The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced this week that the U.S. State Department has cleared a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of 76 M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicles.
According to DSCA, the Pentagon’s top arms broker, the possible deal has an estimated value of $757 million.
The proposed package includes the following according to the DSCA notice: modernization of 76 M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicles and the purchase of close to 2,000 TOW missiles, 84 M240 machine guns, M257 Smoke Grenade Launchers; ammunition; radios; simulator; special armor; Hunter/Killer technology and other equipment and spare parts.
“This proposed sale of the Bradley vehicle refurbishment/modernization will contribute to Croatia’s goal of updating its military capability while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies,” DSCA said in its announcement. “Croatia will have no difficulty absorbing these equipment and support into its armed forces.”
As noted by the DSCA, the prime contractors will be BAE Systems, York, Pennsylvania; and Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona.
This announcement confirms many of the details in a report in Dec 2019, which said that the U.S. Government plans to donate Bradley infantry fighting vehicles in ODS (Operation Desert Storm) configuration to Croatia.
In 2019, Croatian Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic said that the United States has accepted an offer to donate 60 Bradley fighting vehicles to complete a heavy infantry battalion with another 24 vehicles for spares.
The defense minister also added that the selected Bradley vehicles, which will be donated to the Croatian Army, are in extremely good condition and that Croatia will need to invest between $ 2 million and $ 5 million per vehicle in refreshing and later modernizing them. Currently, the excess Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles have in long-term storage at the U.S. Army.