drone.
According to reports on social media, the footage was captured near Pokrovske in eastern Ukraine.
Russian forces have been relentlessly attacking the city with artillery and missiles as part of a push to take territory in Donestsk Oblast.
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Blasted by a Bushmaster
The Bradley IFV involved was an M2A2 operated by Ukraine’s battle-hardened 47th Mechanised Brigade, known as Magura.
The video shows the gunner tracking the drone through the Bradley’s thermal sight before opening fire with the vehicle’s M242 Bushmaster chain gun.
Produced by Northrop Grumman, the auto-cannon has a dual-feed system allowing the crew to quickly switch between ammunition types.
It can fire all Nato standard 25mm x 137mm ammunition, with a maximum fire rate of 500 rounds per minute.
A Bradley usually carries 900 rounds, with 300 of those ready to fire and 600 in reserve.
More than 300 supplied to Ukraine
More than 10,500 M242 guns are in service with the US Army and other forces around the world.
Alongside the Bushmaster, the Bradley is also armed with a 7.62mm machine gun, and two TOW missile launchers that can hit armoured vehicles more than two miles away.
The US says it has supplied Ukraine with more than 300 Bradley IFVs – 10 times more than the 31 Abrams tanks Washington has delivered.
According to the Dutch open-source outlet Oryx, around 70 have been destroyed in combat, abandoned or captured.
Quick responses
In the video, the Bradley appears to be driving along a treeline when the Russian drone appears.
The gunner quickly aims upwards and opens fire with what appears to be standard 25mm ammunition.
These lack an airburst function – which makes the Ukrainian gunner’s accuracy even more impressive.
On the 13th round, he hits and destroys the drone, preventing the vehicle from being attacked.
Ukrainian troops like the Bradley for its high level of protection and its ability to withstand Russian mines, high-calibre guns and drones.
It was designed during the Cold War to defeat Russian armour, and several videos have emerged showing Bradleys destroying Russian armoured personnel carriers and even tanks at close range.