U.S. Army 2nd Cav features RECON E-Bikes in Poland During Saber Strike 24 Exercise
A model capable of reaching 48 km/h and with a range of 80 km
The United States Army shows its electric bicycles for reconnaissance missions
@DefAviation ES4·30·2024 · 22:00 0
The United States Army is, without a doubt, the best equipped army in the world and has a very wide range of ground vehicles.
If you think about US Army vehicles, surely the first thing that comes to mind are M1 Abrams tanks, M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, Stryker armored vehicles or Humvee tactical vehicles. And perhaps the last vehicle you would think of is a bicycle. Despite this, bicycles have been a type of vehicle used by some armies for a long time, specifically since the 19th century, but the arrival of motor vehicles ended up displacing them. Bicycles are awakening new interest in some armies with the incorporation of electric motors. These electric bicycles have been used for years by police forces in different countries, and it was clear that they would also end up reaching the forces armed. Two years ago we saw here electric bicycles of the Ukrainian Army (above), and now it is the turn of the US Army.
A few days ago, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment of the US Army showed its electric bicycles in Poland during the Saber Strike 24 exercise held at the Bemowo Piskie training ground. The US Army published this photo of three soldiers from that Regiment, indicating that they use these light vehicles for long-distance reconnaissance. The bicycles in the photo wear the same OCP camouflage, based on Multicam, that the US Army uses on its field uniforms.
Obviously, electric bicycles have an advantage over electric motorcycles: if your battery runs out you can pedal. Furthermore, compared to combustion motorcycles, both bicycles and electric motorcycles have the advantage of being quieter, which is very important in a reconnaissance mission. The drawback, obviously, is that a combustion motorcycle has more range and more speed than one of these bicycles.
Caption:
U.S. Soldiers assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment sit on bikes used for long range reconnaissance during Saber Strike 24 at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, April 22, 2024. DEFENDER is a U.S. European Command scheduled, U.S. Army Europe and Africa conducted exercise that consists of Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response. DEFENDER 24 is linked to NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, and DoD’s Large Scale Global Exercise, taking place from 28 March to 31 May. DEFENDER 24 is the largest U.S. Army exercise in Europe and includes more than 17,000 U.S. and 23,000 multinational service members from more than 20 Allied and partner nations, including Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Randis Monroe)