The "Arena-M" APS is capable of intercepting FPV drones, but its installation may create a new problem for tank protection – limiting the use of additional metal structures against drones. Experts from the Telegram channel "Voennaya Khronika" drew attention to this.
The design of "Arena-M" includes 12 launchers with counter-munitions. According to data from open sources, they are distributed around the turret, so a simple summation of the number of shafts does not mean that all 12 charges can be sequentially used to repel attacks from one direction.
However, active protection has a design feature that can affect the use of other countermeasures against FPV drones. Modern tanks widely use additional metal frames, nets, and other passive protection elements. They are installed above the hull and turret to physically hinder a drone from hitting the most vulnerable parts of the vehicle.
According to "Voennaya Khronika", the installation of "Arena-M" may limit the possibility of placing such structures. The elements of the APS are located around the turret and occupy space that, with a different configuration, could be used for additional protection. This is especially true for massive frames covering the upper and rear parts of the vehicle.
As a result, a peculiar choice arises between two principles of protection. "Arena-M" is designed to destroy an approaching drone before it makes contact with the tank, while a metal frame acts as an additional physical barrier and can reduce the probability of the vehicle being hit even if the drone was not intercepted by the APS.
This does not mean that "Arena-M" in principle excludes any additional anti-drone protection. The possibility of combining APS with a specific frame depends on its design, the location of the complex's elements, and the layout of the tank itself. Therefore, the issue requires separate study when creating the standard configuration of the vehicle.