BRADLEY STINGER FIGHTING VEHICLE

• The Bradley Stinger Fighting Vehicle (BSFV) consists of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle transporting a Stinger MANPADS team. The primary role of the BSFV is to protect forward area maneuver combat forces, combat support elements, and other critical assets from attack by hostile RW and FW aerial platforms operating at low altitudes. The BSFV can deliver effective fire against ground targets such as light armored vehicles and tanks using the Bradley Fighting Vehicle onboard weapons.

  System Description

• The BSFV is a fully tracked, diesel-powered, lightly armored vehicle. The turret on the BSFV is equipped with a 25mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, externally mounted tube launched, optically tracked, wire guided (TOW) missile launcher, and two M257 smoke grenade launchers. The fire control system features an integrated day or night sight incorporating a thermal-imaging infrared device. The recommended load for missiles on the BSFV is six Stinger and five TOW missiles. Two TOW missiles are ready and three stored. All six Stingers are stored in a ready rack. Five soldiers man the BSFV vehicle (figure 3-6).

• Table 3-2. BSFV System Characteristics
  Missiles	TOW: 2 ready; 3 stowed
  	Stinger: 6 stowed
  Ammunition (25mm)	Armor-piercing discarding sabot-tracer (APDS-T): 70 Ready; 140 stowed
  	High explosive incendiary-tracer (HEI-T): 230 Ready; 460 stowed
  EQUIPMENT DATA
  General	Weight (combat loaded): M2A2: 50,261 LB (22,798 kg)
  	Weight (less fuel, crew, and OVE): M2A2: 43,500 LB (19,732 kg)
  	Weight (air transportable): 40,775 LB (18,495 kg)
  	Ground pressure (combat loaded): 7.7 psi (0.54 lg./cm2)
  Personnel	5 crewmembers (2 MANPADS members)
  Performance	Speed on land 41 MPH: (66 km/n)
  	Cruising range: 300 miles (483 km)
  Performance	Turning radius: Pivot to infinite
  	Slope climbing: 60%
  	Side slope: 40%
  	Trench crossing: 8 ft, 4in (2.5m)
  	Vertical wall climbing: 36 in (9lcm)
  	Gross horsepower-to-weight ratio: 20.62 h/p/ton
  	Ground clearance: 18 in (45.7/cm)
  Engine	Make and model: Turbocharger Cummins VTA-9O3T
  	Displacement: 903 cu in (14.8 liters)
  	Type: 4 cycle
  	Fuel: Diesel
  	Gross horsepower: 500 (608 metric)
  Swim Fording	4.5 MPH in water with floating device, which is installed in the front and side armor

  Main Gun, 25mm Automatic Gun, M242

• The main armament for the BSFV is the 25mm automatic, externally powered gun. When maneuvering in the offense, the 25mm gun is used as the primary AD weapon. It is used to destroy hostile RW and slow flying FW aerial platforms, lightly armored vehicles, and to suppress enemy fortified positions. The 25mm gun is a dual-feed weapon system that allows the crew to select two types of ammunition: APDS-T and HEI-T. The 25mm gun has three rates of fire:

• • Single shot

  • Low rate (l00 rounds per minute)

  • High rate (200 rounds per minute)

  2. Six basic types of ammunition are used with the 25mm gun with effective ranges up to 3,000 meters. Further information can be found in FM 23-1. http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/docops/fm44-100-2fd/3-06.jpg
     Figure 3-6. Bradley Stinger Fighting Vehicle (BSFV)

     TOW Missile

  3. The TOW is a command-guided surface attack weapon that can destroy hostile helicopters, tanks and other vehicles at ranges from 65 to 5750 meters (depending on type of missiles in use). It can be used against fortified positions and gun emplacements.

  4. The TOW missile comes in five versions:

  • Basic TOW (BGM-7lA1 extended range)

  • Improved TOW (BGM-7lC)

  • TOW2 (BGM-7lD)

  • TOW2A (BGM-7lE)

  • TOW2B (BGM-71F)

  1. 2. Each version is an improvement over the previous missile. Primary improvements are in the areas of penetration, effective range, and usability in adverse firing conditions. Additional information can be found in FM 23-1.

        M240C 7.62 Coaxial Machine Gun

     3. The M24OC 7.62mm machine gun is used to engage FW aerial platforms, unarmored helicopters, and light armored vehicles. It is a coaxial, belt-fed, gas operated, fully automatic weapon with a maximum range of 900 meters. Further information can be found in FM 23-1.

        employment of bsfv

     4. The primary mission of the BSFV squad is to defeat helicopters both moving and stationary. See table 3-3 for weapon usage guidelines.

     Table 3-3. BSFV Weapon of Choice in Tactical Employment.
     WEAPON	ROTARY WING		FIXED WING	LIGHT ARMOR	HEAVY ARMOR
     	>2000M	<2000M
     STINGER	1	1	1	NA	NA
     25MM	2	2	3	1	NA
     COAX	NA	3	2	NA	NA
     TOW II	3	4	NA	2	1

     Offensive Employment

  2. BSFV units will accompany the main attack in offensive situations. When moving, or in situations with brief halts, the 25mm chain gun is the primary weapon with an effective range of two kilometers against aerial attack. Consequently, the BSFV should maneuver no further than 1000 meters apart to provide mutual support.

  3. The Stinger team can be dismounted to provide air defense of the forces when the attacking forces are stalled or at the objective. Dismounting Stinger teams is a squad leader's decision based on the artillery threat, the ability of the FU to overwatch the maneuver force, and anticipated future movements. The Stinger can overwatch from up to one kilometer to the rear of the defended unit. While the range of the Stinger and TOW give the platoon the ability to cover more area, they should remain within two kilometers of each other to enhance their survivability through mutual support and to mass their fires in the offense.

     Defensive Employment

  4. Bradley Stinger Fighting Vehicles will establish ADA battle positions based on the IPB and the commander's scheme of maneuver in defensive situations. These positions need to be planned and prepared in depth to enable the use of decisive fires against attacking enemy helicopters or FW aerial platforms. Squads are positioned to maximize the Stinger's capabilities in the defense, approximately two kilometers apart. The Stinger becomes the primary RW and FW killer, with the 25mm machine gun used for close-in defense.

     BRADLEY LINEBACKER

  5. The Bradley Linebacker provides the air defender with shoot-on-the-move engagement capabilities against aerial threats over the full spectrum of terrain and maneuver force operating speeds (figure 3-7).

     System Description

  6. The Bradley Linebacker system can engage low-altitude, high-speed fixed-wing and rotary-wing aerial platforms, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles. The standard vehicle mounted launcher (SVML) for Stinger missiles replaces the TOW launcher.

  7. The Bradley Linebacker crew consists of a driver, gunner, assistant gunner, and the commander. The assistant gunner can reload the outer two missiles from the inside of the Bradley without being exposed to enemy fire. If a malfunction causes the turret to be disabled, the crew has the capability to convert to a Stinger MANPADS team.

     Stinger Control Box

  8. The Stinger control box (SCB) is the primary operator interface for the Bradley Linebacker system. It provides the controls and indicators needed to perform aerial engagements with missiles. The SCB has four read lights to indicate missile status; it has a sequence switch (SEQ) used to select a missile other than the one automatically selected by the system. The mode switch controls what weapon mode the system is in and the deployment and stowage of the Stinger launcher. The go/fault light indicates system status. The arm/safe light is controlled by the toggle switch directly below it, which is used to arm the missile. Auto/manual (aut/man) switch lights are provided for uncage and track functions. The lamp test push button will light all indicators, and the intensity knob controls lamp brightness. http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/docops/fm44-100-2fd/3-07.jpg
     Figure 3-7. Bradley Linebacker System