Refurbishments: Bradley makeover to continue for years.

• Author: Rusling, Matthew
• Position: Tactical Vehicles

The Bradley fighting vehicle is going through an upgrade. This includes belly armor to protect it from mines, in-vehicle simulation training for gunners and an 800-horse power engine to better bear the vehicle's increased weight.

But that's just the start. A whole new generation of the Bradley is now in the design phase. It could include everything from a new thermal imaging system to a 40 mm cannon that is controlled from a screen below deck.

Roy Perkins, the director of Army Business Development at BAE Systems, said the upgrade package, known as the V1, standardizes all the tweaks and add-ons that have been made on the battlefield.

"What we are doing now in theater is adhoc Band Aid fixes as they come along, but the VI solves all that and puts it all into one vehicle," Perkins said.

Part of the package includes the Bradley Urban Survival Kit II, which further enhances the BUSK I, both of which are meant to improve survivability in urban terrain, said Rick Burtnett, director of combat systems technology development programs at BAE Systems and the program director for the VI.

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One feature is a ballistic glass shield to protect the commander and gunner sitting in the turret basket, Perkins said. Although a Bradley can be driven without a pair of eyes on top, it is risky in urban neighborhoods that are packed with markets, cars and people. "In an urban environment, since you can't see all the way around the vehicle, if you're in a closed-up Bradley, you could accidentally run over somebody," Perkins said.

Low hanging power lines in Iraq have proved to be a nuisance, so a new device has been added to push the power line out of the way.

The upgrade also includes belly armor to help protect against mine blasts, as well as more mine-resistant seating in the back. Still in development is armor that can protect from an explosively formed penetrator--a shaped charge designed to penetrate armor at standoff distances.

Screens will cover the optics outside the vehicle to protect against hazards on poorly constructed roads. Heat abatement systems will cool exhaust so it doesn't burn bystanders. A spotlight will allow the commander to pull out a handheld device to light up dark alleyways where insurgents may be hiding.

The upgrade also comprises a series of monitors that can help diagnose mechanical problems and then tell the supply chain what parts to order.

The vehicle will contain a training simulator for gunnery tasks...