European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 13, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 18 the stars and stripes sunday april 13,1986 Black dots on the targeting computer represent rounds hitting their target. Is photo by Tony Nauroth the faster you go the smoother the ride by Chris Estes staff writer a Volkswagen Beetle with  s the impression you get looking atthe Bradley fighting vehicle s  has some warning buzzers a few gauges nothing More Complex than fuel level and a speedometer. The transmission is automatic with drive reverse and spin gears. Spin rotates the vehicle s tracks in opposite directions enabling Quick turn arounds. The parking Brake pulls on. Acceleration comes from a pedal As does braking. The steering wheel in t round it looks More like an air plane Yoke. But it works just like a car. Turn left the vehicle goes left. The Bradley is powered by a 500-horsepower Cummins Turbo diesel engine. The army says the fighting vehicle does about 40 Mph but soldiers who drive it claim it can go 10 to 20 Mph faster. One instructor training infantry and cavalry troops in the vehicle tells a Story about a Bradley Driver in the states who was ticketed for doing 60 in a 55 Mph zone. Given a Chance at driving the $1.5 million troop transport i thought it better to stay at the lower speeds on the Frozen German ground. No one wants to be in an out of control 25-ton hockey puck. But slower in t always better. It s like a Cadillac an instructor said. The faster you go the smoother the  the sergeant accompanying me on the ride at the Grafe Woehr training area in Germany seemed nervous he kept the Driver s Hatch open to make sure he had Quick and easy Access to the controls. With the Hatch open even at Low speeds the cold eats at a person. A helmet with headphones and a microphone for communicating with the Crew might keep the head warm but that s about All. The engine was so loud his instructions passed through the headphones often had to be repeated. It s like sticking your head inside a Large truck engine being gunned.  came through the headphones while the Bradley barrelled straight through an intersection on the Trail. Say again i said turn right when driving the Bradley one sees Only part of the world. Above the Driver sits the gunner. At night the gunner s world is a rectangle like a movie screen seen from the Back of a theater that shows the Range in blood red hues. Red digits glow under the screen telling the gunner at what distance his sight is aligned. Beside the screen Are led letters and numbers. They Tell him which weapons Are selected. Staff sgt. George Duncan is the Bradley commander. Duncan is one of the new equipment team instructors at Grafe Woehr responsible for transition training in the Bradley fighting vehicle. He s the guide through this red world of night gunnery. Duncan and i sit in the cramped Turret with our hatches open getting colder by the minute. To pass time i peer through the gunner s sight downrange to the world of the enemy. The Bradley s Thermal sight picks up heat and transfers it into an image. Night targets Are pop up silhouettes that Lay on a heating pad. Gunner infantry four Hundred coaxial Duncan is Barking orders through the helmet headphones. Punch in coaxial machine gun. Flip the arming switch. Set the sights at 400 meters. Lock in High magnification. It s dark outside the enemy is Black faced human shapes moving in the red Thermal night sight. Identify the target. Squeeze the red trigger buttons. Video game death. Push the Button flip a switch align the sight squeeze the trigger. It s a video game that teaches men How to kill other men. When a gunner squeezes those Bradley trigger buttons 600 rounds a minute burst through the 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. The 25mm Chain gun can spit High explosive or Armor piercing rounds. The two ready Tow anti tank missiles can take out opposing Armor. The Bradley deals a dirty hand of death that can Challenge everything from a troop sneaking up on the perimeter to a t-72 russian tank or a soviet personnel Carrier to a Hind a helicopter. Depending on the weapon selected the gunner sees either Black Cross hairs or a yellow Dot in a Small yellow Circle through his sight. The Cross hairs Are for the Tow. The yellow Dot directs gunfire. The first series of targets Are infantry eight jump up to the right. Duncan barks the orders. Only three targets go Down. We wait. The next target is a moving truck. My thumbs Fumble buttons and the night sight goes Black. No shots fired the target drops. We wait. Next comes the infantry. Eight Little red dots 600 meters away. Duncan barks his orders. Lock in High magnification. Align the sight. Squeeze the trigger. Seconds later Only one target stands the guns Are out of ammunition