This is a turret simulator that was used to train US Army crews on the finer points of operating the pointy end of the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
The M2 Bradley, otherwise known as the Bradley IFV, was developed to carry a three-person crew: a commander, a gunner, and a driver. It could also carry up to six soldiers in full gear, offering protection for infantry and rifle squads.
Above Video: This is a brief introduction to the M2 Bradley that offers a great look at the vehicle and its capabilities.
The M2 Bradley was developed by United Defense (now BAE Systems Land & Armaments) as a key part of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle range. The M2 entered service in 1981 as both an armored personnel carrier (APC) and a tank-killer.
Armament included an M242 25mm autocannon as the primary weapon, which has a single barrel with an integrated dual-feed mechanism with 300 ready rounds and an additional 600 rounds in storage. Different ammunition could be used, including armor piercing and incendiary rounds.
It was also fitted with an M240C machine gun and a TOW missile system onboard. Additionally, it had a number of M231 Firing Port Weapons, these were primarily modified M16 assault rifles. The armor fitted to the M2 Bradley included an all-around 1-inch thick aluminum hull, and the hull front around the bottom has an additional steel armor plate.
The Bradley has a monocoque structure with torsion bar suspension with six-wheels per side rolling on steel tank tracks. Power was provided by a Cummins VTA-903T 8-cylinder diesel engine producing 600 bhp, and the vehicle has a maximum speed of 40 mph (64 km/h).
A total of 1,602 examples of the M2 Bradley were made, including all variants, with an average per unit cost of $3,166,000 USD (in 1998). The vehicle remains in service with the USA, Ukraine, Greece, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Croatia.
The M2 Bradley Turret Simulator you see here would have been used to train crews to operate both the turret itself and the various weapons systems. It’s mounted to a steel frame that rides on casters, and it has removable side panels and mesh steel flooring.
This M2 Bradley Turret Simulator is equipped with non-functional equipment including grenade launchers, 25mm and 7.62mm machine gun replicas, and a TOW missile launcher.
This unit is currently inoperable, however it is equipped with non-functional equipment including grenade launchers, 25mm and 7.62mm machine gun replicas, and a TOW missile launcher.
It’s now being sold out of Taft, California on Bring a Trailer with a bill of sale. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
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