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The US said last Thursday that it would send Bradley infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine to support Kyiv in its fight against Russia's invasion.

The delivery, which is expected to amount to around 50 units of the equipment, comes at the same time as Germany committed to sending its own armored vehicles to Ukraine and a similar move by France last week.

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What is the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle?

The Bradley is a tracked medium armored vehicle armed with a 25 mm gun.

It is named after an American general who commanded US troops in World War II.

The machine is operated by a crew of three and, depending on the model, can transport seven soldiers on the battlefield.

In addition to its turret-mounted gun, it can be armed with Tow (TOW) anti-tank missiles.

The company producing "Bradley" is "BAE Systems".

According to information from the US Armed Forces, the machine weighs about 36 tons and develops a speed of about 61 kilometers per hour.

How does "Bradley" differ from the machines promised to Ukraine from Germany and France?

France has promised to provide a similar armored vehicle, called AMX-10 Air Se (AMX-10 RC).

The highly mobile wheeled armored reconnaissance vehicle is armed with a 105 mm gun and can transport up to four people.

Germany will send about 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine before the end of March.

The Marder Tracked Vehicle is often armed with a 20mm cannon, has a crew of three, and can transport five or six people across the battlefield.

Some Marders are armed with Milan anti-tank missiles.

Berlin will deliver about 40 combat vehicles to the "Marder" infantry of Ukraine

When will the Bradleys arrive in Ukraine?

If shipped by sea, it could take several weeks to arrive.

If the Bradleys that the US already has in Europe are sent to Ukraine, the time frame could be much shorter.

Ukrainians will have to be trained how to handle the Bradleys.

Why does Ukraine want them?

The Tow missiles armed with the Bradleys are "tank killers" and Ukraine could use this firepower alongside its own tanks as part of a "mechanized combined arms" team, a modern warfare tactic in which in the coming weeks the Ukrainians will be trained.

How many bradlites does the usa have?

The US owns a total of about 4,000 Bradleys.

Does the decision to send APCs mean tanks will follow?

It's not clear.

Although Ukraine has requested modern tanks such as the M1 Abrams, NATO is hesitant to send them due to concerns that it could further escalate the war.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

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