Ukraine's battlefield ubers

The US and some European countries, including Germany and France, have announced that they will send various combat equipment to Ukraine to assist Kyiv in seizing a narrow window of opportunity to launch a counterattack against Russian forces.

This aid will also assist Kyiv in fending off an expected Russian spring offensive.

Of all combat vehicle types that Ukraine needs, Infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) are near the top, 

IFVs are essentially heavily armored Ubers. 

Let’s take a look at some of these vehicles.

The British FV432 is a part of the FV430 vehicles family which is roughly analogous to the American M113 and its subvariants. The core vehicle weighs just under 17 tons and has a top speed on improved roads of just under 32.5 miles per hour. 

The Bulldog, also known as the FV432 Mk 3, is a substantial upgrade over the original design that was developed in response to British Army combat experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq in the early 2000s. This variant has a new engine and drive train improvements that give it increased speed and better cross-country mobility, as well as an air-conditioning system.

Sweden’s CV90, or Combat Vehicle 90 series, was originally schemed in the mid-1980s as a family of fighting vehicles and has resulted in a wide variety of variants for different missions.  

Weighing just over 25 tons when prepared for combat, the CV9040 has a capacity for a maximum of eight troops and is operated by a crew of three: commander, driver, and gunner. 

The CV9040's basic armor provides all-around protection against 14.5 mm armor-piercing rounds. Armour protection over the frontal arc is classified, but all models from CV9040B onwards are said to be protected against 30 mm APFSDS. 

CV9040  has a very good level of mobility over snow and through marsh and swamps, which could be of significant benefit to Ukraine. 

The vehicle has a top speed of 43 mph.

It’s also designed to operate in extremely cold conditions.  

While the CV9040 lacks anti-tank missiles, its Bofors gun is already a powerful weapon against opposition Russian tanks.

The Bastion APC is a 4×4 armored personnel carrier vehicle that was produced by French Company ACMAT, a subsidiary of ARQUUS formerly Renault Trucks Defense.

It incorporates blast protection technology with the mobility of a light armored vehicle. 

The design of the Bastion is conventional for a modern wheeled armored vehicle with the engine at the front, crew in the middle, and troop's compartment at the rear. The vehicle has a crew of two and can accommodate up to 8 infantrymen.

The roof of the Bastion APC can be fitted with a one-man open-top turret or a remotely operated weapon station which can be armed with a 7.62mm or a 12.7mm machine gun.

The Bastion APC with its Diesel engine developing 215 hp can run at a maximum road speed of 68 mph.

The Marder is one of the world’s older IFVs. But despite its age, Marder remains operational owing to its balance of speed, protection, firepower, and capacity. Capable of traveling 40 miles per hour the Marder can keep pace with the German army’s Leopard 1 tanks, drop off infantry in the middle of a firefight then support that infantry with cannon fire and missiles. The Marder is a formidable vehicle almost resembling a light tank. It is armed with an externally mounted 20 mm cannon and coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun over a two-man turret. The hull superstructure armor is well sloped to add protection. The number of troops carried in the troop compartment at the rear is 5 or 6. The original version could carry 6 dismounts, though between 1977 and 1979 a MILAN anti-tank guided missile launcher and reload missiles were fitted to all vehicles. This reduced passenger capacity to 5 soldiers. 

The US Army’s Bradley infantry vehicle is a full-tracked, medium armored vehicle capable of providing cross-country mobility and protection to mechanized units.

It carries the M242 25-millimeter automatic cannon and a 7.62 coaxial machine gun. The IFV’s arsenal also includes armor-piercing, sub-caliber, and high-explosive ammunition. Besides, Bradley has a TOW ATGM launcher. 

Among the unique features of the Bradley is its independent viewer that allows commanders to scan for targets and maintain situational awareness.

The weight of the M2A2 ODS-SA amounts to 37,7 tons. The vehicle is driven by a 600-horsepower engine. With a top speed of 38 miles per hour, the vehicle can accommodate a crew of three and up to seven squad members.

The Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles.

Throughout its years in service, the Stryker has undergone various survivability upgrades and received "kit" applications designed to improve the vehicle's ability to withstand attacks. 

The Stryker is tougher than many other armored personnel carriers. The front arc can withstand hits from 14.5 mm heavy machine gun rounds. The armor provides all-around defense against 7.62 mm NATO ball rounds. Ceramic add-on armor can also be installed to provide all-around protection against 14.5 mm armor-piercing rounds. The vehicle's interior is lined with kevlar to protect the crew and passengers from spalling. To withstand mine blasts, the undercarriage was reinforced.

M1126 ICV is the baseline vehicle of the Stryker family. It is fitted with a remotely-controlled weapon station, armed with an M2.50 Cal heavy machine gun, or an MK19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher.