Bradleys with heat-seeking Stinger missiles
 

The Army is arming Bradley Fighting Vehicles with heat-seeking Stinger air defense missiles to give the infantry carriers an improved ability to track and destroy enemy air threats such as drones, helicopters and low-flying aircraft.

"As directed by the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Army is conducting a proof of principle to incorporate Man Portable Air Defense Systems back into the Armored Brigade Combat Teams by modifying two dozen Bradleys to carry Stinger Missiles in lieu of TOW Missiles,” Ashley Givens, spokeswoman for Program Executive Officer, Ground Combat Systems, told Warrior Maven.

Not yet, but very soon, we could see Bradleys outfitted with Stingers (easy to add to our game). I would imagine the Stingers and TOWs mounted as modules to allow configurations by mission requirements.

While I envision a Bradley platoon equipped with one Stinger vehicle, scout platoons riding with Abrams, I could see out of the 12 Bradleys two or three Bradleys in each platoon fitted with Stingers.

Stingers were never a consideration in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), but as the army tools up for possible heavy formation fights with the likes of Russian forces, providing Bradleys with Stingers to mitigate Russian Hind helicopters and their ground support fixed wing aircraft makes sense.


http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2018/07/...-missiles.html

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Re: Bradleys with heat-seeking Stinger missiles
 

This feels wrong.
I was thinking that perhaps they were doing this for some hotspots against perhaps the occasional enemy drone. But against Russian gunships? If you are at a point where you have a constant threat for American troops from Russian gunships, we might already be in WW3. In which case, I would assume there were far better solutions in dealing with Hinds than removing atmgs against Russian forces.

But that's just me.

Re: Bradleys with heat-seeking Stinger missiles
 

Why not have both, sam and atgm.

One certain oob even have artillery on their apc's and carry cap in their artillery.

Waiting to see, when first sam missiles are presented on mbt's.

Re: Bradleys with heat-seeking Stinger missiles
 

There already is a North Korean tank with a SAM I think.

The problem with dumping SAM on a non AAA class is that the EW rating is used for other things on those. So any SAM on an APC or tank or infantry unit has no EW factor (EW is anti-missile on non AAA classes).

So it's best to stick with the specialist M6 Linebacker SP-SAM the USA has in its OOB already. In fact the journalist may simply be getting confused with the reintroduction of SPAA assets that have been ignored for a while.

Re: Bradleys with heat-seeking Stinger missiles
 

I can envision the US Army manning these vehicles with 14 series MOS personnel, which means ADA soldiers. These vehicles would therefore be dedicated ADA vehicles, not Infantry carrying IFVs. Except for shooting bullets at aircraft, MANPAD operation (and all other ADA roles) are not Infantry tasks in the US Army training system.
The infrared signature of helicopters are easier to mask than jets. I would expect the auto-cannon to be the primary anti-helo weapon.

Re: Bradleys with heat-seeking Stinger missiles
 

Formations 20, 22, 83 in the USA OOB already cover these - use the Bradley linebacker if offered an alternative SP-SAM.

Re: Bradleys with heat-seeking Stinger missiles
 

I took away from the article the army intends to extend the role of the M2 Bradley, rather than reintroduce the M6 Linebacker.

Although, it maybe easier (wiser) to modify a Linebacker in the Editor to carry troops, switch the SA missile to slot 2 and insert a 20mm mg in slot 1; we may edit an M2 Bradley's EW, and insert SA missile in weapon slot 2 as well.

From a procurement perspective, it may extend the life of the M2/M3 platforms while providing commanders with a more flexible platform, which coincidentally meets mission requirements as per the article.

I believe the Army picked the Stryker platform to build a M-SHORAD (Mobile Short-Range Air Defense) vehicle instead of reintroducing the M6 Bradley.

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Re: Bradleys with heat-seeking Stinger missiles
 

The game needs an AAA class to use missiles properly (EW and AA fire control).

SPAA units do different things in AI hands versus APC classes. So adding troop capacity to an SPAA element may work for human controlled units, it will not fly if the AI has those units. AA in the AI's hands will probably not load any troops, and will tend to hang around the rear area.

Re: Bradleys with heat-seeking Stinger missiles
 

Great stuff. Yeah, whenever I edit a unit it is for human control. But, let me follow-up here, increasing EW value of say an M2 Bradley give that unit the same EW chatacteristics as say the M6 Linebacker?
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Re: Bradleys with heat-seeking Stinger missiles
 

Of course not, as I stated earlier AAA units Use EW for different purposed than other unit classes.

EW if used on the AAA classes is used as EW against taget EW when firing AA guns and missiles.

Non AAA classes use the EW rating field as a general purpose field - it can be used for VIRSS and CIWS anti-ATGM defence, or artillery GPS - plus a few others probably.

You cannot simply add EW to a non AAA unit. That is why the OOB designers who have added say stingers to SAS teams, are not doing it right. The SAM wil still fire as a SAM - but there is no way to give it the EW value, so its not that effective. Same will be for the popong-ko or whatever North Korean tanks with Strelas.

So feel free to add a stinger to a random bradley APC, but with 0 EW value, it will be very unlikely to be able to hit modern planes and helos. If you add some EW then you will be probably giving it an anti-missile system, or just confusing the game if the values do not tie in with the special codes used for CIWS. You will also probably have some side effects on the cost calculator as well..