According to information published by Uralvagonzavod on October 25, 2024, Russia has upgraded its T-72B3M main battle tanks with the Arena-M Active Protection System (APS). This move reflects a commitment to enhancing the tank’s defensive capabilities amid an era of increasingly potent anti-tank weaponry.
The T-72B3M represents the latest iteration of the T-72 series, featuring substantial upgrades over its predecessors in terms of firepower, mobility, and protection. Key improvements to the T-72B3M include an upgraded fire control system, a 1,130 hp V-92S2F engine, and advanced sighting equipment. However, the inclusion of the Arena-M APS marks a particularly notable enhancement, aimed at safeguarding the tank and its crew against an array of anti-tank threats.
The Arena-M is a Russian-designed active protection system created to intercept and destroy incoming projectiles, such as anti-tank missiles and rockets, before they reach the tank. The system uses a radar array to detect and track incoming threats within a certain radius around the vehicle. Once a threat is detected, Arena-M calculates its trajectory, allowing the system to deploy countermeasures that neutralize the projectile at a safe distance.
The APS is specifically designed to handle threats from multiple directions, enhancing protection against high-speed projectiles fired from modern anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) or rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). This added layer of defense significantly reduces the likelihood of armor penetration, thus improving the survivability of the T-72B3M on the battlefield.