The Ukrainian military is facing a shortage of spare parts for Bradley fighting vehicles provided by the US, according to a report by the Washington Post. The article also highlighted that approximately a dozen of these vehicles have sustained damage beyond repair. The biggest threat to the Ukrainian troops’ hardware is said to be extensive Russian minefields. American reporters witnessed six damaged Bradleys in one location near the front lines in Zaporozhye Region.
The Ukrainian soldiers described the process of requesting spare parts, stating that they have to make formal requests to their commanders, who likely have limited reserves at their disposal. As a result, Ukrainian troops have resorted to cannibalizing more severely damaged Bradleys, using them as “donors” to repair other vehicles. These donor vehicles are then sent to Poland for more extensive repairs. However, due to the lengthy repair process, Ukrainian troops are attempting to minimize the removal of hardware before it is returned to the front lines.
The report also quoted an anonymous US military official who claimed to be unaware of any issues related to the delivery of spare parts from American stocks. The official suggested that bottlenecks may exist within Ukraine’s own supply chains, causing the shortage. The article confirmed the destruction of approximately a dozen Bradleys so far, with additional units sustaining varying degrees of damage.
Out of the 190 fighting vehicles pledged by the US to Ukraine, more than half have been received by the Ukrainian military, according to the unnamed US official. The Bradley is a tracked and lightly armored vehicle operated by a crew of three, with the capacity to transport six troops. It is equipped with a 25mm autocannon and TOW anti-tank missiles. When the US announced its decision to provide Ukraine with these vehicles, they were described as “tank-killers” that would give the Ukrainian military an advantage on the battlefield.
However, Moscow has warned that all Western-supplied armor would be destroyed, claiming that shipments would only prolong the conflict unnecessarily. The article did not provide further details on Russia’s stance on the spare part shortages specifically.
In conclusion,a shortage of spare parts for US-provided Bradley fighting vehicles is reportedly causing issues for the Ukrainian military. The troops have resorted to cannibalizing damaged vehicles and requesting spare parts, while some vehicles have been sent to Poland for more extensive repairs. The report suggests that the shortage may be a result of supply chain issues within Ukraine. Over half of the pledged fighting vehicles have been received by the Ukrainian military thus far.
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