Bradley IFV crew successfully shoots down FPV drone in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine serves as a real testing ground where theories regarding the development of military science are examined and refined. One notable development is the use of the main armament of infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) to combat drones. We present the first case of an FPV drone being shot down by the crew of an M2A2 Bradley ODS IFV.

FPV drones pose a significant threat to both vehicles and individual soldiers, especially in the absence of modern electronic warfare systems.

However, these systems do not provide complete protection. The opponent can always manage to make their drones immune to its effects. Moreover, both sides are developing FPV drones capable of autonomous flight in the final phase, thus gaining capabilities similar to professional military drones or modern anti-tank guided missiles like the FGM-148 Javelin or Akeron MP.

In such cases, neutralizing the threat is only possible through its physical elimination. The IFV's onboard automatic cannon is well-suited for this task. It usually has a calibre of 20 - 40 mm (.79 - 1.57 inches) and is loaded with programmable ammunition that detonates at a precisely specified distance.

Shooting down drones with automatic cannons mounted on vehicles has gained significant importance recently, as reflected in the proposals of the latest main battle tanks showcased at the Eurosatory fair. The European main battle tank EMBT and the extensive modernizations of the Leclerc and Leopard 2 feature a 30 mm (1.18 inch) anti-drone cannon with programmable ammunition.

With a combination of luck, an experienced shooter, and a good fire control system, it is also possible to shoot down a drone using regular high-explosive incendiary ammunition. The crew of a Ukrainian IFV successfully accomplished this, and they recorded the entire event.

The M2A2 Bradley ODS IFV, dating back to the First Gulf War, is armed with a 25 mm (1 inch) M242 Bushmaster automatic cannon, with a rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute. It can fire armour-piercing and high-explosive incendiary rounds, with an effective range of up to 2 km (1.24 miles).

The very popular M792 HEI-T ammunition in Ukraine contains a 0.18 kg (0.4 pounds) projectile, of which about 0.03 kg (0.07 pounds) is a powerful RDX explosive. The rest is a steel casing that provides shrapnel and incendiary material. The projectile has an impact fuse and a lethal area of at least 5 m (16 feet).

Additionally, the M2A2 Bradley is equipped with a 7.62 mm (.30 inch) NATO machine gun and a twin launcher for BGM-71F (TOW 2B) anti-tank guided missiles, capable of effectively destroying tanks at distances up to 3.75 km (2.33 miles). However, it is an older-generation system that requires missile guidance until impact and cannot be used while the vehicle moves.