Key Points
- Russia said new batches of T-90M tanks will be equipped with the Arena-M active protection system featuring an anti-drone interception mode.
- A Russian Defense Ministry officer said the Arena-M software was updated in 2025 to engage drones approaching armored vehicles.
Russia will equip a new batch of T-90M main battle tanks with the Arena-M active protection system featuring an “anti-drone” mode, a Russian Defense Ministry officer said during a broadcast on Russia‑24.
The officer said work on updating the Arena-M software was completed in 2025, adding a dedicated sub-mode designed to intercept drones as they approach the tank. The system is intended to counter small unmanned aerial vehicles, including attack drones, before they reach the vehicle.
Footage aired alongside the statement showed armored vehicles inside production facilities at Uralvagonzavod. The video included a T-72B3A fitted with Arena-M during assembly and previously known T-90M tanks equipped with the same active protection system during trials.
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Arena-M is a hard-kill active protection system designed to detect and intercept incoming threats using radar and counter-munitions launched from dedicated mortars mounted around the turret. The Russian officer said the updated software allows the system to engage aerial targets associated with drone attacks, expanding its role beyond traditional anti-tank munitions.
Russian state media visuals accompanying the report included a computer animation of the system’s operation. The animation depicted the counter-munition being launched from a side equipment box rather than the turret-mounted mortars, a detail inconsistent with the known configuration of Arena-M shown on production vehicles.
Official statements about modifying Arena-M to counter drones were first made by Russian officials roughly two years ago. The latest announcement represents the first on-air confirmation that the updated software has been implemented and will be applied to newly produced tanks.
Some sources have claimed that the Arena-M system will be installed only on a revised version of the T-90M, sometimes referred to as the T-90M2, featuring an updated turret with an expanded rear section. Those sources have also said production of that variant in 2026 would be limited, though the Defense Ministry officer did not comment on production numbers or specific sub-variants during the broadcast.
