Research to increase the Bradley’s firepower began as early as 1981. The initial concept involved fitting a 35 mm Talon automatic cannon developed by Ares, Inc. for the Eagle air-defense system.

The photo shows the Bradley CVAST (Combat Vehicle Armament System Technology), built in 1985. CVAST was a prototype armament system designed to test the new 35 mm Talon cannon, paired with a twin TOW missile launcher.

The use of a turret with externally mounted weapons (a cleft turret) reduced vehicle height and allowed the Bradley with the CVAST turret to be transported by a C-130 aircraft.

Although the CVAST turret successfully passed firing trials, it never entered full-scale development. Interest later shifted to telescoped unitary ammunition (Case Telescoped Ammunition, CTA), and the project was redesignated as the Combat Vehicle Armament Technology (COMVAT) program. In CTA rounds, the projectile is enclosed within a cylindrical case surrounded by propellant.
This program also remained at the prototype stage.