Specialists from AO "Ural Transport Engineering Design Bureau" (UKBTM) have come up with a new protection scheme against kamikaze drones. It is a structure resembling a protective "skirt" around the turret.
The protection consists of a lightweight frame and freely hanging rubber-fabric sheets arranged in a fan shape around the circumference, resembling a skirt. The elements are mounted so that they do not obstruct the view of the sights or interfere with the crew's work.
When it comes into contact with the sheets, the drone loses stability, is damaged, or detonates at a safe distance from the armor. This reduces the effectiveness of the shaped-charge munition and lowers the risk of the turret being hit.
The FIPS patent states that the distance between the sheets is made smaller than the minimum size of the drone. This rules out the possibility of the device flying inside the protective contour.
Additional holes in the material reduce the weight and windage of the structure. The engineers paid particular attention to the placement of elements in the sights' area.
In the sector of the main and panoramic sights, the sheets are arranged radially to preserve visibility. On the rest of the turret, they are mounted along the axis of rotation. Unlike more complex systems, the new protection does not require factory modernization.
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