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Russia tests new reactive armor Arena-M for T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks TASS 12001173

Military Defense Industry Technology - New Russian reactive armor

Russia tests new reactive armor Arena-M for T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks.

New reactive armor Arena-M for T-72 and T-90 tanks is undergoing preliminary tests in Russia, Designer General of the Machine-building Design Bureau (KBM) Valery Kashin told TASS. "Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces Colonel-General Oleg Salyukov has twice visited the design bureau of late. We agreed to mount the work. At present active protection complexes for T-72 and T-90 tanks are undergoing preliminary tests," he said.

The Russian-made T-72M1M is fitted with the with the KA3 Arena active defense system.

The design bureau and Uralvagonzavod agreed to install reactive armor on T-72 and T-90 tanks. "But now tank designers asked for a different reactive armor configuration. The principles seem to be the same but in reality it is an absolutely new design. During the upgrade of T-72 and T-90 tanks the protection configuration has been several times specified and the complex had to be completely remade," Kashin said.

The new complex was named Arena-M. "We preserved the name as complex modifications were created on the basis of Arena. But I will repeat it is a new design done for a different tank. We would like the customer to stabilize the requirements for the complex," he added.

The latest military experience confirms the necessity of reactive armor for tanks. "Conflicts in the Middle East demonstrated that, firstly, you cannot do without tanks and, secondly, it is no longer possible to ensure their complete protection by traditional means, including dynamic protection. Tanks are destroyed and burnt," Kashin said.

Arena is a reactive tank armor designated to protect combat vehicles from antitank grenades and guided missiles. In particular, it includes multifunctional highly jamming-resistant radar to detect targets. Protective fast-engagement munitions placed in special silos by the perimeter of the tank turret are used to destroy shells.