Bradley Fighting Vehicle upgrades tested at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground

YUMA PROVING GROUND, AZ--- When it comes to mechanized infantry and armored cavalry combat, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle is second to none in transporting troops across battlefields.

The platform has proved itself to be lethal and survivable in multiple theaters since first fielded in 1981. In the first Gulf War, only three of the more than 2,200 Bradley Fighting Vehicles that thundered into Iraq were lost to enemy fire. Moreover, the Bradley, armed with a 25mm chain-driven autocannon, a 7.62 mm machine gun, and twin Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) missiles, destroyed more armored Iraqi vehicles than did the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank.

In ensuing years, the threat faced by American Soldiers has mutated, but the Bradley has remained viable and relevant thanks to Army modernization efforts and extensive testing of all upgrades at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG).

"The Bradley was built based on a set of requirements from decades ago: it fit that mission, but as times evolved, so did the field environment," said Jacob Obradovich, senior test officer. "As all combat vehicles have evolved, their size and weight have outgrown original expectations. They need additional power to sustain legacy requirements while supporting future technologies."

As it is, the Bradley is hardly a relic of a bygone era. Thoroughly digitized and boasting technology like thermal imagers, nearly 7,000 Bradleys have been fielded since their inception. Their ubiquity has influenced other important platforms in the country's ground combat arsenal. Changes to the latest variant of the M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzer, for example, include a new engine and transmission common to that found in the Bradley, an interchangeability of components that makes the mission of field mechanics easier and suggests the Bradley will remain ready for battle for a long time to come.

"The Bradley is looking to be in service for at least the next couple of decades with the upgrades now being worked on," said Obradovich.

At present, YPG testers are wrapping up a software upgrade test on the Bradley that incorporates even more functionality into the platform. The purpose of the tests is to verify the system integration of software/hardware changes in ensuring functionality and performance without negatively impacting safe vehicle operation.

"When we do software tests, we're looking for performance degradation from legacy software or if there are any performance characteristics of the vehicle that can't be met with the new software included," he explained. "We also want to verify the safety systems built into the vehicle aren't negatively impacted."

Once this portion of the testing is complete, the Bradley is sent out for weeks of durability missions across YPG's range.

"This phase of the test is not a reliability test for the software, it is more going out and operating in a typical environment and seeing if anything comes up during normal operations."

These simulated missions take the Bradley across scores of miles of road courses featuring various terrain conditions, from paved to gravel to punishing desert washboard that would severely rattle less robust vehicles. As they traverse these roads, test vehicle operators continually verify performance of all the platform's sophisticated electronics.

"Set points throughout these courses verify that the navigation system is working as it is supposed to and that the targeting system is giving accurate ranges," Obradovich said.

YPG has the range space to conduct live fire tests of the vehicle from both stationary and moving positions.

"Usually we fire from a stationary position, but sometimes we'll fire while the vehicle is moving," said Obradovich. "We'll fire at moving targets and drive it over a bumpy course to make sure the stabilization system is working properly."

As a one-stop shop for sophisticated testing, YPG is poised to continue supporting Bradley testing for years to come.

"It's a testament to our folks," said Obradovich. "We have really good people with years of experience, and their good work has developed this capability."