Leonardo DRS eyes role in Bradley successor

Leonardo DRS makes equipment for Bradley fighting vehicles, shown here. (US Transportation Command)

Leonardo DRS is exploring a potential role in the US Army‘s future XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle, which will replace the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, according to the chief executive of the US-based company.

“We're talking at this point” with American Rheinmetall Vehicles (ARV) and General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), which are vying to be the XM30 prime contractor, Leonardo DRS chairman and CEO William Lynn told Janes on 14 July. “We're working with [them] to get on their teams.”

The army announced in late June that ARV and GDLS will build XM30 prototypes and that it will select a winner in 2027. Leonardo DRS's XM30 role would likely be similar to its involvement in other army vehicles, such as providing computers and sensors, Lynn explained.

While looking at the new programme, Leonardo DRS continues to support the legacy vehicle. It expects to benefit when the US Department of Defense (DoD) replaces the Bradleys it has provided to Ukraine's armed forces. As of 7 July the DoD had committed 186 vehicles to Ukraine.

“When those Bradleys are backfilled, it will have our equipment on them,” Lynn said. “We're expecting that [backfilling to occur] over the next year or two.”

Specific items that Leonardo DRS supplies for the Bradley include the Driver's Vision Enhancer UltraWide (DVE UW), which provides the crew with a wide field-of-view; the Improved Bradley Acquisition Subsystem (IBAS), which is a multisensor targeting system; and the Mounted Family of Computer Systems (MFoCS).