The US Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) has launched the Bradley Urban Survivability upgrade, with a $15 million order awarded to BAE Systems. The Bradley Urban Survivability Kit (BUSK) includes various elements designed to enhance the protection, capabilities and functionality of the Bradley Combat Systems in urban operations. The kits will be shipped and installed in theater on fielded vehicles with minimal modifications. Under another $120 million award by TACOM, GDLS will expedite hull protection kits to augment deployed Stryker vehicles until the end of 2007. The command also released awards worth almost half a billion to sustain Abrams tank modifications.
The US Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command awarded several contracts to sustain the conversion and modernization of the US Army’s M-1A2 Main Battle Tank fleet through the years 2010 – 2011. The contracts include about $290 million for System Enhancement Package (SEP) packages and about $140 for the retrofit of existing tanks into SEP V2 standard. TACOM has also launched the Bradley Urban Survivability upgrade, with a first 15 million order awarded to BAE Systems.
The Bradley Urban Survivability Kit (BUSK) includes various elements designed to enhance the protection, capabilities and functionality of the Bradley Combat Systems in urban operations. The kits will be shipped and installed in theater on fielded vehicles with minimal modifications. Tank Urban Survivability Kits (TUSK) are already in production for the M-1A2.
Bradley Urban Survivability Kit (BUSK)
Responding to requests from the field, the BUSK kit includes a steel mesh protection for the turret’s external optical components, designed to minimize interference to normal sighting functions. A ‘dome tent’ non-conductive structure is used to protect the crew from low-hanging electrical power lines. The structure effectively protects the vehicle at speeds up to 30 mph and has little impact on the vehicle’s optical sights.
The kit also includes a high-powered, hand-held directional spotlight, four to five times brighter than Halogen equivalents. This 3,000,000 candlepower spotlight uses standard 24-volt vehicle power and an existing connector. BUSK also includes provisions for enhanced counter-IED armor, designed to counter the effects of mines and IED explosions. Furthermore, the vehicle can be equipped with the Commander’s Light Automatic Weapon (CLAW) integrating a light machine gun into the vehicle’s fire control system, enabling immediate threat suppression capability for the Bradley Commander. The CLAW mounts either the M-249 SAW or the M-231 ball-port 5.56-mm machine gun which is fired under armor with existing fire control components.
