The U.S. is going to hand over 4 Bradley Fire Support Team vehicles to Ukraine.

This is stated in the list of announced aid worth $460 million.

The official designation is M7 Bradley Fire Support Team (BFIST). This vehicle is based on the M2A2 Bradley ODS.

On the M7 BFIST, instead of the TOW anti-tank missile, target identification equipment is installed. This vehicle can detect targets at a distance of up to 20 km.

The vehicle’s armor protection allows the crew to carry out reconnaissance and targeting safely. The M7 also carries special portable surveillance equipment.

The M7 has a built-in combat control system with GPS and an inertial navigation system. It determines the location of the vehicle on the map, as well as the coordinates of the targets.

The M7 BFIST transmits information to nearby artillery units using a digital control system.

The vehicle can direct fire at the target with standard 155-mm artillery shells. In the case of guided munitions, the target is illuminated by a laser beam, so it is easier to find and hit. In addition, the armored vehicle can adjust artillery fire while moving.

The crew of the M7 BFIST is 4, including the commander, gunner, driver and observer.

The vehicle is armed with a Bushmaster 25mm gun that can engage targets with high-explosive and armor-piercing rounds. There is also a 7.62mm machine gun.

The frontal armor of the M7 Bradley can withstand being hit by 30mm armor-piercing ammunition. The hull is protected against the fire of 14.5mm machine guns. Additional reactive armor can also be installed on the machine. The M7 has the same mobility, survivability, and battle performance as the M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

The M7 BFIST exists in different versions. M7A1 is the designation of the pre-production machine. M7A2 is the designation sometimes used for the basic version.

The M7A3 is already an upgraded variant that has similar improvements to the M2A3 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. It is equipped with new generation reactive armor and a new navigation system.

M7A4 has similar improvements as the M2A4 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. It has a new engine and improved electronic systems. In 2018, a contract to upgrade some advanced M7 surveillance vehicles to the latest M7A4 standard was signed.

M3A3 BFiST is the designation of the M3 Bradley Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle converted into an advanced surveillance vehicle. However, only a few such prototypes were made, and this vehicle never went into production.