As part of the upgrade and modernization plan, the U.S. Army is evaluating new laser warning systems on its M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Recent tests were conducted at the extensive ranges of the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.

According to the U.S. Army, Yuma Proving Ground personnel carried out a production qualification test on the Vehicle Protection System Base Kit (VBK). This kit equips the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) with a series of sensors mounted at the corners of the turret to provide 360-degree laser threat detection.
A significant percentage of anti-tank systems in service still rely on laser targeting systems. The new sensors on the M2 Bradley IFV enable the crew to detect when an adversary is targeting the vehicle with a laser. When this occurs, the vehicle commander can immediately rotate the Commander’s Independent Viewer (CIV) on the turret toward the source of the laser, either to neutralize it with the 25mm Bushmaster cannon, the coaxial machine gun, or to execute evasive maneuvers.
Alan Vega, a test officer, stated that the system “…has an audio alert that notifies the crew when a laser is detected and visually displays the laser’s point of origin. The soldier can then decide whether to engage or take evasive action in response to the threat.”

Yuma Proving Ground officials highlighted that the tests included simulated missions in which an M2 Bradley IFV logged over 10,000 kilometers across diverse terrain conditions, “…ranging from pavement to gravel, through a desert with steep slopes that would severely challenge less robust vehicles. During these drives, test operators continuously monitored system performance.”
Vega emphasized that during the evaluations, “…we are looking for any type of system failure during the performance test. The system is operational throughout the test period to determine if heat or extended operation causes any issues.”
The unique desert environment at the Yuma Proving Ground enabled the evaluation of the Vehicle Protection System Base Kit’s detection capabilities from various angles, including on a mountainside. “…We are dealing with very complex angles of approach, using lasers from Class 1 to Class 4. Regardless of where the laser emissions originate, one of the sensors will detect them,” added Vega.

It is worth noting that the U.S. Army is also advancing the development of the new version of the Bradley IFV, the M2A4E1. This latest variant includes several enhancements, such as the Iron Fist Light Decoupled (IF-LD) active protection system, jointly developed by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems and IMI Systems. Thanks to its detection components, which include an infrared sensor and a search-and-track radar, the Iron Fist system on the M2A4E1 Bradley minimizes system dimensions.
The evaluations in Arizona concluded with a four-week operational testing event where soldiers conducted assessments. Tracy Haifley, another test officer, concluded that the Vehicle Protection System Base Kit on the M2 Bradley “…provides the crew with a completely different level of protection. A system like this, which helps crews make split-second decisions, is a significant step forward.”
Cover Image: US Army Yuma Proving Ground – Mark Schauer
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