The Russian Ground Forces are advancing in improving the defensive capabilities of their T-90M tanks, as this week they received the first batch of these combat vehicles equipped with the new Arena-M T09-A6-1 active protection system (APS), a development that was showcased at the ARMY 2024 expo in Moscow. This system adds to the Shtora-1 electro-optical countermeasure system, which disrupts the guidance systems of missiles targeting the tank, further enhancing its survivability.
Despite successfully integrating the modern Arena-M system, not all tanks rolling off the production line will be equipped with it, according to official Russian plans, leading to inconsistent modernization for the model. This is primarily due to the high cost associated with the installation process and the various logistical challenges Russia faces in acquiring the necessary components to manufacture them, especially given the sanctions imposed on the country.
Uralvagonzavod, the company responsible for producing the modernized T-90M tanks, as well as various T-72 and T-80 variants that can also be equipped with the Arena-M system, is leading this effort. During the ARMY 2024 Expo, Dmitry Semizorov, Deputy General Director of Uralvagonzavod, received state contracts from Anatoly Gulyayev, Head of the Main Directorate of Armaments of the Russian Armed Forces, to initiate the modernization program.
As for its features, the Arena-M system will enable Russian armored vehicles to intercept and neutralize various types of anti-tank missiles, including unguided types such as RPGs and the more modern Western-made ATGMs currently in use in Ukraine. The system operates by detecting the threat using a 360° Doppler radar, after which it quickly deploys small explosives (within 0.07 seconds) that detonate near the trajectory of the incoming projectile, neutralizing it before it can reach its target, thereby protecting the tank’s armor.
Regarding its origins, the program that led to the Arena-M can be traced back to the 1980s with the initial developments by the Kolomna Machine Design Bureau (KBM) in the field of active protection technologies, which resulted in the first products being released in the early 1990s. While working on export versions, the developed systems underwent continuous improvements, culminating in the current Arena-M system by 2012. In 2017, Uralvagonzavod began the homologation testing process of the system with various tank types, concluding this year after pressure from then-Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu.
Images used for illustrative purposes only.
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