Soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division recently received almost 100 Bradley Fighting Vehicles from the Field Support Battalion of the Polish Army.
It took place in two locations in Poland and one in Lithuania, between May 20 and 31, 2024.
The Bradleys, sourced from the Coleman Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 (APS-2) site of the 405th Army Field Support Brigade in Mannheim, include the M2A3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the M3A3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle. Although both variants are similar, the cavalry version is designed to accommodate two scouts and additional ammunition and communications.
The 1st Cavalry Division is currently deployed to Europe for nine months in support of US Army European operations and Africa. After returning to Fort Cavazos, Texas next year, they should receive the latest M2A4 Bradleys. This temporary provision of “Bradley” AFSBn-Poland is in line with the current army modernization plan.
Support from AFSBn-Poland is critical, as evidenced by the battalion's recent withdrawal of nearly 120 Bradley Fighting Vehicles from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. These efforts were part of the process of deploying the brigade's equipment after a nine-month European rotation.
"Every week, I sit in on operational planning meetings for the Bradley upgrade to make sure I understand my role and the Army's end state in equipping armored brigade combat teams with the most advanced weapons,— said Maj. Stephen Waugh, support officer for AFSBn-Poland. "I have learned more about Bradley in the last year than in the previous 13 years of service in the army. Knowing that I was part of that strategy was rewarding.
It took a lot of effort from the whole team to produce these Bradleys.
< p>"We worked long hours, 6-7 days a week, to prepare the release of these Bradleys", — said Waugh. "Soldiers said these were the best Bradleys they had ever used.
As part of the 405th AFSB's regional alignment and transformation initiative, AFSBn-Poland will soon transfer all of its resources from Mannheim to Powidz, Poland, where the new long-term equipment storage and maintenance complex (LTESM-C) is located. The German Army Field Support Battalion will then assume command of the Coleman APS-2 work platform and retain command of the Dülmen APS-2 work platform.
The APS-2 program provides ready-to-deploy power design packages, reducing the in equipment from the base stations of deployment of forces. Sites such as Coleman, Dülmen and LTESM-C in Poland help reduce deployment times, increase deterrence capabilities and provide additional combat power for contingency operations.