The Russian active protection system "Arena-M", installed on T-72B3A and T-90M tanks, was compared with the Israeli Trophy system used on the Merkava Mk.4. According to experts, the Russian development demonstrated capabilities that foreign counterparts had not previously shown, especially when operating against small drones.
The comparison was made by Yuri Lyamin, a senior researcher at the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST). He noted that the Israeli Trophy has proven itself well in intercepting anti-tank guided missiles, but its capabilities against fast-approaching FPV drones were limited.
We saw their system intercepting launched anti-tank guided missiles, but it did not react at all to approaching FPV drones. Our system, however, worked when the "seventy-second" was moving at a fairly high speed.
According to the expert, "Arena-M" showed a wider range of applications due to its adaptation to new types of threats. The system is capable of detecting dangerous objects using a radar station and using protective ammunition to hit targets before they hit the tank.
The Russian system is installed on modernized main battle tanks T-72B3A and T-90M. The complex includes protected launchers that provide all-round protection for the vehicle and allow it to combat various means of destruction.
The main difference between "Arena-M" and previous generations of KAZ is the expansion of capabilities against modern attack means. If earlier complexes were created primarily to protect against anti-tank missiles and grenades, the new versions are focused on a wider range of threats, including small unmanned aerial vehicles.