Russia builds T-90M with active protection system

6 February, 2025 The first T-90M with the integrated Arena-M active protection system, February 2025. Photo: Uralvagonzavod Russia's Uralvagonzavod has produced the first T-90M Proryv tank with the Arena-M active protection system, capable of intercepting guided missiles and other threats.

A video of the new combat vehicle was posted on the corporation's website. The Arena-M system is designed to intercept missiles and other anti-tank munitions in the near area around it by physically destroying them. It consists of radars that monitor the area around the tank.

After successfully detecting a threat, the system fires a munition that hits it with a narrowly focused stream of heavy fragments. The freeze frame captures that by integrating the system's elements into the space behind the hull skirting, the hidden smoke grenade launchers were moved to an open installation on the turret top.

The Arena-M system mounted on the tank consists of six radars that monitor the space around the combat vehicle and notify the onboard computer of missiles or other typical threats in the viewing area. The radars cover sectors in the frontal, side, and aft projections. At the same time, the upper hemisphere remains "blind" to top attack.

The latter is a standard scenario for Javelin anti-tank missiles and strike drones. The hull skirting should also contain launching pods with ready-to-launch countermeasures. They are not clearly visible in the video, but according to patent documentation, their number can reach 14 units.

Changes in the design of the modernized T-90M tank with the Arena-M APS

For proper operation, the Arena requires open space around and above the vehicle, so it will not be possible to install an anti-drone "grill" on the tank, which is already traditional for the Russian military.

However, this may not be necessary if the integrated system is adapted to intercept drones. Last year, Valery Kashin, general designer of the Russian Design Bureau of Instrumentation, stated that his bureau was working on adapting Arena-M to intercept strike drones. "The active protection system designed to protect against anti-tank weapons has been submitted for qualification tests.

At the same time, we are improving the system to protect against drones," he claimed.