Serbia debuts new M-84AS3 tank to counter modern anti-tank weapons.

Serbia unveiled its new M-84AS3 tank in Belgrade, adding active protection, upgraded armor, and advanced defenses to extend the fleet’s combat relevance.

On September 20, 2025, Serbia introduced a new modernization of its M-84 main battle tank, designated M-84AS3, during the “Strength of Unity” parade in Belgrade. The event represented the first public acknowledgment of the M-84AS3, a version that integrates significant changes compared with earlier modernizations, particularly the M-84AS2. These include an Israeli-style active protection system, expanded armor coverage, upgraded fire-control, and new defensive electronics.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Protection updates visible on the M-84AS3 include an active protection system, an extended side coverage, and reactive armor running the full length of the hull, a change from the M-84AS2, where the engine compartment relied on lattice protection. (Picture source: Telegram/AviaKurs)

The defining change visible on the M-84AS3 is the installation of an active protection system that resembles the Iron Fist system developed by Elbit Systems in Israel. An active protection system, or APS, is designed to increase tank survivability by detecting incoming anti-tank threats such as rockets, guided missiles, or high-explosive projectiles. Using radar, infrared, or optical sensors, the system tracks the threat trajectory and launches countermeasures that either physically intercept the incoming round with a small explosive charge or disrupt its guidance before impact. The main advantage of APS is that it reduces the likelihood of penetration from modern high-power anti-tank weapons, complementing passive and reactive armor while lowering the need for excessive additional plating. By intercepting threats before they strike, APS increases crew protection, enhances the vehicle’s battlefield endurance, and helps tanks such as the M-84AS3 remain viable against contemporary precision-guided munitions.

Armor protection on the new version has also been extended. Unlike the M-84AS2, which used lattice armor to shield the engine compartment, the M-84AS3 employs dynamic armor across the full length of the hull. Additional armor packages cover more surfaces, and the turret displays a niche whose purpose is not yet known, with observers suggesting it could relate to internal mechanisms such as the autoloader or other subsystems. These changes signal a move toward continuous coverage rather than selective reinforcement of vulnerable areas, offering a different protection profile against contemporary battlefield threats. Such additions appear consistent with Serbia’s previous efforts to gradually improve the survivability of its armored fleet by layering reactive armor solutions with structural reinforcements.

Electronic and defensive systems on the M-84AS3 include a new fire-control system, a domestic radar and laser warning receivers, and a remote-controlled 12.7 mm weapon station. The tank also integrates a soft-kill countermeasure suite intended to interfere with the guidance of incoming missiles. In addition to these features, cage armor is now fitted to the rear of the hull and turret, while existing frontal armor modules are retained. Officials presented the vehicle as part of a modernization program that places it on a level comparable to Russia’s T-90M, though this comparison has not been independently validated. The combination of these upgrades indicates an attempt to extend the combat relevance of the M-84 through a comprehensive package of protection, situational awareness, and firepower improvements rather than isolated modifications.

The M-84 tank originated as a Yugoslav licensed version of the Soviet T-72M1, entering service with the Yugoslav People’s Army in 1984. Production continued until 1991, involving around 240 factories directly and many more indirectly across Yugoslavia. Later Serbian efforts introduced several modernizations: the M-84AS in 2004 with Kontakt-5 reactive armor and the Shtora countermeasures suite; the M-84AS1 unveiled in 2017 with reactive armor, a remote weapon station, and soft-kill measures; and the M-84AS2 in 2020, which added second-generation M19 explosive reactive armor, a revised fire-control system, day-night optics, new sensors, and programmable high-explosive ammunition. Each modernization reflected a response to evolving anti-tank threats and the need to maintain the relevance of an aging fleet without developing a completely new platform.

Common features across the M-84 family include a 125 mm smoothbore gun with coaxial and anti-aircraft machine guns, automatic loading that allows for a three-person crew, and diesel engines producing between 1,000 and 1,200 horsepower depending on the variant. These powerplants enable speeds of approximately 68 to 75 km/h, depending on configuration and terrain. Protection consists of combinations of steel-composite structures, explosive reactive armor, and, in modern variants, cage and active protection measures. The M-84 continues to be operated not only by Serbia but also by Croatia, Slovenia, Kuwait, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 30 Croatian M-84A4s donated to Ukraine in 2024. The persistence of the platform across multiple users illustrates why modernization, such as the M-84AS3, remains an important part of Serbia’s defense planning, extending the tank’s service life through new sensors, weapons, and protection systems rather than replacing the entire fleet.

An important fact about the M-84 is that its original production in Yugoslavia relied on an unusually broad industrial base that spanned several republics. Records indicate that more than 240 factories directly participated in producing the tank’s core components, including armor plates, engines, optics, hydraulics, and the 125 mm main gun. In addition, around 1,000 other enterprises were indirectly involved through the delivery of subassemblies, specialized metals, electronics, or ammunition parts. The decision to distribute production across multiple regions was intended to balance industrial participation and reduce dependency on a single supplier. This arrangement tied together manufacturers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro in a single defense program, with each contributing specific elements such as steel, optics, fire-control equipment, or powertrains. The result was a supply chain structure that integrated a wide range of industries into a coordinated system capable of producing a complete main battle tank.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.