The threat posed by FPV drones, along with other types, is one of the biggest concerns for the Russian Ground Forces. This is evident from the latest delivery of T-80BVM tanks by the Rostec Industrial Consortium to the Ministry of Defense, which features significant modifications to the tanks’ turrets, including new anti-drone cages with a major redesign compared to those seen a few months ago.
According to reports from local media such as the TASS news agency, the Russian industrial consortium stated: “Omsktransmash, a subsidiary of our consortium UVZ, has delivered a batch of upgraded T-80BVM tanks to the army. The vehicles are equipped with special mesh screens and nets that protect the engine and transmission compartments, as well as the rear of the turret, against hollow-charge grenades, guided missiles, and FPV drones.”
The mention of FPV drones by Rostec officials is noteworthy, as both Ukrainian and Russian ground forces are demonstrating significant creativity in using them against armored vehicles, exploiting vulnerabilities in design and armor.
An example of this occurred months ago when a Ukrainian FPV drone attacked the rear of a T-80BVM tank at a diagonal angle, causing its total destruction. This choice by the operator was not random; the location targeted housed the cooling system, with reduced armor, causing the explosion to reach the compartment housing the automatic loader and ammunition storage in this series of Russian tanks.
This situation, along with many others recorded throughout the conflict, has led both sides to seek various solutions to protect their primary armored vehicles. The most popular solution to date has been equipping tanks with increased numbers of reactive armor blocks (ERA) along with anti-drone cages, which are increasingly complex in design.
The latest batch of T-80BVM tanks delivered, among the most modern in service with the Russian Ground Forces, is a clear example of this situation, where improvised cages used by troops in the field are being replaced by those manufactured with “higher standards of quality and complexity,” if that term can be used to describe this decision.
Additionally, other efforts have focused on installing electronic warfare systems with drone jammers on the top of the turret of the same T-80BVM tank model. Paradoxically, this approach is also being evaluated by Western forces, such as the German Armed Forces. An example of this was the presentation at the latest Eurosatory exhibition in Paris of a Puma IFV equipped with an anti-drone system on top of its turret.
You may also like: The training ship Smolny of the Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet arrived in Venezuela
