T-90M "Proryv" to be taught to hunt drones: "Arena-M" will hear UAV propellers

The Kolomna Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering (JSC NPK "KBM") has patented a new method that allows the "Arena-M" active protection system (APS) to combat not only missiles and projectiles, but also strike drones. The document is published in the database of the Federal Institute of Industrial Property (FIPS).

In patent No. 2853544, the designers described in detail the principle of detecting and destroying drones, which were considered a "blind spot" for tanks. They noted that standard APS radars were originally created for fast targets — missiles and projectiles.

However, small drones fly slowly, poorly reflect the signal, and are simply "lost" to the radar. KBM proposed a solution — to make the radar see the drone as a fast target. According to this approach, the system periodically switches the radar from long-range mode to short-range mode and looks not for the drone itself, but for the rotation of its propellers.

The blades create a characteristic micro-Doppler signal — that is, "radar noise" that passes through filters designed for missiles. For the radar, the drone for a second looks like a dangerous high-speed threat. After that, the complex clarifies the trajectory, predicts the movement of the target and brings it into the kill zone.

Previously, footage of T-90M "Proryv" tanks with the "Arena-M" kit had already appeared on the Web. Analyst Evgeny Damantsev explained that the system would be able to destroy drones, but admitted that "Arena-M" will require software and hardware updates to track such low-speed targets.

As a reminder, the "Arena-M" complex includes a multifunctional radar station with high noise immunity, which detects targets. For targeted destruction of projectiles, narrowly focused ammunition is used, placed around the perimeter of the tank turret in special installation shafts.

Read more materials on the topic:

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• Panacea for kamikaze drones? What is the effectiveness of the "Arena-M" active protection on T-90M tanks
• Expert called for covering T-90M "Proryv" tanks with "Arena-M" active protection: it will save from M712 "Copperhead" projectiles