The US Army has tapped General Dynamics as the potential contractor for an eight-year Bradley infantry fighting vehicle upgrade.
An indefinite delivery pre-solicitation contract has been notified to upgrade the vehicle with the Elbit Systems Iron Fist Active Protection System (APS).
A total of nine US Army Bradley brigades, or 1,242 vehicles, could be outfitted with the second-gen APS, starting with those operating in Europe, Janes revealed, citing sources.
Testing Since 2018
The US Army faced problems when it began testing the platform with the APS in 2018, mainly related to the ignition system in the interceptor.
Since 2021, the faults have been rectified, resulting in improved performance.
“We’ve gotten to the point where we’ve demonstrated that we have fixed those issues, and we’ve gotten a significant maturity level and performance demonstration within the system,” General Dynamics official Tim Neaves told Defense News in 2021.
Iron Fist APS
The Isreali-made Iron First comprises an active electronically scanned array radar and an optional passive infrared detector, and lightweight explosive projectile interceptors.
Interceptors are launched upon detecting incoming threats, including anti-tank guided missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, and tank-fired high-explosive anti-tank ammunition.
The interceptors explode near the munition and at a distance from the vehicle to minimize damage.
Other Bradley Upgrades
Raytheon was awarded a $154-million contract last month to deliver Commander’s Independent Viewer (CIV) systems for the vehicle.
Including an infrared camera, the CIV provides a 360-degree view to the vehicle operator for targeting and oversight operations.
Last year, Elbit was awarded a contract to supply gunner hand stations for the Bradley fleet.