Russian “Akhmat” Vehicle Equips Mega-Grill Against Drones

The Russians showed a Z-STS ‘Akhmat’ armored vehicle, covered by a huge ‘grill’ to counter drones.

The corresponding video was released on social media.

The video shows an armored vehicle, the upper, rear, front, and side projections of which are completely covered with grids.

The structure has only one entrance: a door is located in the rear part of the structure. So the only way to get in and out of this ‘barbecue’ is to go through the door or crawl under the structure.

This design significantly increases the chance of survival of the armored vehicle if targeted by a kamikaze drone. However, at the same time, it significantly complicates and delays the troops and crews boarding and dismounting. In combat conditions, such delays can cost lives.

The Russians have already equipped their vehicles with massive ‘grills’ to protect them during assault operations.

Recently, it was reported that in the Orikhiv sector (Zaporizhzhia region), fighters of the Spartan brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard destroyed the Russian Ural truck, which was protected by such an anti-drone ‘grill’. It was installed along the entire length of the hull, in particular from the sides and from above.

It was also reported that the Russian invaders in the Donetsk region used a tank with a metal canopy and EW to protect against drones.

The new type of ‘grill,’ which the Russians began to install on their tanks, looks like a frame sheathed with metal sheets that covers the upper and side projections of the combat vehicle from drone strikes.

Judging by the image, the main task of such a design is to protect vehicles primarily from FPV drones. For the first time, an enemy tank with such protection was used near Krasnohorivka, in the Donetsk region.

In early April, Militarnyi reported that the soldiers of the Battalion of Unmanned Aerial Strike Systems of the 3rd Assault Brigade knocked out an enemy MT-LB tracked tractor with a large amount of troops on board.

The video showed an enemy MT-LB with a large anti-drone ‘grill’ that extends the length of the combat vehicle hull.

The most interesting part of this ‘grill’ is a specific “cap,” which is installed at an angle and, most likely, is designed to protect the combat vehicle and landing force from attacks from the upper frontal hemisphere.