Meng Model 1:72 U.S. Infantry Fighting Vehicle M2A3 Bradley w/BUSK III

The M2 / M3 Bradley is a modern American infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). The first prototypes of the vehicle were produced in 1976, and serial production, which began in 1980, continues to this day. It is estimated that by the beginning of 2018, approximately 6,800 vehicles of this type had been built. The Bradley is powered by a Cummins VTA-903T or VTA-903 engine with 500 hp and 600 hp, respectively. It is armed with a single 25 mm M242 automatic cannon, one 7.62 mm M240 machine gun, and one TOW guided missile launcher.

The M2 / M3 Bradley was originally developed as a new infantry fighting vehicle for the US Army to replace the M113 vehicles. During its design, special emphasis was placed on the ability to cooperate on the battlefield with M1 Abrams tanks, better armament than the M113, maximum possible mobility, and high reliability. Interestingly, the armor of the new IFV was not particularly important, which led to a large part of the hull in the first production batches being made of aluminum. In the late 1970s, still in the testing stage, the US Army command decided to use the M2 to develop the M3 fighting vehicle, which is very difficult to distinguish externally from its "relative." During serial production, several versions of the M2 vehicles were created. The first major upgrade turned out to be the M2A1 version, which had a dual-tube TOW launcher (instead of a single one). Later, the M2A2 version was created, which had reinforced armor, the option to use reactive armor, and a new 600hp engine. Finally, the last—at least for now—was the M2A3 version, which was even more heavily armored and received much more modern electronics. M2 / M3 vehicles are only operated in Saudi Arabia and the United States. They have also participated in several conflicts, particularly in Operation Desert Storm from 1990 to 1991.